Cluster Installation
COMSOL Multiphysics supports two mutual modes of parallel operation: shared-memory parallel operations and distributed-memory parallel operations, including cluster support. This section is dedicated to distributed-memory parallel installation.
COMSOL Multiphysics can distribute computations on compute clusters using the MPI model. One large problem can be distributed across many compute nodes. Also, parametric sweeps can be distributed with individual parameter cases distributed to each cluster node.
Prerequisites
The cluster installation instructions assume that you have a fully operational and tested Windows cluster with the Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022 operating system and that you are a fully qualified system administrator, with administration access rights to the cluster head node and compute nodes. A compatible version of Microsoft® HPC Pack for your version of Windows Server is required.
license manager
COMSOL Multiphysics requires a Floating Network License for running on clusters. Please check the license file for the CLUSTERNODE feature, which needs to be present to enable the cluster computing functionality. The license manager needs to be accessible from all nodes in the cluster. Therefore it is often a good idea to have it run on the head node.
installation folder
The COMSOL Multiphysics installation folder should be shared between all compute nodes and the head node. The installation of the COMSOL software is only needed on the head node. Alternatively, the software can be installed on C:\ on each compute node. Typically, the installation directory is accessed through a UNC (uniform naming convention) path on the Windows private network that is only seen by the compute nodes that belong to the cluster.
Installation Procedure
In addition to the normal installation steps as outlined under Installing on Windows, this section includes specific information for cluster installations.
During installation, on the Products page (see Products Page) ensure that you select the COMSOL Cluster Components check box under Select products to install.
For the installation directory that you specify in the Destination folder text field, remember to share the installation directory with the compute nodes after installation.
If you installed COMSOL Multiphysics on a shared directory, you need to install Microsoft Visual Studio® runtime libraries on each compute node. (See www.comsol.com/support/knowledgebase/1083 for instructions.)
access to cluster (windows server only)
If you work on a desktop PC, install COMSOL on that PC. Before you start, you need to install Microsoft® HPC Pack on the PC. This software is free and enables you to access the cluster from your PC.
Checking the Installation
After the cluster installation has finished, make the following checks to make sure that the installation is working:
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Make sure that the COMSOL installation directory is shared between all the compute nodes and the head node on a shared network disk.
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Make sure that the license manager is reachable from all compute nodes.
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If you have firewalls activated, open any relevant TCP ports for the license check from the nodes.
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For more information, see www.comsol.com/support/knowledgebase/903
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To check that a node is OK, open a remote desktop session to the compute node, then start \\headnode\COMSOL\bin\win64\comsol.exe (assuming \\headnode\COMSOL is the shared installation directory). If the COMSOL Desktop starts without license errors, the license management works fine. If not, check the firewall (see above). If you get other errors, you may need to install runtime libraries on the compute nodes.
For more information on installing and running COMSOL Multiphysics on clusters, see Running COMSOL Multiphysics on Clusters and the COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual.