Feature Request: Allow Multiple Groups in Job Submissions

Deadline
1

When submitting a job, I often want to target my job to a specific set of machines based on machine type/configuration and the software installed on the machines. Groups are generally used for this purpose. Slaves can belong to multiple groups. But currently, only a single group can be specified when submitting a job.

The problem is that this limitation requires an exponentially larger number of groups, which makes it more difficult to add machines to the farm in a way that allows them to be picked up without changing existing submission scripts.

Consider a simple example of 2 machine configurations, and 2 types of software.

If multiple groups were allowed when submitting a job, I would only need 4 groups, and could combine them as needed to target specific machines.

16Core
32Core
Maya2015
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If only a single group is allowed, the groups must become more numerous and complex, since they need to “bake in” all the configuration and software options. Adding more software or machine configurations causes groups to grow exponentially.

16Core
32Core
Maya2015
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Maya2015-32Core
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EDIT: Turns out this can be accomplished with Limit Groups

2

Just to double check: you’re idea ist to have these multiple groups combined by ‘AND’, so that a machine needs to be in all of these groups!?

If so, I’ll sign that request!

3

I can pass this along to the devs and see what they have to offer as a thought.

4

Regardless of the outcome of this request, you can use Limits to accomplish what you want now.

5

Nathan’s right here. This is probably going to help a bit:

docs.thinkboxsoftware.com/produc … imits.html

Limits are like groups, but jobs can have multiple assigned to them. They’re basically groups that are way more flexible.

6

It looks like Limit Groups will work for this purpose. Thanks!