pserver (parallel_doc)

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### 3.3 Starting servers

Function File: pserver ()
Function File: pserver (options)
Function File: pserver ("kill")

  Starts or stops a server of the parallel cluster.

  options: structure of options; field `use_tls` is `true` by default (TLS with SRP authentication); if set to `false`, there will be no encryption or authentication. Field `auth_file` can be set to an alternative path to the file with authentication information (see below). Fields `cmd_port` (default: 12502) and `data_port` (default: 12501) can be set to change the ports of the command channel and the data channel, respectively.

  If called as `pserver ("kill")`, the server will be stopped by sending it a signal, taking its process id from its pid-file ’/tmp/.octave-<hostname>.pid’. Otherwise the server will be started.

  The servers exectuable file (`octave-pserver`) is searched for by first assuming the directory structure of a regular package installation, then by searching Octaves function search path for it, and then by the called shell in its shell search path.

  If a directory path corresponding to the current directory of the client exists on the server machine, it will be used as the servers current directory for the respective client (multiple clients are possible). Otherwise, `/tmp` will be used. The Octave functions the server is supposed to call and the files it possibly has to access must be available at the server machine. This can e.g. be achieved by having the server machine mount a network file system (which is outside the scope of this package documentation).

  If a directory path corresponding to the current directory of the client exists on the server machine, it will be used as the servers current directory for the respective client (multiple clients are possible). Otherwise, `/tmp` will be used. The Octave functions the server is supposed to call and the files it possibly has to access must be available at the server machine. This can e.g. be achieved by having the server machine mount a network file system (which is outside the scope of this package documentation).

  If a connection is accepted from a client, the server collects a network identifier and the names of all server machines of the network from the client. Then, connections are automatically established between all machines of the network. Data exchange will be possible between all machines (client or server) in both directions. Commands can only be sent from the client to any server.

  The opaque variable holding the network connections, in the same order as in the corresponding variable returned by `pconnect`, is accessible under the variable name `sockets` at the server side. Do not overwrite or clear this variable. The own server machine will also be contained at some index position of this variable, but will not correspond to a real connection. See `pconnect` for further information.

  The client and the server must both use or both not use TLS. If TLS is switched off, different measures must be taken to protect ports of the command and data channels at the servers and the client against unauthorized access, e.g. by a firewall or by physical isolation of the network.

  For using TLS, authorization data must be present at the server machine. These data can conveniently be generated by `parallel_generate_srp_data`; the helptext of the latter function documents the expected location of these data.

  The SRP password will be sent over the encrypted TLS channel from the client to each server, to avoid permanently storing passwords at the server for server-to-server data connections. Due to inevitable usage of external libraries, memory with sensitive data can, however, be on the swap device even after shutdown of the application.

  The server executable file `octave-pserver` is installed and runs at GNU/Linux, but not at some other operating systems like Windows and macOS.

  See also: pconnect, reval, psend, precv, sclose, parallel_generate_srp_data, select_sockets.

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