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Re: [Condor-users] mini-survey - windows users - what s/w do your users use?



On Thu, 30 Jun 2005, Matt Hope wrote:

> On 6/30/05, Rob Fletcher <rpf1@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Sorry to snaffle bandwidth, but I would be interested in getting a view
> > from the pool of condor "experts".
> >
> > I would like to build a list of software packages that people find they
> > are able to run successfully on Windows systems (xp or 2000) via condor
> > pools.
>
> By this I take it you mean executables which require no client side
> installation (though may require standard directories such as TEMP)...

A bit more than that. Basically any software which can be pre-installed on
pool machines ... e.g. consider university open access classroom pools
which have a number of items installed for users - eg matlab, maple, spss,
paintshop pro, octave, etc ...

So, all a user would need to do is construct a script (or batch file),
possibly provide data file(s), and fire the job off.

e.g. when I run terragen, I provide the surface file, the texture
definitions, and a terragen script file defining the frames to be
rendered. The script file contains the prefix for the frame names. A batch
file is the executable which runs the program and also transfers the
frames from c:\temp\myframes to the local temp condor folder (for return),
and cleans up the c:\temp\myframes area. The condor submit file stages the
data and script files. The terragen executable is already installed on al
the pool machines.

Basically I am trying  to see what people use on windows in a condor
environment. From conversations I feel there are few common apps which
permit a batch-style interface, and hence will be eligible for condor
queues.

In the end it's "management" who require justification of the effort for
setting up such environments. If there are so few programs which can be
run on windows in a condor environment, then the windows machines (and
hence a large number of potential systems) will not (be allowed to) join
the pools. Management need to see a return on investment which benefits
many, not a few ...

Hence my keeness to build a list of useful things people CAN run via
condor on windows machines. It may be useful for many others as well.

Cheers,

Rob