The information in this section applies to Autodesk Simulation desktop products only. It is not applicable to Autodesk Simulation Mechanical 360. The Configure Windows MPI Clusters options do not appear within the Analysis tab of the program Options dialog box for the 360 version.
Activate the command:
-
Application Menu 
Options Analysis tab Configure Windows MPI Clusters button, or 
Tools Options Application Options Analysis tab Configure Windows MPI Clusters button.
A Windows cluster is applicable to the following analysis types:
- Static Stress with Linear Material Models
- Mechanical Event Simulation (MES) with Linear or Nonlinear Material Models
- Static Stress with Nonlinear Material Models
- MES Riks Analysis
Use the Windows MPI Cluster Options dialog box to create a new Windows cluster or edit an existing cluster. In this window, you can input the Cluster Name and Nodes Available in the cluster, and input the list of nodes (computers).
When the New button is clicked, you are prompted for the name for the Windows cluster. This name appears in the analysis window when you start the analysis. After the name is entered, enter the number of Nodes and the Machines used in the cluster. The computer from which the analysis is started is listed first, followed by the other computers in the cluster. (Ideally, the number entered for the Nodes should equal the number of Machines listed. If there are more machines entered than nodes, then the last machines are not used during the analysis. If there are fewer machines than nodes, then the list is repeated as needed until the number of nodes is obtained. The solution wraps around in the machine list.)
The names entered in the Machines list should be the name used to access the computers over the network.
(This nodes list is stored in Drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\ALGOR\algor_mpicluster_options.xml. It may be necessary to show hidden files and folders to see this folder; go to My Computer's Tools: Folder Options: View and activate the option Show hidden files and folders.)
Distributed Computing on a Windows Cluster
- To use distributed computing on a Windows cluster, MPICH software needs to be installed on each machine in the cluster. See the page MPICH2 on Windows in the Simulation Mechanical Supplement of the Autodesk Installation and Licensing Guide.
- The Windows cluster setup only needs to be performed on the host computer (the main node).
- The same version of the Autodesk Simulation software needs to be installed on all the computers in the cluster. (The version on each node is not checked during the analysis.)
- The Autodesk Simulation software must be installed to the same path on all the computers.
After setting up the cluster, use the following steps:
- Build the model as usual.
- Set the type of solver to the MUMPS sparse solver under the Analysis Parameters.
- Make sure the Options Analysis Automate Analysis is unchecked. Then start the analysis to access the analysis window.
- Select the cluster from the Target Computer drop-down. Then click Analyze to begin the analysis.