LSF to SLURM quick reference
This article shows the SLURM commands equivalent to LSF commands. Note: The recording and PPT presentation of the first webinar on transitioning from LSF to SLURM are now available at https://www.ceda.ac.uk/events/transitioning-to-slurm-webinar
The SLURM Scheduler
SLURM (formerly known as Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management or SLURM) is the job scheduler deployed on JASMIN. It allows users to submit, monitor, and control jobs on the CentOS7 LOTUS sub-cluster.
Table 1 Essential LSF/SLURM commands
| LSF | SLURM | Description |
| bsub < script_file | sbatch script_file | Submit a job script to the scheduler |
| bqueues | sinfo | Show available scheduling queues |
| bjobs | squeue -u <username> | List user's pending and running jobs |
| bsub -n 1 -q test -Is /bin/bash | srun -n 1 -p test --pty /bin/bash | Request an interactive session on LOTUS |
Table 2 Job specification
| LSF | SLURM | Description |
| #BSUB | #SBATCH | Scheduler directive |
| -q queue_name | --partition=queue_name or -p queue_name | Specify the scheduling queue |
| -W hh:mm:ss | --time= hh:mm:ss or -t hh:mm:ss |
Set the maximum runtime limit |
| -We hh:mm:ss | --time-min= hh:mm:ss |
Set an estimated runtime |
| -J job_name | --job-name= jobname |
Specify a name for the job |
| -o filename, -e filename -oo/-eo filename |
--output= filename or -o filename, --error=filename or -e filename The default file name is "slurm-%j.out", where the "%j"is replaced by the job ID For job arrays, the default file name is "slurm-%A_%a.out", "%A" is replaced by the job ID and "%a" with the array index. --open-mode=append|truncate |
Standard job output and error output. Default append. Overwrite job error/output files |
| %J %I |
%j %a |
Job ID for -oo/eo filename Job array index |
| -R "rusage[mem= XXX]" |
--mem= XXX | Memory XXX is required for the job. Default units are megabytes |
| -J job_name[index_list] | --array= index (e.g. --array=1-10) |
specify a job array |
| -J job_name[index_list]%number-of-simultaneous-jobs | --array=index% ArrayTaskThrottle e.g. --array=1-15%4 will limit the number of simultaneously running tasks from this job array to 4 |
A maximum number of simultaneously running tasks from the job array may be specified using a "%" separator. |
| -cwd directory | -D, --chdir=<directory> | Set the working directory of the batch script to <directory> before it is executed. |
| -x | --exclusive | Exclusive execution mode |
| -w 'dependency_expression' | --dependency=<dependency_list> | Defer the start of this job until the specified dependencies have been satisfied completed |
| -n number-of-cores | --ntasks= number-of-cores or -n number-of-cores | Number of CPU cores |
| -m <host-group-name> | --constraint="<host-group-name>" | To select a node with a specific processor model |
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Table 3 Job control commands
| LSF | SLURM | Description |
| bkill <jobid> | scancel <jobid> | Kill a job |
| bjobs -l <jobid> | scontrol show job <jobid> | Show details job
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| bmod <jobid> | scontrol update job <jobid> | Modify a pending job |
| bkill 0 | scancel --user=<username> | Kill all jobs owned by a user |
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Table 4 Job environment variables
| LSF | SLURM | Description |
| $LSB_JOBID | $SLURM_JOBID | Job identifier number |
| $LSB_JOBID |
$SLURM_ARRAY_JOB_ID | Job array |
| $LSB_JOBINDEX | $SLURM_ARRAY_TASK_ID | Job array index |
| $LSB_JOBINDEX_END | $SLURM_ARRAY_TASK_MAX | Last index number within a job array |
| $LSB_MAX_NUM_PROCESSORS | $SLURM_NTASKS | Number of processors allocated |
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