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Vantage-Managed LS-DYNA Server Setup

This guide covers setting up LS-DYNA license servers through Vantage's fully managed service. Vantage handles all infrastructure, maintenance, and monitoring while providing enterprise-grade LS-DYNA license management optimized for finite element analysis workloads.

Overview​

Vantage-managed LS-DYNA servers offer:

  • Optimized Infrastructure: Purpose-built for LS-DYNA workloads
  • Memory-Based Licensing: Advanced memory tracking and allocation
  • Intelligent Queuing: Smart job queuing for optimal resource utilization
  • HPC Integration: Seamless integration with HPC clusters
  • Performance Analytics: Detailed analysis of solver performance
  • 24/7 Expert Support: LS-DYNA specialists available around the clock

Prerequisites​

Before deploying a Vantage-managed LS-DYNA server:

  • Vantage Account: Active Vantage subscription with LS-DYNA support
  • LSTC License Agreement: Valid license agreement with LSTC
  • License Files: LS-DYNA license files (.key format)
  • Network Configuration: Proper connectivity to HPC infrastructure
  • Administrative Access: Vantage administrator permissions

Deployment Process​

1. Access LS-DYNA License Management​

  1. Log into your Vantage dashboard
  2. Navigate to Licenses → Servers
  3. Click Deploy New Server
  4. Select LS-DYNA as the license server type
  5. Choose Vantage-Managed deployment option

2. Configure Deployment Settings​

Server Configuration​

  • Server Name: Descriptive name for your LS-DYNA server
  • Region: AWS region optimized for LS-DYNA workloads
  • Performance Tier: Choose based on your requirements:
    • Standard: 4 vCPU, 16GB RAM (up to 500 SMP cores)
    • High Performance: 8 vCPU, 32GB RAM (up to 2000 SMP cores)
    • Enterprise: 16 vCPU, 64GB RAM (up to 10000+ SMP cores)
    • HPC Optimized: Custom configuration for large-scale MPP workloads

License Configuration​

  • License Type: Select your LS-DYNA license types:
    • SMP Licenses: Single-machine parallel processing
    • MPP Licenses: Massively parallel processing
    • Memory-Based: Memory-based licensing for modern workloads
    • Combined: Mixed SMP/MPP environment

Network Configuration​

  • VPC Integration: Connect to your existing HPC VPC
  • Cluster Access: Configure access to compute clusters
  • Security Groups: Automatic configuration for LS-DYNA ports
  • Load Balancing: Optional load balancing for multiple servers

3. Upload License Files​

  1. Click Upload LS-DYNA Licenses
  2. Select your .key license files
  3. Vantage automatically validates license content
  4. Configure license-specific settings:
    • SMP Core Limits: Maximum cores per SMP job
    • MPP Core Limits: Maximum cores per MPP job
    • Memory Limits: Memory allocation per license
    • User Restrictions: Per-user or per-group limits

4. Configure Advanced Settings​

Queuing Configuration​

# LS-DYNA Queuing Configuration
queuing:
  enabled: true
  algorithm: "memory_aware"
  max_queue_size: 1000
  priority_levels: 10
  memory_based_scheduling: true
  
# Queue Policies
policies:
  smp_priority: "high"
  mpp_priority: "medium"
  interactive_priority: "highest"
  batch_priority: "low"

Performance Optimization​

# Performance Settings
performance:
  memory_licensing: true
  dynamic_allocation: true
  preemption_enabled: false
  checkpoint_support: true
  restart_optimization: true

# Resource Limits
limits:
  max_smp_cores_per_job: 128
  max_mpp_cores_per_job: 10000
  max_memory_per_job: "1TB"
  max_runtime_hours: 168

5. Launch Deployment​

  1. Review all configuration settings
  2. Estimate costs based on usage patterns
  3. Click Deploy LS-DYNA Server
  4. Monitor deployment progress in real-time

CLI-Based Deployment​

Provision your Vantage-managed LS-DYNA server using the Vantage CLI for automated deployment and HPC integration workflows.

1. Install and Authenticate Vantage CLI​

# Install Vantage CLI
pip install vantage-cli

# Authenticate with Vantage
vantage auth login

# Verify LS-DYNA module availability
vantage license-servers types --filter ls-dyna

2. Create LS-DYNA Server Configuration​

Create a specialized configuration for LS-DYNA workloads:

# ls-dyna-config.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: LicenseServer
metadata:
  name: "ls-dyna-hpc"
  description: "HPC-optimized LS-DYNA license server"
  labels:
    environment: "production"
    workload: "hpc"
    solver: "ls-dyna"
    department: "cae"

spec:
  type: "ls-dyna"
  deployment: "vantage-managed"
  
  infrastructure:
    region: "us-east-1"
    instance_type: "hpc-optimized"
    network_performance: "25gbps"
    storage_type: "nvme"
    
  configuration:
    server_port: 31010
    status_port: 31011
    queuing_enabled: true
    memory_licensing: true
    
  licensing:
    smp_licenses: 500
    mpp_licenses: 10000
    memory_licensing:
      enabled: true
      units: "GB"
      increment: 1
    
  queuing:
    enabled: true
    algorithm: "memory_aware"
    max_queue_size: 1000
    priority_levels: 10
    preemption: false
    
  performance:
    memory_optimization: true
    hpc_integration: true
    cluster_awareness: true
    
  security:
    access_control:
      hpc_networks:
        - "10.1.0.0/16"  # HPC cluster network
        - "10.2.0.0/16"  # Workstation network
      denied_networks:
        - "0.0.0.0/0"
        
  monitoring:
    enabled: true
    hpc_metrics: true
    solver_performance: true
    alerts:
      queue_length:
        threshold: 100
        notifications: ["email", "slack"]
      memory_exhaustion:
        threshold: 90
        notifications: ["pagerduty"]
        
  backup:
    enabled: true
    include_queue_state: true
    schedule: "0 1 * * *"

3. Deploy LS-DYNA Server​

# Validate LS-DYNA configuration
vantage license-servers validate --config ls-dyna-config.yaml

# Deploy LS-DYNA server
vantage license-servers create --config ls-dyna-config.yaml --wait

# Monitor HPC-specific deployment
vantage license-servers status ls-dyna-hpc \
  --include-hpc-metrics \
  --watch

4. Upload and Configure LS-DYNA Licenses​

# Upload LS-DYNA license files
vantage license-servers upload-licenses ls-dyna-hpc \
  --files "lstc_*.key" \
  --license-type ls-dyna \
  --validate-lstc

# Verify license loading
vantage license-servers licenses status ls-dyna-hpc \
  --show-smp-mpp \
  --show-memory-units

# Configure license priorities
vantage license-servers licenses configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --smp-priority high \
  --mpp-priority medium \
  --interactive-priority highest

5. Configure LS-DYNA Specific Features​

# Configure memory-based licensing
vantage license-servers configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --memory-licensing \
  --memory-units GB \
  --memory-increment 1 \
  --memory-tracking precise

# Set up queuing policies
vantage license-servers configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --queue-algorithm memory_aware \
  --queue-policies "smp:high,mpp:medium,batch:low" \
  --max-runtime 168h

# Configure SMP/MPP limits
vantage license-servers configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --smp-limit 128 \
  --mpp-limit 10000 \
  --cores-per-license 1

# Set up user priorities
vantage license-servers configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --user-priorities "admin:10,senior_analysts:8,analysts:6,students:3"

6. HPC Cluster Integration​

# Configure Slurm integration
vantage license-servers hpc-integration configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --scheduler slurm \
  --license-resource "ls_dyna_smp:500,ls_dyna_mpp:10000" \
  --memory-tracking enabled

# Set up PBS integration
vantage license-servers hpc-integration configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --scheduler pbs \
  --license-hook "/opt/pbs/prologue.d/ls-dyna" \
  --memory-accounting enabled

# Configure LSF integration
vantage license-servers hpc-integration configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --scheduler lsf \
  --resource-def "ls_dyna[default=500]" \
  --memory-policy dynamic

7. Advanced LS-DYNA Management​

Solver Performance Monitoring​

# Monitor solver performance
vantage license-servers monitor ls-dyna-hpc \
  --solver-metrics \
  --scaling-efficiency \
  --memory-utilization

# Generate performance reports
vantage license-servers report ls-dyna-hpc \
  --type solver-performance \
  --period monthly \
  --include-scaling-analysis \
  --format pdf

# Analyze job efficiency
vantage license-servers analyze ls-dyna-hpc \
  --job-efficiency \
  --time-range "last-30d" \
  --include-recommendations

Memory-Based License Management​

# Monitor memory license usage
vantage license-servers memory monitor ls-dyna-hpc \
  --real-time \
  --show-allocation \
  --show-efficiency

# Configure memory policies
vantage license-servers memory configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --allocation-policy "best_fit" \
  --memory-warning-threshold 80 \
  --memory-reclaim-timeout 300

# Export memory usage data
vantage license-servers memory export ls-dyna-hpc \
  --date-range "2024-01-01,2024-12-31" \
  --format csv \
  --include-job-details

Queue Management​

# Monitor queue status
vantage license-servers queue status ls-dyna-hpc \
  --detailed \
  --show-priorities \
  --show-estimated-wait

# Configure queue policies
vantage license-servers queue configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --fair-share-enabled \
  --backfill-enabled \
  --priority-aging 24h

# Manage queue priorities
vantage license-servers queue priority ls-dyna-hpc \
  --user john.doe \
  --priority high \
  --duration 7d

8. User and Project Management​

# Configure user limits
vantage license-servers users configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --user-limits "user1:smp=32,mpp=1024,memory=512GB" \
  --project-limits "project1:smp=128,mpp=4096"

# Set up project accounting
vantage license-servers projects create ls-dyna-hpc \
  --name "crash-analysis" \
  --members "user1,user2,user3" \
  --allocation "smp=100,mpp=2000,memory=1TB"

# Configure charge-back accounting
vantage license-servers accounting configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --enable-chargeback \
  --cost-model "cpu_hour_and_memory" \
  --billing-period monthly

9. Performance Optimization​

# Optimize for HPC workloads
vantage license-servers tune ls-dyna-hpc \
  --hpc-optimized \
  --network-optimization high \
  --memory-optimization aggressive

# Configure load balancing
vantage license-servers configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --load-balancing enabled \
  --server-pool "ls-dyna-pool" \
  --health-check-interval 30s

# Set up auto-scaling
vantage license-servers autoscale configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --min-instances 1 \
  --max-instances 5 \
  --scale-up-threshold 80 \
  --scale-down-threshold 20

10. Monitoring and Alerting for HPC​

# Set up HPC-specific monitoring
vantage license-servers monitoring configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --hpc-metrics enabled \
  --job-tracking detailed \
  --performance-analysis enabled

# Create solver-specific alerts
vantage license-servers alerts create ls-dyna-hpc \
  --name "long-queue-wait" \
  --condition "queue_wait_time > 2h" \
  --actions "email:hpc-admin@company.com"

# Configure performance alerts
vantage license-servers alerts create ls-dyna-hpc \
  --name "poor-scaling" \
  --condition "scaling_efficiency < 70%" \
  --actions "slack:#cae-team"

# Set up job completion notifications
vantage license-servers notifications configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --job-completion enabled \
  --webhook "https://company.com/webhooks/job-complete"

11. Backup and High Availability​

# Configure HA for LS-DYNA
vantage license-servers ha configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --enable-ha \
  --backup-region us-west-2 \
  --failover-timeout 60s \
  --queue-state-sync enabled

# Create specialized backup
vantage license-servers backup create ls-dyna-hpc \
  --include-queue-state \
  --include-job-history \
  --include-performance-data \
  --description "Pre-maintenance backup"

# Configure disaster recovery
vantage license-servers dr configure ls-dyna-hpc \
  --dr-site us-west-2 \
  --rto 15m \
  --rpo 5m \
  --automated-failover

12. Integration Examples​

Slurm Job Submission Integration​

# Configure Slurm job submission
cat > slurm-ls-dyna.conf << EOF
# LS-DYNA Slurm Configuration
Licenses=ls_dyna_smp:500,ls_dyna_mpp:10000
LicensesUsed=TRACK

# LS-DYNA Job Submit Plugin
JobSubmitPlugins=lua
SubmitLuaScript=/etc/slurm/ls_dyna_submit.lua
EOF

# Example job submission script
cat > submit-ls-dyna.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
#SBATCH --job-name=crash-test
#SBATCH --nodes=4
#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=32
#SBATCH --licenses=ls_dyna_mpp:128
#SBATCH --time=24:00:00
#SBATCH --partition=compute

# Set LS-DYNA license server
export LSTC_LICENSE_SERVER=@ls-dyna-hpc.vantage.io:31010

# Run LS-DYNA
mpirun -np 128 ls-dyna i=crash_test.k memory=4gb
EOF

Automated Workflow Integration​

# Python automation example
import vantage_cli

# Initialize LS-DYNA client
client = vantage_cli.LicenseServerClient('ls-dyna-hpc')

# Check license availability
smp_available = client.check_availability('smp', cores=32)
mpp_available = client.check_availability('mpp', cores=256)

if smp_available and mpp_available:
    # Submit job to HPC scheduler
    job_id = submit_ls_dyna_job(
        input_file='model.k',
        cores=256,
        memory='64GB',
        priority='high'
    )
    
    # Monitor job progress
    client.monitor_job(job_id)

13. Maintenance and Updates​

# Schedule LS-DYNA maintenance
vantage license-servers maintenance schedule ls-dyna-hpc \
  --window "2024-03-20T01:00:00Z/PT3H" \
  --drain-queue \
  --notify-users "LS-DYNA maintenance - queue processing suspended"

# Update LS-DYNA server version
vantage license-servers upgrade ls-dyna-hpc \
  --version "latest" \
  --preserve-queue-state \
  --rolling-upgrade

# Apply configuration updates
vantage license-servers apply ls-dyna-hpc \
  --config ls-dyna-config-v2.yaml \
  --validate-queue-compatibility

14. Destroy Server​

# Graceful shutdown with queue draining
vantage license-servers destroy ls-dyna-hpc \
  --drain-queue \
  --backup-queue-state \
  --notify-users "Server migration - jobs will be queued on backup server" \
  --grace-period 4h \
  --confirm

# Emergency destroy
vantage license-servers destroy ls-dyna-hpc \
  --force \
  --preserve-job-data \
  --confirm

Post-Deployment Configuration​

1. Verify Server Functionality​

After deployment completion:

  1. Check server status in the Vantage dashboard
  2. Verify all license features are available
  3. Test SMP and MPP license checkout
  4. Confirm HPC cluster connectivity

2. Configure User Access​

LDAP/AD Integration​

authentication:
  ldap:
    server: "ldap://company.com"
    base_dn: "ou=engineering,dc=company,dc=com"
    bind_dn: "cn=admin,dc=company,dc=com"
    user_filter: "(uid=%s)"
    group_filter: "(&(objectClass=group)(member=%s))"

User Groups and Priorities​

user_groups:
  - name: "senior_engineers"
    priority: 10
    max_smp_cores: 64
    max_mpp_cores: 2048
    max_memory: "512GB"
    
  - name: "engineers"
    priority: 7
    max_smp_cores: 32
    max_mpp_cores: 1024
    max_memory: "256GB"
    
  - name: "students"
    priority: 3
    max_smp_cores: 8
    max_mpp_cores: 128
    max_memory: "64GB"

3. HPC Cluster Integration​

Slurm Integration​

# Configure Slurm for LS-DYNA licensing
cat > /etc/slurm/slurm.conf.d/ls-dyna.conf << EOF
# LS-DYNA License Configuration
Licenses=ls-dyna_smp:500,ls-dyna_mpp:10000
LicensesUsed=TRACK

# LS-DYNA Job Submit Plugin
JobSubmitPlugins=lua
SubmitLuaScript=/etc/slurm/job_submit_ls_dyna.lua
EOF

PBS Integration​

# Configure PBS for LS-DYNA
cat > /var/spool/pbs/mom_priv/prologue.d/ls-dyna << EOF
#!/bin/bash
# LS-DYNA License Checkout
export LSTC_LICENSE_SERVER=${VANTAGE_LSTC_SERVER}
export LSTC_MEMORY_LICENSING=yes
EOF

License Management​

Memory-Based Licensing​

Configuration​

memory_licensing:
  enabled: true
  units: "GB"
  increment: 1
  minimum_per_core: 2
  maximum_per_job: 1024
  tracking_precision: "high"

Usage Monitoring​

Real-time monitoring of:

  • Memory Allocation: Current memory usage per job
  • Core Utilization: SMP vs MPP core usage
  • Queue Status: Jobs waiting for licenses
  • Performance Metrics: Solver efficiency and scaling

Dynamic License Allocation​

Smart Allocation​

Vantage automatically optimizes license allocation:

  • Workload Analysis: Analyzes job requirements
  • Predictive Scaling: Predicts license needs
  • Dynamic Redistribution: Reallocates unused licenses
  • Performance Optimization: Optimizes for throughput

Allocation Policies​

allocation_policies:
  - name: "memory_efficient"
    description: "Optimize for memory utilization"
    strategy: "minimize_memory_waste"
    
  - name: "throughput_optimized"
    description: "Maximize job throughput"
    strategy: "maximize_concurrent_jobs"
    
  - name: "priority_based"
    description: "Prioritize high-priority users"
    strategy: "user_priority_first"

Advanced Features​

Intelligent Queuing​

Memory-Aware Scheduling​

scheduler:
  type: "memory_aware"
  algorithms:
    - "best_fit_memory"
    - "shortest_job_first"
    - "priority_weighted"
  
  considerations:
    - memory_requirements
    - core_requirements
    - user_priority
    - historical_performance

Queue Management​

  • Multi-Tier Queues: Separate queues for different job types
  • Dynamic Priorities: Adjust priorities based on wait time
  • Backfill Scheduling: Optimize resource utilization
  • Fair Share: Ensure equitable resource distribution

Performance Analytics​

Real-Time Monitoring​

Comprehensive monitoring of:

  • Solver Performance: Execution time, scaling efficiency
  • Resource Utilization: CPU, memory, network usage
  • License Efficiency: License usage patterns
  • Queue Analytics: Wait times, throughput metrics

Historical Analysis​

  • Usage Trends: Long-term usage patterns
  • Performance Benchmarking: Compare job performance
  • Capacity Planning: Predict future license needs
  • Cost Analysis: License utilization vs. cost

Integration with Simulation Workflows​

Preprocessing Integration​

# Example: Automated LS-DYNA job submission
import vantage_api

# Check license availability
licenses = vantage_api.check_ls_dyna_licenses(
    smp_cores=32,
    memory_gb=128
)

if licenses.available:
    # Submit job with optimal configuration
    job = vantage_api.submit_ls_dyna_job(
        input_file="crash_test.k",
        smp_cores=32,
        memory_gb=128,
        priority="high"
    )

Postprocessing Automation​

# Automated results processing
def process_ls_dyna_results(job_id):
    # Download results
    results = vantage_api.get_job_results(job_id)
    
    # Generate reports
    performance_report = analyze_solver_performance(results)
    license_report = analyze_license_usage(job_id)
    
    # Store in database
    store_results(performance_report, license_report)

High Availability and Disaster Recovery​

Multi-Region Deployment​

high_availability:
  primary_region: "us-east-1"
  secondary_region: "us-west-2"
  failover_mode: "automatic"
  data_replication: "real_time"
  
disaster_recovery:
  rto: "15_minutes"
  rpo: "5_minutes"
  backup_frequency: "hourly"
  cross_region_backup: true

License Server Redundancy​

  • Active-Passive Setup: Automatic failover to secondary server
  • Load Balancing: Distribute load across multiple servers
  • Geographic Distribution: Servers in multiple regions
  • Automatic Recovery: Self-healing infrastructure

Security and Compliance​

Enterprise Security​

security:
  encryption_at_rest: "AES_256"
  encryption_in_transit: "TLS_1_3"
  access_control: "RBAC"
  audit_logging: "comprehensive"
  
compliance:
  standards: ["SOC2", "ISO27001", "GDPR"]
  data_residency: "configurable"
  audit_retention: "7_years"

Access Controls​

  • Role-Based Access: Granular permission controls
  • Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhanced security for admin access
  • API Security: Secure API access with rate limiting
  • Network Security: VPC isolation and security groups

Monitoring and Alerting​

Built-in Dashboards​

Pre-configured dashboards for:

  • License Utilization: Real-time and historical usage
  • Job Performance: Solver efficiency and scaling
  • Queue Status: Current queue length and wait times
  • System Health: Infrastructure performance metrics

Custom Alerts​

alerts:
  - name: "License Exhaustion"
    condition: "smp_usage > 90% OR mpp_usage > 90%"
    notification: ["email", "slack", "pagerduty"]
    
  - name: "Long Queue Times"
    condition: "average_wait_time > 30_minutes"
    notification: ["email", "slack"]
    
  - name: "Performance Degradation"
    condition: "solver_efficiency < 80%"
    notification: ["email"]

Cost Optimization​

Usage-Based Pricing​

pricing:
  base_infrastructure: "fixed_monthly"
  license_management: "per_core_hour"
  storage: "per_gb_month"
  data_transfer: "per_gb"
  
optimization:
  auto_scaling: true
  spot_instances: true
  reserved_capacity: true
  cost_alerts: true

Cost Management Tools​

  • Usage Forecasting: Predict monthly costs
  • Budget Alerts: Notifications when costs exceed limits
  • Resource Optimization: Recommendations for cost savings
  • Chargeback Reports: Allocate costs to departments

Migration and Onboarding​

Migration from Self-Managed​

  1. Current State Analysis: Assess existing LS-DYNA setup
  2. Migration Planning: Develop detailed migration strategy
  3. Parallel Testing: Test Vantage deployment alongside existing
  4. Gradual Migration: Phase migration by user groups
  5. Complete Transition: Switch all workloads to Vantage

Best Practices for Migration​

  • License Validation: Verify all licenses transfer correctly
  • User Training: Train users on new queue submission process
  • Performance Benchmarking: Compare performance before/after
  • Workflow Integration: Update job submission scripts

Troubleshooting and Support​

Common Issues​

License Checkout Problems​

  1. Check license availability in dashboard
  2. Verify user permissions and limits
  3. Review queue status and priorities
  4. Contact Vantage support with job details

Performance Issues​

  1. Review solver scaling efficiency
  2. Check resource allocation settings
  3. Analyze job requirements vs. allocation
  4. Optimize submission parameters

Support Resources​

  • 24/7 LS-DYNA Support: Specialists available around the clock
  • Knowledge Base: Comprehensive LS-DYNA documentation
  • Community Forums: User community and best practices
  • Professional Services: Migration and optimization consulting

Best Practices​

Workflow Optimization​

  • Job Sizing: Right-size jobs for optimal performance
  • Memory Planning: Allocate appropriate memory for workloads
  • Queue Strategy: Use appropriate queues for different job types
  • Checkpointing: Enable checkpointing for long-running jobs

Performance Tuning​

  • Solver Configuration: Optimize LS-DYNA solver settings
  • Resource Allocation: Match resources to job requirements
  • Network Optimization: Optimize for MPP communication
  • I/O Optimization: Configure optimal file system settings

Next Steps​

After deploying your Vantage-managed LS-DYNA server:

  1. User Onboarding: Train users on new submission process
  2. Workflow Integration: Update job submission workflows
  3. Performance Optimization: Monitor and optimize job performance
  4. License Optimization: Analyze usage patterns and optimize allocation
  5. Advanced Features: Explore automation and integration capabilities

For enterprise LS-DYNA deployments and advanced configurations, contact Vantage Professional Services or explore additional documentation in the Vantage dashboard.