UI-WMS Resource Broker

The NGS WMS (Workload Management System) resource broker allows users to easily submit jobs to the NGS, and to automatically retrieve their output when the jobs are complete. Users interact with the WMS by means of a User Interface (UI). Once logged onto the UI, users can specify their jobs and any files the job requires. Users can also describe any additional requirements (hardware, software). The WMS then automatically selects the best resources to run the job. The UI/WMS has many powerful features allowing large parameter sweeps of 1000's of jobs to be submitted, monitored, analysed and retrieved.

The NGS Resource Broker and User Interface

...is based on the gLite 3.1 WMS-LB and UI nodes from the EGEE Project. The UI is accessible to all members of the NGS, and many of the supported VO's (Such as gin.ggf.org, nanocmos.ac.uk), by ssh on port 2223 (using a myproxy username and password) or by GSISSH on port 2222 at the following node:

ssh -p 2223 <myproxyusername>@ngsui03.ngs.ac.uk
gsissh -p 2222 ngsui03.ngs.ac.uk

Users are recommended to logon to the UI using any ssh client (such as Putty or linux ssh) and a certificate uploaded to the myproxy server (with for example the Myproxy Certificate Wizard) using the MEG/KGsiSSHD service. Alternatively run the VOMS enabled GSI-SSHTerm application with their certificate installed on their local host, or uploaded to the myproxy server (at myproxy.ngs.ac.uk only). There are further details about logining in and running simple jobs in a series of tutorials.

Your own files can be up/downloaded to the UI using scp on port 2223, (eg Win_SCP), VOMS GSI-SSHTerm ftp client, gsiscp, gsisftp, globus-url-copy, or if stored on a remote gsiftp server ,directly to and from there, as part of your job. More details can be found in the tutorial.

The UI has access to the NGS SRB storage, as well as a number of compilers (gcc, g++, gfortran, gcc-java, openjdk-java 1.6.0, java-gcj, ) with more planned. Please contact the helpdesk if there is anything you specifically need.

Tutorials

• How to login to the UI Tutorial
• A simple tutorial for using the UI/WMS.
• Adding more advanced features tutorial.
• A Gaussian tutorial
• Examples of  running MPI applications - NAMD Tutorial , Siesta Tutorial , Amber Tutorial
• Coming soon - An example of Parameterised / Parameter Sweep jobs - A BLAST Tutorial

Status

The NGS UI/WMS is an NGS production service. The majority of NGS partner and affilaite sites can accept jobs from the UI/WMS. The remaining sites and in the process of being integrated. You can use the "lcg-infosites" command, as documented in the tutorial, to see a complete list of sites available. If there is a site that you specifically need access to from the UI/WMS please let us know via the NGS Helpdesk

The NGS is keen to hear your feedback and comments in relation to the NGS UI/WMS. Please send a ticket to the  NGS Helpdesk.