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Scalability Community: SAS Grid Architecture
Several types of machines make up a SAS grid environment. These machines have been defined to clarify the software components that must be installed on each one as well as the SAS metadata that must be configured. The SAS metadata server is shown on a seperate machine in this sample architecture. It is often common to dedicate a machine to running the SAS metadata server however, you may choose to run the metadata server on the grid control machine. The SAS metadata server installation and configuration should be the very first step, as is typical in a SAS 9 multi-machine install. The three machines specific to a grid installation are defined as follows:
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grid client - a grid client submits work to the grid but is not part of the grid resources available to execute
work. Examples of a grid client would be:
- a SAS Data Integration Studio client (Platform LSF not installed on this client machine)
- a SAS Enterprise Miner client (Platform LSF not installed on this client machine)
- a SASMC client using the Schedule Manager plug-in or any other applications scheduling SAS workflows. (Platform LSF not installed on this client machine)
- a SAS foundation install (minimum Base SAS, SAS/CONNECT and Platform LSF) used to run a program that submits work, both whole programs or programs broken into parallel chunks, to the grid. Installation of the Platform LSF component is required in this case in order for SAS/CONNECT to submit the work to the grid.
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grid control machine - any machine in the grid can be designated as the grid control machine. More software is
installed on the grid control machine and more SAS metadata configuration takes place on this machine. You should start
the installation of the Platform Suite for SAS on this machine. In a SAS Data Integration Studio and SAS Enterprise Miner
scenario the grid control machine runs a workspace server that executes programs that utilize SAS/CONNECT to distribute
work to the grid nodes. The grid control machine can be configured as a grid resource capable of receiving work to
execute or not, depending on the needs of your environment.
- grid node - a grid node is a grid computing resource capable of receiving the work that is being distributed. Each grid node must be running a minimum of Base SAS, SAS/CONNECT and Platform LSF.
A SAS/CONNECT client could be run on any machine within the grid and also may be capable of receiving work to execute.