1. Active-HDL Server Farm Course 11

2. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 Outline 1.Introduction 2.Advantages 3.Requirements 4.Installation 5.Architecture 6.Installing Servers 7.Using Server Farm 8.Using Server Farm with Design Flow Manager

3. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.1 Server Farm - Introduction Server Farm is an advanced tool working on the local network that allows users to schedule tasks and then execute them automatically on the selected computers available on the network. All scheduled tasks, prepared by users on local machines, are copied and executed on remote computers individually configured and attached to the farm of computers. Aldec provides the complete set of Server Farm programs and tools that allow designers to install, configure the farm of computers, prepare and schedule the farm tasks as well as manage them. It can run complex simulation, synthesis or implementation tasks. These tasks can be specified and run by using the Design Flow Manager, the Server Farm option, and managed by the Server Farm Manager program.

4. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.2 Server Farm - Advantages The user's tasks can be scheduled. You can specify an unrestricted number of simulation, synthesis, and implementation tasks. The tasks can be put in the queue. The task waiting in the queue is executed after any of available servers has finished its current task. You can change the priority or order of any task from the queue at any time. It allows designers to use the company's hardware resources efficiently. It allows designers to use more efficiently licenses with a limited number of users. If you have a license for several users, you can set some minor tasks to be done later from the queue, e.g. at the off-peak time or at night. Server Farm can be integrated with Active-HDL. It allows the Active-HDL users to specify and run the simulation, synthesis, and implementation tasks directly from the Design Flow Manager window. The major benefit is that multiple tasks can be put into the queue and executed automatically in the shortest possible time.

5. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.3 Server Farm Requirements Server Farm requires: Microsoft Windows NT ®, Windows 2000 ®, or Windows XP ® Network protocol: TCP/IP A hard disk drive with 16MB of free disk space

6. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.4a Server Farm - Installation To install the Server Farm software (Aldec Server Farm Controller and Aldec Server Farm Manager (GUI), run the FarmMC.exe setup program located in the Install\JC subfolder of the Active-HDL installation CD. The wizard will copy and install the Aldec Server Farm drivers and Aldec Server Farm Manager on your computer.

7. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.4b Server Farm - Installation The process of the Server Farm installation consists of the following two steps: Installation of the Server Farm software : –This step installs required files. Optionally, it can be divided into two steps: installation of the farm controller and installation of the farm manager software. Both steps can be carried out on one computer if you want to install the farm manager software on the machine chosen to be the controller, or two different computers. The point is that the Server Farm software allows the separate physical location of the farm controller and farm manager software. Installation of farm servers and their configuration : –The purpose of this step is to change a number of computers (add or remove). In fact, the first step creates only the "farm core" while the second makes the group of computers working as an advanced system of network tools design to automatically execute scheduled tasks.

8. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.5 Server Farm - Architecture Server Farm consists of the following elements: Farm Controller Servers Farm Controller is a computer that assigns tasks to the individual computers on the farm called Servers. To distribute tasks, Farm Controller uses the Aldec Server Farm Controller service. The Farm Controller can be administrated and managed by using the Aldec Server Farm Manager software installed on the Farm Controller or another computer on the network. Servers are responsible for the execution of scheduled tasks. Each Server is able to execute only one scheduled task at the moment. If only Server is idle the controller will assign this machine another task. The communication software (Remote Executor) is installed automatically on these computers after a computer has been added to Server Farm as Server. Next, the designer can specify the list of tasks to be executed. The Farm Controller will execute them on any available server on the farm. When the task is finished, the designer will be notified automatically via e-mail or net messages. Server Farm has been designed to schedule and execute only those tasks that do not require additional users' action.

9. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.6 Installing Servers 1. Run “Server Farm Manager” 2. Then right-click inside the Aldec Server Farm Manager window and select Add Server. 3. To add a computer to the farm as Server, the Remote Execution software needs to be installed.

10. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.7 Using Server Farm To start using Server Farm, run the Server Farm command from the Tools menu of Active-HDL. The following tabs are available in the Server Farm window: New Jobs is displayed by default each time you run the Server Farm program from Active-HDL's Tools menu. This tab allows you to create a job that will be executed remotely on farm Servers. The jobs specified on this tab are created and configured first and then they need to be run manually by the user. Existing Jobs displays the jobs waiting for the execution, pending, or finished. The built-in filters allow users to limit the information displayed in the window for the selected farm (referenced by Farm Controller), design, or user. If you need to control all jobs you can display the complete set of information for all scheduled tasks. Queue displays the jobs waiting for the execution. The execution order can be changed manually by the user by dragging and dropping the selected job.

11. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.7a Server Farm – New Jobs 1. Type displays the type of a job (task template) scheduled to execute. 2. Description displays additional information about the scheduled job. 3. Command Line displays the command line used to execute the scheduled task. If you click the Browse button the Open window will open where you should point to the *.do macro file. 4. Notification informs the user of the way he/she will be notified when the task execution is completed. 5. Include/Exclude Input Files. Files that are necessary to execute a job on Server. The Input files are copied from your workstation to the Controller's disk. 6. Requirement displays the name of the target tool used to execute the task. After all parameters have been set up, the task template is ready to execute the selected job. The jobs are created on the basis of ready-to-use task templates that are available in the Add option of the menu The OK button closes this window starting the job execution process -the specified task is sent to the queue. -The design's resources are copied to the Farm Controller computer and will be processed on one of available Servers. When a job is finished, you will receive a notification that the job has been completed.

12. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.7b Server Farm – Existing Jobs The Existing Jobs tab summarizes and gathers the information for the selected farm, user, or project depending on the selections made in the Farm Controller and Filter list boxes. Additionally, this tab allows you to terminate a job running and get the results created during the job execution.

13. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.7c Server Farm – Queue The Queue tab allows the user to watch the current execution order and, if necessary, change it by dragging the selected task. The task waiting for the execution cannot be edited or paused but it can be deleted from the list if you highlight its task template first and then choose Remove from the pop-up menu. The Farm Controller list box allows you to switch among farms and filter jobs put into the queue. The following columns are available: Id displays job's number. Owner points to the user who scheduled a task. Submitted informs when a task has been scheduled. Path displays the name and path of Controller's temporary working folder where files required to properly execute a job will be copied from your computer and then processed remotely. By default, the path is as follows: \\ \jcdata\jcd Requirement displays the name of the target tool used to execute the task. The list of tools that can execute an individual task is available on the Parameters tab of the Server Properties Window. Command Line displays the command line used to execute the scheduled task.

14. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.8 Server Farm with Design Flow Jobs also can be submitted directly from the Design Flow. You can run synthesis, implementation, and simulation this way.

15. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.8a Server Farm with Design Flow Flow Configuration Settings To run synthesis, implementation, or simulation on server farm from the Design Flow Manager, you have to check appropriate option and enter the name of the Server Farm Manager. Then, after pressing the appropriate buttons in the Design Flow window, tasks will be run on the server farm.

16. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.8b Server Farm with Design Flow Flow Configuration Settings There could be set additional options for each tasks in Synthesis, Implementation, and Simulation Option windows on the Server Farm tab.

17. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.8c Server Farm with Design Flow Getting Results When a job is completed, you can start downloading the results pressing the Finished Jobs button in the Design Flow window. The Get Finished Jobs window appears. It allows you to choose and download results for the selected tasks.

18. All materials updated on: September 30, 2004 11.8d Server Farm with Design Flow Getting Results To get results, select one of finished jobs and right click. Then, choose Get Results... option. The Include files and Exclude files fields allow you to filter files that are to be downloaded to your computer. By using the Browse button, you can specify the folder where the results will be copied.