Quick start set-up

This documentation is intended to allow users to get HP-PVM up and running quickly. If you encounter any problems, please refer to the detailed installation documentation.

In case of any difficulties, you can contact Parallel Computer Systems at support2@parasys.co.uk
 
 
 

1  Get the software working on a single computer

• Under MS-Windows, HP-PVM uses the TCP-IP stack, so please ensure this  is set-up correctly. You can use 'dialup connection' if you have no network card.

• Create a new directory and unzip your downloaded zip file into it.

• Ensure the following files are in a directory in the 'path' :

 
 

Windows		Unix
pvmtest.exe		pvmtest
simple.exe		simple
pmbrot.exe
daemon.exe		daemon
config		config
mc_list		mc_list
rshd.exe


 
• Edit the mc_list file to contain a single line - the name of your computer.

• Edit the config file. Ensure the procs entry is set to 1, and the machines entry is set to "all". You might like to read the information on security in the detailed documentation if you are connected to the internet.

• Run the pvmtest.exe, simple.exe and pmbrot.exe test programs. If any of them do not work correctly, please read the detailed documentation, or contact us. Keep an eye on your c:\tmp\pvm\*  (or /tmp/pvm_<username>/* for Unix) for errors.

2   Get working across multiple networked computers

• Repeat the above stages for all of your computers. For Unix ensure your .rhosts is set-up correctly, unless you intended to enter remote machine account passwords each time you start your programs. Try "rsh <your_machine_name> ls" to test the .rhosts setup. For MS-Windows, run the rshd.exe on each computer before starting the test programs.

• Add the names of your new 'slave' computers into the mc_list file on your 'master' machine (any machine you want to start programs from). You MUST kill the daemon.exe (if it has not already closed down by itself) before changes to mc_list will take effect.

 

 

There are several options that can be included on the line, after the slave host name.

    dx=path                Specify full path of directory which contains
                                the daemon executable
    lo=login name        Specify login name to use on the remote computer,
                                if different to local name
    pw                       ask for a password, rather than relying on .rhosts
                                mechanism on remote Unix machines

example,  phoenix dx=/home/fred/hppvm lo=fred pw

• If you use the dx=path option in the mc_list file, then the config file option 'exe_path' will usually be needed as well. This specifies the path the remote daemon should search when trying to spawn application tasks.

 
• Run your three test programs again and ensure they use slave tasks on the remove computers. If everything does not work correctly, please read the detailed documentation or contact us.

• You are now ready to produce your own applications, using the libraries provided in the downloaded zip file. Please read the compilation information for information about developing your own applications.

You should read the detailed documentation at some stage - it contains important information.