Xgrid Agent for Java

Frequently Asked questions
-------------------------------------
(but rarely answered? Google doesn't help me either?)


1) Does xgridagent support authentication (at least just the password authentication)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer: ? doesn't seem so:
You will get a error like:


C:\xgridagent>java -jar xgridagent.jar 10.18.110.63 LouisXP 1995

06-Apr-2009 18:38:46 org.beepcore.beep.core.SessionImpl$StartReplyListener recei
veERR
SEVERE: Received an error in response to a start. code=530 diagnostic=Authentica
tion required
xgridagent: Error starting channel (530: Authentication required)



2) How to find your PC's CPU power and name hostname to give accurate info to xgridagent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The readme says :
java -jar xgridagent.jar controller-host your-PC-name mhz

For hostname:
a) open command prompy
b) type: hostname

For MHZ there are 3 options:
- Right click my Computer and click properties, it will be displayed
- Command prompt-> type systeminfo | find "[0] :" or just systeminfo if you wish.
- use the VB script below:

Simply save it as .VB and double click on it.

On Error Resume Next

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_Processor")

For Each objItem in colItems
Wscript.Echo "Address Width: " & objItem.AddressWidth
Wscript.Echo "Architecture: " & objItem.Architecture
Wscript.Echo "Availability: " & objItem.Availability
Wscript.Echo "CPU Status: " & objItem.CpuStatus
Wscript.Echo "Current Clock Speed: " & objItem.CurrentClockSpeed
Wscript.Echo "Data Width: " & objItem.DataWidth
Wscript.Echo "Description: " & objItem.Description
Wscript.Echo "Device ID: " & objItem.DeviceID
Wscript.Echo "External Clock: " & objItem.ExtClock
Wscript.Echo "Family: " & objItem.Family
Wscript.Echo "L2 Cache Size: " & objItem.L2CacheSize
Wscript.Echo "L2 Cache Speed: " & objItem.L2CacheSpeed
Wscript.Echo "Level: " & objItem.Level
Wscript.Echo "Load Percentage: " & objItem.LoadPercentage
Wscript.Echo "Manufacturer: " & objItem.Manufacturer
Wscript.Echo "Maximum Clock Speed: " & objItem.MaxClockSpeed
Wscript.Echo "Name: " & objItem.Name
Wscript.Echo "PNP Device ID: " & objItem.PNPDeviceID
Wscript.Echo "Processor ID: " & objItem.ProcessorId
Wscript.Echo "Processor Type: " & objItem.ProcessorType
Wscript.Echo "Revision: " & objItem.Revision
Wscript.Echo "Role: " & objItem.Role
Wscript.Echo "Socket Designation: " & objItem.SocketDesignation
Wscript.Echo "Status Information: " & objItem.StatusInfo
Wscript.Echo "Stepping: " & objItem.Stepping
Wscript.Echo "Unique Id: " & objItem.UniqueId
Wscript.Echo "Upgrade Method: " & objItem.UpgradeMethod
Wscript.Echo "Version: " & objItem.Version
Wscript.Echo "Voltage Caps: " & objItem.VoltageCaps
Next

3) Can you start xgridagent automatically on Windows
---------------------------------------------------------------------
YES WE CAN !
Its all too easy with a batch script, but if you want it to be automated for hundreds, or thousands of idle Windows machine's to your disposal you might want to investigate something like below.

Please let me know if someone does this before I get a chance.


It would be nice to be able to have a login script where the windows machine does the following:

1) run a batch file which runs a portion of the vb script to get the hostname and processor speed
2) Connect to your xGrid Controller on the network

using java -jar xgridagent controller-host your-host-name mhz

This way the controller (or more importantly the Administrator) will have an accurate view of which machine's are available to crank away on some code or encode video or what have you.