Run Code on Parallel Pools - MATLAB & Simulink (original) (raw)

What Is a Parallel Pool?

A parallel pool is a set of MATLAB® workers on a compute cluster or desktop. By default, a parallel pool starts automatically when needed by parallel language features such asparfor. You can specify the default parallel environment in your parallel settings. The settings panel displays your default parallel environment when you select in the menu. You can also specify the default parallel environment in the > menu. Alternatively, you can choose parallel environment and pool size using parcluster and parpool respectively, on the MATLAB command line.

You can use the workers in a parallel pool interactively and the workers can communicate with each other during the lifetime of the job. You can view yourparpool jobs in the Job Monitor. While these pool workers are reserved for your interactive use, they are not available to other users.

In MATLAB, a parallel pool is represented by a parallel.Pool object. You can only create a parallel pool from one parallel environment or profile at a time, but you can partition the pool into multiple pools, allowing for more flexible resource allocation. To learn more, see Partition Parallel Pools to Optimize Resource Use.

Before R2025a: You can have only one parallel pool at a time from a MATLAB client session.

Automatically Start and Stop a Parallel Pool

By default, a parallel pool starts automatically when needed by certain parallel language features. Many functions can automatically start a parallel pool, including:

Your parallel settings specify which parallel environment the pool runs on. To access your settings, on the tab, in the section, select > .

In your parallel settings, you can turn off the option for the pool to open or close automatically. If you turn off the option to open a pool automatically and you use any Parallel Computing Toolbox™ functionality without an open parallel pool, your code runs on the client.

Alternative Ways to Start and Stop Pools

If you choose not to have the pool open automatically, you can control the pool with the following techniques.

Control the Parallel Pool from the MATLAB Desktop

You can use the parallel status indicator in the lower left corner of the MATLAB desktop to start a parallel pool manually.

The parallel status indicator, including a drop down menu showing options for starting a parallel pool and inspecting your parallel settings.

In MATLAB Online, the parallel status indicator is not visible by default. You must start a parallel pool first by using parpool or any of the functions that automatically start a parallel pool.

Click the indicator icon, and select . The pool parallel environment is specified by your default parallel environment. Your default parallel environment is indicated by a check mark on the > menu.

The parallel environment menu, showing a check mark next to the Processes parallel environment.

The parallel indicator menu options are different when a pool is running. You can:

The parallel status indicator, highlighted blue to indicate that a parallel pool is running. A tooltip shows that a parallel pool has been running for about one minute and will shut down if still idle in 29 minutes.

To stop a pool, you can also select .

The parallel status indicator, highlighted blue to indicate that a parallel pool is running and including a menu showing options for shutting down the parallel pool and inspecting your parallel settings.

Programming Interface

Start a Parallel Pool. You can start and stop a parallel pool programmatically by using default settings or specifying alternatives.

To open a parallel pool based on your default settings:

To open a pool of a specific size:

To use a parallel environment other than your default and specify where the pool runs:

You can run a parallel pool on different parallel environments. For more information, see Choose Between Thread-Based and Process-Based Environments.

Shut Down a Parallel Pool. To get the current parallel pool and use that object when you want to shut down the pool:

Ensure That No Parallel Pool Is Running. When you issue the command gcp without arguments, you might inadvertently open a pool. To avoid this problem:

Note

To stop a parallel pool while it is starting, pressCtrl+C or Ctrl+Break. OnApple macOS, you also can useCommand . (the Command key and the period key).

Factors That Affect Pool Size

Parallel Computing Toolbox can support parallel pools with up to 2000 workers. When you create a parallel pool, the values of the NumWorkers andPreferredPoolNumWorkers profile properties affect the size of the parallel pool you get.

NumWorkers Property

The NumWorkers property is a hard limit on the number of workers available to the cluster or local machine.

You cannot create a parallel pool larger than theNumWorkers property value.

PreferredPoolNumWorkers Property

The PreferredPoolNumWorkers property specifies a_preference_ for the size of the pools the software creates with the profile. It is not a requirement or a request for a specific number of workers. The default value for thePreferredPoolNumWorkers property depends on the parallel environment. You can modify this value in the profile. The following is a list of parallel environments and their defaultPreferredPoolNumWorkers values:

Pool Creation Technique

The NumWorkers andPreferredPoolNumWorkers property values in combination with the technique you use to create the pool determine actual size of your parallel pool.

Pool Creation Technique Actual Pool Size
You have automatic pool creation turned on, and you run a function that can automatically start a pool.You start a parallel pool manually using the parallel status indicator in the lower left corner of the MATLAB desktopYou call the parpool function without specifying a pool size argument. MATLAB uses the profilePreferredPoolNumWorkers property value to determine the maximum number of workers in the pool. If MATLAB cannot start a pool with as many workers as specified in thePreferredPoolNumWorkers property, you get a smaller pool without any errors. The pool size cannot exceed theNumWorkers value.
You run the parpool function and specify the pool size as an integer. MATLAB attempts to start a pool with the exact number of workers you request. If the specified value does not exceed theNumWorkers property value, you get a pool with the specified number of workers.If the specified value exceeds theNumWorkers property value, MATLAB throws an error.
You run the parpool function and specify the pool size as a range of integers. MATLAB attempts to create a pool with the largest possible value within that range without exceeding theNumWorkers property value. If the lower bound of the range is greater than the NumWorkers property value, MATLAB throws an error.If the upper bound of the range exceeds theNumWorkers property value, you get the largest pool size possible up to theNumWorkers property value.

Precedence for Parallel Environment Selection

For selection of the parallel environment on which the pool runs, precedence is determined by the following:

  1. The parpool resources argument overrides the default profile setting and uses the parallel environment identified by the profile"MyProfile".
    p = parpool("MyProfile");
  2. The parallel environment is specified in the default profile.

See Also

delete | gcp | parcluster | parfor | spmd | distributed | parfeval | parpool

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