# 5. PRRTE DVM Configuration

The PMIx Reference RunTime Environment (PRRTE) can be instantiated as a Distributed Virtual Machine (DVM) in two ways. First, the `prte` command can be executed at a shell prompt. This will discover the available resources (either from hostfile or as allocated by a resource manager) and start a PRRTE shepherd daemon (prted(1)) on each of the indicated nodes.

The other method, however, is to bootstrap the DVM at time of cluster startup. Bootstrapping PRRTE allows the DVM to serve as the system-level runtime, providing a full-service PMIx environment to sessions under its purview. Integration to an appropriately enabled scheduler can provide a full workload managed environment for users.

Establishing the DVM using the bootstrap method requires that a PRRTE configuration file be created and made available on every node of the cluster at node startup. The configuration file provides necessary information for establishing the communication infrastructure between the DVM controller and the compute node daemons. It also provides a means for easily defining DVM behavior for options such as logging, system-level prolog and epilog scripts for each session, and other PRRTE features.

The configuration file can be manually created or can be created using the PRRTE configuration tool. Manual creation can best be done by editing the example configuration file (`<source-location>/src/etc/prte.conf`). This file contains all the supported configuration options, with all entries commented out. Simply uncomment the options of interest and set them to appropriate values. The file will be installed into the final `<install-location>/etc` when `make install` is performed.

## 5.1. Configuration Options

The following options are supported by PRRTE v3.0.13. While we make every effort to maintain compatibility with prior versions, we recommend that you check options when installing new versions to see what may have changed and/or been added. We also recommend that you use the PRRTE DVM configurator for the version you are using to ensure that it is fully compatible.

### 5.1.1. Bootstrap Options

`ClusterName=<string> (default: "cluster")` is the name of the cluster upon which the DVM is executing. This is used by PRRTE to form the namespace for the DVM daemons, which is taken as `<clustername>-prte-dvm`. Using different names for each of your clusters is important if you use a single database to record information from multiple PRRTE-managed clusters.

`DVMControllerHost=<hostname>` is the host upon which the DVM controller will be executing. The `prted` that finds itself booting onto this host will declare itself to be the system controller and will initialize itself accordingly.

`DVMControllerPort=<number> (default: 7817)` is the TCP port upon which the DVM controller will be listening for connections from its `prted` daemons on the remaining system nodes.

`PRTEDPort=<number (default: 7818)` is the TCP port upon which each `prted` daemon will be listening for connections from its peer daemons on the other system nodes.

`DVMNodes=<regex of DVM nodes> (default: none)` provides a regular expression identifying the nodes that upon which user applications can run. IP addresses can be provided in place of hostnames if desired.The regular expression can consist of a simple comma-delimited list of hostnames, or a comma-delimited list of hostname ranges (e.g., “linux0,linux[2-10]”), or a PMIx “native” regular expression.

### 5.1.2. Operational Options

`DVMTempDir=<path> (default: /tmp)` is the temporary directory that the DVM daemons and controller are to use as the base for their session directories. Working files/directories for the DVM will be placed under this location.

`SessionTmpDir=<path> (default: DVMTempDir)` is the temporary directory that the DVM daemons are to use as the base for session directories for all application sessions. Working files for each session will be placed under this location, separated out into a directory for each session.

### 5.1.3. Logging Options

`ControllerLogJobState=<true|false> (default: false)` directs the DVM controller to log each DVM-launched job state transition. Log entry includes the namespace of the job, the state to which it is transitioning, and the date/time stamp when the transition was ordered.

`ControllerLogProcState=<true|false> (default: false)` directs the DVM controller to log each process (in a DVM-launched job) state transition. Log entry includes the namespace and rank of the process, the state to which it is transitioning, and the date/time stamp when the transition was ordered.

`ControllerLogPath=<path> (default: DVMTempDir)` is the path to where the logs are to be written. If a relative path is provided, then the directory will be created under the `DVMTempDir` location. The path defaults to the specified SessionTmpDir in the absence of any input to this field. The log filename is formatted as `prtectrlr-<hostname>-log<`.

`PRTEDLogJobState=<true|false> (default: false)` directs each `prted` in the DVM to log each DVM-launched job state transition. Log entry includes the namespace of the job, the state to which it is transitioning, and the date/time stamp when the transition was ordered.

`PRTEDLogProcState=<true|false> (default: false)` directs each `prted` in the DVM to log each process (in a DVM-launched job) state transition. Log entry includes the namespace and rank of the process, the state to which it is transitioning, and the date/time stamp when the transition was ordered.

`PRRTEDLogPath=<path> (default: DVMTempDir)` is the path to where the logs are to be written. If a relative path is provided, then the directory will be created under the `DVMTempDir` location. The path defaults to the specified SessionTmpDir in the absence of any input to this field. The log filename is formatted as `prted-<hostname>-log<`.

## 5.2. Configurator Tool

The PRRTE configuration tool contains all the supported options in an easy-to-use form. Once you have filled out the desired entries, the “submit” button will show the resulting configuration file on the browser window — a simple “copy/paste” operation into your target configuration file will yield the final result.