Bug#611863: ITP: rq -- parallel queued computation with no configuration
Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
Owner: Steffen Moeller <steffen_moeller@gmx.de>
* Package name : rq
* URL : http://codeforpeople.com/lib/ruby/rq/
* License : BSD
Programming Lang: Ruby
Description : parallel queued computation with no configuration
ruby queue (rq) is a zero-admin zero-configuration tool used to create instant
unix clusters. rq requires only a central nfs filesystem in order to manage a
simple sqlite database as a distributed priority work queue. this simple
design allows researchers with minimal unix experience to install and
configure, in only a few minutes and without root privileges, a robust unix
cluster capable of distributing processes to many nodes - bringing dozens of
powerful cpus to their knees with a single blow. clearly this software should
be kept out of the hands of free radicals, seti enthusiasts, and one mr. j
safran.
the central concept of rq is that n nodes work in isolation to pull jobs
from an centrally mounted nfs priority work queue in a synchronized fashion.
the nodes have absolutely no knowledge of each other and all communication
is done via the queue meaning that, so long as the queue is available via
nfs and a single node is running jobs from it, the system will continue to
process jobs. there is no centralized process whatsoever - all nodes work
to take jobs from the queue and run them as fast as possible. this creates
a system which load balances automatically and is robust in face of node
failures.
although the rq system is simple in it's design it features powerful
functionality such as priority management, predicate and sql query , compact
streaming command-line processing, programmable api, hot-backup, and
input/capture of the stdin/stdout/stderr io streams of remote jobs. to date
rq has had no reported runtime failures and is in operation at dozens of
research centers around the world.
The packaging is mostly complete and will soon hit the archive.
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