The Corradino Group

1
SERPM-6 and Cube Cluster

• Corradinos Initial Experience

2
Why Cluster?

• Reduce running time for long model runs.
• HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON YOUR HARDWARE!
• SERPM-6 2000 Base year (3.2 GH Pentium) 22
  hours.
• With 3 cores 14 hours (overnight).
• Much greater savings with more cores and Core 2
  Duo hardware (we dont have these yet).
• For example, ODOT uses 32 cores.

3
Issues

• Networking and Security the hard part (what
  Citilabs doesnt tell you much about).
• Modifying your setup to use Cluster the easy
  part.
• After modification the process will run on a
  single processor, so the ability to distribute
  the model setup is not affected.

4
Computer Network Issues

• All processors must see the model folder exactly
  the same way, even the host processor.
• All processors must have the appropriate license.
• All processors must have the appropriate rights.

5
Licenses

• Host must have a Cube Voyager Cluster license.
• Nodes must have either
• Cube Voyager license
• Node license
• (see your Citilabs representative)

6
Wheres the model?

• Map to a common drive we like z
• Everybody, including the host computer, must map
  to z
• Everybody must have rights.
• Share the folder.
• On EVERY computer map to z
• Give every USER rights to READ and WRITE.

7
How to share(You must be an administrator)
8
Add Users and Permissions

• Usually the login name (who the network thinks
  you are)
• We also had to do it for the Host the user
  that is actually running Cube.
• Required READ and WRITE permissions. Also the
  Security tab. Get help from your IT expert.
• Test by trying to copy a file from the node
  location to the mapped Z If this doesnt work,
  Cluster wont work.

9
How to Map everybody!
10
Then start the nodes (Cluster)

• Must use a consistent folder and process ID, Like
• Z\cube\SERPM6ID this a folder, like cube, on
  the mapped drive z, with some identifier
  SERPM6ID.
• The identifier must be the same one you use in
  the Voyager script.

11
Nodes (here are 2 remote nodes)
12
How Ken Does it.

• Automate with a Visual Basic Script
• Map drives and folders
• Establish the ProcessID
• Starts the nodes (Cluster)

13
Process ID

• In the following slides note the process ID
  SERPM6ID
• This MUST be the same as in the ProcessID used
  when you start Cluster.

14
VB Script

• This script maps a drive and then starts a CUBE
  Cluster
• 'KDK 2-6-2007
• 'The Corradino Group
• ' INPUT VARIABLES
  
• 'Specify what folder to map -- this must the
  shared folder visible to the network where the
  model catalog resides
• model_folder"\\Tcg-lvl-0218\S6-HOT"
• 'Specify drive to map to. Use Z unless at
  sometime Z is not available (very unusual)
• drive"Z"
• 'Specify process ID. This must be a subfolder of
  the mapped folder and then an ID name, like
  \CUBE\SERPM6ID
• processid"\cube\SERPM6ID"
• 'Specify process numbers (list or range) for
  example 2-3 starts processes 2 and 3, 4-5,7
  starts 4 and 5 and 7
• nums"2-3"
• 'end input variables
  
• ' DO NOT TOUCH THE FOLLOWING LINES IF YOU DO
  NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING
• 'Create the shell for the process
• Set objShell CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

15
Script Inputs (only 4)(always run from the
remote nodes)

• The model folder to be mapped to z
• model_folder"\\Tcg-lvl-0218\S6-HOT"
• The name of the mapped drive
• drive"Z"
• The ProcessID (also in the Voyager script)
• processid"\cube\SERPM6ID"
• The remote nodes (on the remote machine)
• nums"2-3"

16
Interstep - Intrastep

• Interstep You must program the logic. Can be
  used with any process where the logic fits.
• Intrastep Voyager takes care of the logic, but
  available only for HIGHWAY and MATRIX.

17
Insert Control Boxes

• Cluster is an option on the Control menu.
• Insert a Start.
• Insert an End.
• Positions determined by execution order like all
  items in a flowchart.

18
Interstep (multiple assignments)
19
Pilot Script to Wait

• Do not change filenames or add or remove
  FILEI/FILEO statements using an editor. Use
  Cube/Application Manager.
• Wait4Files Files SERPM6ID2.script.end,
  SERPM6ID3.script.end, CheckReturnCodeT,
  PrintFilesMERGE, DelDistribFilesF

20
Intrastep

• Do not change filenames or add or remove
  FILEI/FILEO statements using an editor. Use
  Cube/Application Manager.
• RUN PGMMATRIX PRNFILE"E\S6-HOT\CUBE\ODMAT00B.PR
  N" MSG'Assemble 1 Veh OPTrips Create Temp
  File for Final Mode Choice'
• DISTRIBUTEINTRASTEP ProcessID'SERPM6ID',ProcessLi
  st1-4
• FILEI MATI2 "OUTDIR\PSCHOOL_ALTYEAR.MAT"
  

21
Intrastep Programs

• Highway
• Matrix
• NOT Distribution (would be valuable)

22
CONCLUSION

• Great way to speed up the model runs
• We like it, but
• Should be easier.
• We know a product that uses whatever processors
  it can find in the host machine and requires not
  setup. Cant use remote machines.