Question about Load Balancing on 4P

[Adak]

The gromac core has dynamic load balancing. Then there is the affinity wrapper the 6.31 folding client asks whether you want to use, and finally there is the Kraken.

Is there an optimum set of affinity wrappers and load balancers to use for a Supermicro 4P running 12.04 LTS with NUMA enabled?

I thought I'd test each option, but the load balancing of the Gromacs core, can't be shut off, afaik. The only option then is either to use the Kraken, or not.


Is it better to run the Kraken, even though the Gromacs core has Dynamic Load Balancing?

And as always, thanks to Musky, Tear, and all the [H]orde, for your work making folding, a bit faster and easier.

 

[Spazturtle]

The GROMACS core only turns on load balancing occasionally, the Kraken makes GROMACS always use load balancing. The Kraken only forces GROMACS to use load balancing, Kraken does not have its own load balancing.

 

[Adak]

Aha! Thanks, Spazturtle!

One more question, if I may. The core affinity option in the 6.31 folding client - best to use it, or not?

 

[Grandpa_01]

I do not know of anyone that has used it in recient times and when I tried it a few years back it did not do anything as far as I could tell, at least no measureable diffrence was noticed.

 

[Nathan_P]

Aha! Thanks, Spazturtle!

One more question, if I may. The core affinity option in the 6.31 folding client - best to use it, or not?

No, Core affinity is only used if you are using less cores than you actually have in your cpu's, it binds the fah core to specific cpu cores/threads.

If you're running your 4p exclusively for folding then its not needed.

 

[Adak]

Thanks Nathan_P, Grandpa_01, and Spazturtle. Tanker is a dedicated folder, but not for one team, or for one project. 90% is FAH however. The rest is a blend of projects using the BOINC client.