Platform LSF

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LSF
Developed by	Platform Computing
Latest release	7.0 Update 3 / May 2008
OS	Unix
Genre	job scheduler
License	Proprietary
Website	www.platform.com

Load Sharing Facility (or simply LSF) is a commercial computer software job scheduler sold by Platform Computing. It can be used to execute batch jobs on networked Unix and Windows systems on many different architectures.^[1]^[2]

Load sharing - configuring more than one system to perform the same function so that the workload is shared between them.

LSF is one of the job scheduler mechanisms supported by GRAM (Grid Resource Allocation Manager), a component of the Globus Toolkit.

[edit] LSF Extensions

LSF Extensions includes 3 major extensions:

DRMAA - DRMAA is otherwise known as Distributed Resource Management Application API, handles job management in a range of distributed resource management systems.

HPC Profile Basic - HPC Profile Basic describes how JSDL, Basic Execution Service (BES) and existing web services security mechanisms can be used interoperable to address batch job scheduling use case.

LSF PERL API - LSF PERL API comprises of two modules, Base and Batch, allowing Platform's LSF APIs to be called by PERL. Base module allows PERL applications to link the Load Information Manager (LIM) and Remote Execution Server (RES) daemons for LSF services e.g. retrieving system configuration and dynamic load information for distributed clusters hosts, task placement advice via LIM, and other related functions, thereby improving application performance and resources accessibility. Batch module allows PERL applications to retrieve information as well as the submission of information about the hosts, queues, users, jobs and configuration of the batch system.

[edit] References

^ Grabowski, Tomasz (December 5, 2001). Platform LSF SetUID Executables Vulnerability. Benevento Linux Users Group. Retrieved on 2007-11-12. “LSF(Load Sharing Facility) is a series of tools for scheduling, monitoring and analyzing the workload of a network. It supports a number of Unix platforms and can also be used to manage workstations running the Microsoft Windows NT/2000 platforms”
^ Goering, Richard (March 8, 1999). Load sharing brings kudos. EE Times Online. Retrieved on 2007-11-12. “LSF ... enables load sharing by distributing jobs to available CPUs in heterogeneous networks ... but don't tell them that; they'll just want to raise their prices”