Maseeh College General Access Labs and most of the larger Department-specific computer resources are focused on instructional use. Use of these lab resources for long running processes for research or other projects must be limited to non-prime-time.

Prime time for these labs typically range from 8am to 9pm on weekdays during the term. During the term, this usually means that long running jobs must be limited to after hours or the weekend. There can also be department or college events scheduled for these rooms over the weekends so it is best to coordinate weekend runs with the CAT. Monopolizing a large portion of a lab during non-prime time must also be negotiated with the CAT.

As our computer labs are being reserved for classroom instruction with increasing frequency, open lab hours during prime time cannot afford workstations locked for long term projects. If you feel your project needs to monopolize lab workstations during prime time, you will need to work with the IT Director (for MCECS labs) or the Department Head (for departmental labs) to negotiate a use schedule and conditions. Instructional labs, designed for users working on classwork, are a poor fit for long term dedicated computing use.

If you want to engage in a long-running job for a school-related project, please notify the CAT. We refer to these long-running job as an “LRP” — a “Long Running Process.” Users running LRPs must ensure that their work is done and work saved before the next prime time rolls in. CAT personnel will forcibly logout any locked workstations in the labs as they make their rounds.

This article covers the labs and hosts listed below. Other departmental labs do not need to report LRP to the CAT.

• Windows Labs: EB 325, FAB 55-17, FAB 60-01, EB 420

• Linux Labs: FAB 88-09, FAB 88-10, FAB 55-17 (linux hosts)

• Linux Remote Hosts: ruby, rita, ada, babbage, auto, mo

Major CAT-supported Windows-based general access computer labs in the College have implemented Power Saving features.

Monitors will enter Power Save after 10 minutes of inactivity and computers will enter Hibernate after 30 minutes of inactivity.
Inactivity is determined by no input from either the keyboard or mouse.

If you have a Long Running Process (LRP) or another reason for which you want to make sure no Hibernation will take place, please contact the Computer Action Team.

Send a request email to support@cat.pdx.edu containing the following.

Put “LRP on <hostname>” or “long-running process on <hostname>” in the Subject line, and include this information in the body of your email:

• Your MCECS login name
• The hostname of the computer you’re running the job on
• Whether you’ve locked the workstation or not (see our guidelines for Locking Workstations)
• The approximate time the job will take to complete

This notification lets the Support team know the computer has not been left unattended and should not be disturbed. If it is still locked when prime time rolls over, a CAT staff member may forcibly lock out the machine unless specific arrangements have been made with the CAT to keep it running.

Note: that if the Lab has a reserved scheduled event that overlaps with your specifically approved LRP, that scheduled event has priority and can interrupt your LRP. Schedules are posted at or near the main lab door and on the Web Calendar

Please put a sign on the computer when you leave so that others know not to disturb your project.

Unfortunately, Long Running Processes are not available for remote access. A remote session script will terminate any idle user after 10 minutes, thus your session will still be subject to termination. If you need to initiate an LRP we recommend you reach out to us about initiating the process on an in-person computer during non-prime time.

Windows LRPs will usually require locking your workstation. Make sure you have read and understood the guidelines on Locking Workstations before locking it.

Send email to support@cat.pdx.edu with the following information:

Put “LRP on <hostname>” or “long-running process on <hostname>” in the Subject line, and include the following in the body of your email:

• Your MCECS login name
• The hostname of the computer you’re running the job on
• Whether you’ve locked the workstation or not (if so also put a note on the workstation — see our guidelines for Locking Workstations)
• The approximate time the job will take to complete

Any Linux based workstation session (use of the X windows desktop) will be terminated after 3 hours if there is no user input. This means that if you are planning on running an LRP on a Linux workstation and locking the desktop, your session will be terminated unless you have been added to an exception list.

To be added to the exception list, first send an e-mail to the CAT way in advance of running your LRP. This gives us time to add you to the exception list. Once we have confirmed that you are on the list, you can lock your Linux desktop in the lab and avoid our automated idle time based termination schedule.

It’s not always possible to determine what constitutes an “intentional” long running job. Therefore, unless we have been given prior notice by a user who wants to have a long running job, we will terminate it.

Make sure you have read the page on Long Running Jobs vs Runaways for Linux before you start your LRP.