Workstation master/worker config

Install, Configure and Update
1

Hi,

I have four workstations each with 2-3 GPUs. Currently they are all running their own separate Cryosparc systems.

They are all connected to one another with a 10G local network connection.

I’d like to make one of them the master and the rest workers, so we could get better utilization of all of the systems, single access for the webgui, and a single copy of the db. What would be the most straightforward way to migrate all of these systems to such a configuration?

Thank you.

2

When considering the merger of CryoSPARC instances with multiple users, keep in mind that the CryoSPARC instance’s processes run under a common Linux account and ensure the resulting CryoSPARC instance is shared only between users who trust each other.
Suppose you have decided which workstation will act as the “big” CryoSPARC master after the transition; I will refer to the other workstations as “demoted workstations”. Then you might

  1. Ensure that all CryoSPARC project directories are mounted on all workstations under the same path.
  2. Share the “big” master workstation’s cryosparc_worker/ directory with the demoted workstations and mount the shared directory on all the “demoted” workstations, preserving the same absolute path. Sharing cryosparc_worker/ between the workers of a CryoSPARC instance is not strictly required, but helps ensure:
    • a cryosparc_worker/ installation needs to be available on each CryoSPARC worker
    • within the CryoSPARC instance, the version and patch level must match between cryosparc_master/ and all cryosparc_worker/ installations
  3. Ensure all relevant users have CryoSPARC logins on the “big” CryoSPARC master.
  4. For each demoted worker:
    • ensure a common Linux account exists with the same username and numeric uid as the CryoSPARC-dedicated, non-privileged account on the “big” master.
    • ensure the “big” master can connect to the demoted workstation under the dedicated Linux account via password-less ssh.
    • ensure the given demoted workstation can connect to the ports of the configured range on the CryoSPARC master.
    • detach all CryoSPARC projects from the workstations to be demoted.
    • permanently shut down CryoSPARC master on each demoted workstation.
    • attach the detached projects on the “big” master.
    • on the given demoted workstation under the CryoSPARC “dedicated” Linux account, but using the cryosparc_worker/bin/cryosparcw command from the shared cryosparc_worker/ directory, connect the demoted workstation to the “big” master.
1 Like
3

@wtempel that is perfect. Thank you for these instructions, that helps a lot!