[comp.unix.questions] Batch queues on Unix?

rfinch@caldwr.UUCP (Ralph Finch) (09/13/89)

We run lots of long-running numerical models.  Is there a true batch
queing system available on Unix?  Specifically, SunOS 4.x.  Desired
features would be:

Queing:  as one job finishes, the next in the queue starts

Variable number of jobs:  the queue can be set up so as to allow 1, 2,
... n jobs running simultaneously.

Different queues with different priorities.

Optional notification when jobs finish.

Thanks,
-- 
Ralph Finch
...ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!rfinch

sandee@loligo (Daan Sandee) (09/15/89)

In article <591@caldwr.UUCP> rfinch@caldwr.UUCP (Ralph Finch) writes:
>
>We run lots of long-running numerical models.  Is there a true batch
>queing system available on Unix?  Specifically, SunOS 4.x.  Desired
>features would be:
(etc)

This is an easy one. An outfit called Sterling Software wrote a package
called NQS (Network Queuing System) specifically for Cray's and for the
Sun (and maybe for Ultrix), according to specifications from NASA at Ames.
NASA Ames then put it in the public domain. We have it here on our Suns
- I don't know how we got it. You can start by contacting Eugene Miya
(eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov  or uunet!ames!eugene)  and he will tell you
the status and how to get the source. Or I can try find out where we got
it from and I'll mail you that information.
Yes, it has all the features you want and many more. Since then, Cray
has put in a lot of bells and whistles at NASA's request and they're now
fighting whether it's proprietary or public software. But the Sun version
we have is the original one. We use a similar version on our ETA-10 and
it has all we need - indeed, it is a lot more sophisticated than the base
O/S, which is straight AT&T S 5.3.

Daan Sandee
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
Florida State University, Tallahassee               sandee@sun6.scri.fsu.edu

gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (09/16/89)

In article <591@caldwr.UUCP> rfinch@caldwr.UUCP (Ralph Finch) writes:
>We run lots of long-running numerical models.  Is there a true batch
>queing system available on Unix?  Specifically, SunOS 4.x.

BRL's MDQS supports batch queues as well as other forms of spooling.
It's available via anonymous FTP from host VGR.BRL.MIL; contact me
if you need to get it via magtape/snail-mail.

gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (09/16/89)

In article <197@vsserv.scri.fsu.edu> sandee@sun6.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) writes:
>... they're now fighting whether [NQS]'s proprietary or public software.

Which is pretty silly since major portions of it were lifted from BRL's MDQS.

shore@mtxinu.COM (Melinda Shore) (09/16/89)

In article <11078@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@brl.arpa (Doug Gwyn) writes:
>In article <197@vsserv.scri.fsu.edu> sandee@sun6.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) writes:
>>... they're now fighting whether [NQS]'s proprietary or public software.
>
>Which is pretty silly since major portions of it were lifted from BRL's MDQS.

Not really.  They've made major modifications to NQS, and have even
changed the protocol [now *that's* silly].  They really have made major
enhancements.  Uh, make that "enhancements."
-- 
Melinda Shore                                     shore@mtxinu.com
Mt Xinu                                  ..!uunet!mtxinu.com!shore