Using SIMUL8 across Networks

This newsletter describes how you can use parallel processing across networks to get faster results in SIMUL8.
It also outlines the products we have available to manage SIMUL8 licenses across local and wide area networks.

Parallel Processing – What is it?

SIMUL8s parallel processing feature can dramatically reduce the time it takes for your simulation to run. Parallel Processing shares out the runs that make up a Trial or Optimization to any networked PCs with SIMUL8 installed. This means the Trial or optimization is completed much quicker. If you had two networked PCs you could approximately expect the run time to half, three to a third, etc., potentially saving you vast amounts of time, and time is money!

SIMUL8s parallel processing only uses spare CPU cycles on the other PCs. Technical jargon that means you don’t have to worry about slowing down the processing power of the other networked PCs or your own PCs processing power being affected by other SIMUL8 users. SIMUL8 will only use the other PCs processing power when it is free, so if the PC is busy processing other tasks SIMUL8 won’t use it.

Parallel Processing – How to set it up?

Using parallel processing is incredibly easy but you must have either a concurrent network license or have stand alone SIMUL8 licenses installed on your network. The stand alone licenses all need their own unique license number on multiple machines and SIMUL8 is clever enough to catch you out!

Once you have your SIMUL8 licenses set up, go to the Preferences settings (File\Preferences) on your own PC. Click on the results tab and check the box that says “Let my PC help SIMUL8 on other PCs get fast results”. You then need to do this on all of the networked PCs that you want the runs to be shared over.

You also need to specify a location on the network that all these PCs can access for use by SIMUL8 internally (for example \\myserver\sharedtemporaryfiles\SIMUL8parallel). This needs to be the same physical location for all of the PCs. This folder should exist, but you should not store your simulations or any other files in this folder. It is for SIMUL8 to use during the run only.

Any SIMUL8 license installed on your network will remember this information and be ready to help out any other SIMUL8 license even when it is closed.

To use the feature in a particular simulation trial, just check the “Use Parallel Processors” check box. Once this is checked all trials (from here or from the quick trials buttons) will use any available spare processing power on PCs that have been set up on the Network.

If you want to know how to do the File/Preferences set up automatically on all PCs contact support and we’ll give you the details.

Managing SIMUL8 across Networks

We have 2 products available to manage SIMUL8 licenses across networks. Our Network Licenses allow us to offer you an effective means of managing multiple SIMUL8 software licenses throughout an entire organisation or at multiple site locations throughout the world.

SIMUL8 Concurrent License – Our Local Area Network (LAN) Option

With our LAN License option SIMUL8 can be installed on any number of PCs that can access the SIMUL8 server licensing controller (installed on the organization’s LAN).
When a user starts SIMUL8 on one of these PCs it asks the server for permission to run. The server looks at the total number of SIMUL8s running. If this is less than the number of licenses owned then the user's PC starts SIMUL8. If not, then the user is given a message about waiting until later because too few licenses are available.
For users who need to make use of a laptop away from the network there is a process for "logging out" from the server so that the user can make use of one of the licenses while disconnected and traveling.

SIMUL8 with FLEXnet – Our Wide Area Network (WAN) Option

SIMUL8 has integrated with FLEXnet Publisher to offer customers the same set up as the LAN License above tailored to a Wide Area Network. This product enables multiple SIMUL8 software licenses in different locations throughout the world to be controlled via a central server.

With this integrated license management system we can offer a variety of SIMUL8 license options to suit your organisation including (but not exclusive to) Locked, Floating, Named User, Time Limited and Subscription Licensing.

For further details on the above products see our information at Concurrent Licensing or contact our Simulation Advisors.

News

We would like to invite applications for our new and exciting SIMUL8 Lead for Healthcare vacancy. If you have experience in the Healthcare Industry and are looking for an opportunity to apply your knowledge and expertise in a challenging and rewarding role then contact us. To apply for this position, please send your CV and covering letter explaining why you are interested in this opportunity to recruitment@SIMUL8.com .

If you have any questions generated from, or comments about this newsletter then email Newsletter@SIMUL8.com