10.2.4. DIRAC jobs: definitions

Some definitions for DIRAC jobs:

  • payload or workflow: the executed code. A payload describes how to run one or more application step.

  • payload executor: a script that runs the payload (e.g. dirac-jobexec)

  • JDL: a container of payload requirements

  • DIRAC job: a JDL to which it is assigned a unique identifier inside the DIRAC WMS

  • JobWrapper: a software module for running a DIRACJob in a controlled way

  • multi-processor payload [job]: a payload application that will try to use multiple cores on the same node

  • computing slot: resource allocated by a provider where a pilot wrapper is running (batch job)

  • multi-processor [computing] slot: allocated resource has more than one OS CPU core available in the same slot as opposed to a single-processor [computing] slot

Applications properties are reflected in payload properties.

The DIRAC APIs can be used to create and submit jobs. Specifically, objects of type Job represents a job. The API class Dirac and more specifically the call to submitJob() submits jobs to the DIRAC WMS.

The job status of a successful job proceeds in the following order:

  • Submitting (only for parametric jobs),

  • Received,

  • Checking,

  • Waiting,

  • Matched,

  • Running,

  • Completing,

  • Completed,

  • Done.

Jobs which return no heartbeat have a status of Stalled and jobs where any workflow modules return an error status are classed as Failed.

The basic flowchart describing the evolution of a job’s status follows

Jobs state machine