How to setup a Windows LSF client

If you want to submit distributed computing jobs from Revolution R Enterprise running on a Windows client,
you need to change some LSF configuration files and install the Platform LSF Windows client software.

You will need to set up a samba (smb) mount from your cluster share directory(typically '/mnt/allshare') that can be seen as a share directory from Windows.
Talk to your system adminstrator about getting this done.

Necessary user permissions

On your LSF cluster, you should already have passwordless authentication setup between all of the cluster nodes.
You will have to also have passwordless authentication between your windows host and your cluster(preferably domain based authentication).

Configuration Setup

You will have to add your client system to the cluster configurations. 
Talk to your LSF admin to schedule this, as you will need to shutdown the cluster:



          lsfshutdown   (Command to shutdown the cluster)

Next, edit the file 'lsf.cluster.CLUSTER_NAME'(the default location for this file will be in '/usr/share/lsf/conf'.

In the hosts section, add a line for the client; e.g.:
CLIENT_NAME  !       !       0       3.5 ()   ()   ()

Save the file, and start the cluster:

        lsfstartup

Note that the client host must be online when the cluster is started, or the client won't work.

 

Installing the Windows Client software

At this point, we are only supporting version 9.1 of the client installer.  This can be acquired through the IBM Partneworld portal.

The file you will need is 'lsf9.1.1_win-x64.msi'.

When you run the installer, choose the default location and base port.  Note that the installer will require you to turn off your firewall; there is nothing that can be done about that.  You can always turn it back on when you are not running the software.



In the installer
1). LSF will inform you that your firewall needs to be turned off - Select OK.
2). LSF will grant admin privileges to run cmd.exe - the shell command. - Select OK.
3). Select "Add a host - join an existing cluster, make this host:" from the top level radio button selection, then below that, select "an LSF client host".  Select 'Next'.
4). Select "No shared directory." Select "Next".
5). Enter the master nodes of the cluster in FQDN form.  For example:
    'lsf-5.mydomain.com'
6). Select "custom configuration" - then select "Next".
7). Select the install location - select "Next".
8). Select the default base port - select "Next".
9). Select "install".
10). Select "finish".
11). Restart your computer

 

Now you are ready to run a smoke test  using an LSF compute context(RxLsfCluster) to see if things work.