autoson – a distributed batch system for UNIX workstation networks (version 1.3)

Abstract

Introduction: autoson is a tool for scheduling processes across a network of UNIX workstations.It provides a type of distributed batch queue that enables execution of a stream of processes in a exible and convenient manner with minimum impact on interactive users. autoson can be compiled in two \modes". In single-user mode, support is given for a single user who wishes to execute processes on one or more workstations. In multiuser mode, several users can cooperatively use the same queue. autoson can execute independent processes on heterogeneous and/or unreliable processors. It does not provide a parallel environment that allows processes to communicate, it just executes them and waits for them to finish. If you want closely cooperating processes you need to use some other product. The flavours of UNIX that support version 1.3 of autoson are: (i) Solaris One and Solaris Two on Sun workstations; (ii) IRIX on Silicon Graphics mips workstations; (iii) OSF1 on Dec Alpha workstations; (iv) ULTRIX on Decstations; (v) Hewlett-Packard HP-UX computers; (vi) The Linux operating system. autoson can exist happily on a network containing any mixture of these. autoson is the son of a program called automan, which ran on a cluster of VAXes. It was named after a short-lived American television series which featured an electronic super-hero.