Improving parallel job scheduling using runtime measurements

Abstract

We investigate the use of runtime measurements to improve job scheduling on a parallel machine. Emphasis is on gang scheduling based strategies. With the information gathered at runtime, we define a task classification scheme based on fuzzy logic and Bayesian estimators. The resulting local task classification is used to provide better service to I/O bound and interactive jobs under gang scheduling. This is achieved through the use of idle times and also by controlling the spinning time of a task in the spin block mechanism depending on the node’s workload. Simulation results show considerable improvements, in particular for I/O bound workloads, in both throughput and machine utilization for a gang scheduler using runtime information compared with gang schedulers for which this type of information is not available.