---
name: "work_queue_worker"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "coop-computing-tools"
version: "1:7.14.5-1+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/work_queue_worker"
---

# work\_queue\_worker(1)

worker process for executing tasks dispatched through Work Queue

## NAME

**work\_queue\_worker** - worker process for executing tasks dispatched through Work Queue

## SYNOPSIS

FCwork\_queue\_worker \[options\] *\<manager\_host\>* *\<manager\_port\>*FT

FCwork\_queue\_worker \[options\] *\<manager\_host:manager\_port\]\>*FT

FCwork\_queue\_worker \[options\] "*\<manager\_host:manager\_port;\[manager\_host:manager\_port;manager\_host:manager\_port;...\]\>*FT)

FCwork\_queue\_worker \[options\] -M *\<projectname\>*FT

## DESCRIPTION

**work\_queue\_worker** is the worker process for executing tasks dispatched from a manager application built using the **Work Queue** API. **work\_queue\_worker** connects to the manager application, accepts, runs, and returns tasks dispatched to it.

The **managerhost** and **port** arguments specify the hostname and port number of the manager application for work\_queue\_worker to connect. Several managerhosts and ports may be specified, separated with a semicolon (;), with the worker connecting to any of the managers specified (When specifying multiple managers, remember to escape the ; from shell interpretation, for example, using quotes.)

Alternatevely, the manager may be specified by name, using the **-M** option.

**work\_queue\_worker** can be run locally or deployed remotely on any of the grid or cloud computing environments such as UGE, PBS, SLURM, and HTCondor using **[uge\_submit\_workers(1)](/uge_submit_workers/1.md)**, **[pbs\_submit\_workers(1)](/pbs_submit_workers/1.md)**, **slurm\_submit\_workers()**, and **[condor\_submit\_workers(1)](/condor_submit_workers/1.md)** respectively.

## OPTIONS

- **-v,--version**

  Show version string.

- **-h,--help**

  Show this help message.

- **-M,--manager-name=*\<name\>***

  Set the name of the project this worker should work for.  A worker can have multiple projects.

- **-C,--catalog=*\<catalog\>***

  Set catalog server to *\<catalog\>*. Format: HOSTNAME:PORT

- **-d,--debug=*\<flag\>***

  Enable debugging for the given subsystem. Try -d all as a start.

- **-o,--debug-file=*\<file\>***

  Write debugging output to this file. By default, debugging is sent to stderr (":stderr"). You may specify logs to be sent to stdout (":stdout") instead.

- **--debug-max-rotate=*\<bytes\>***

  Set the maximum file size of the debug log.  If the log exceeds this size, it is renamed to "filename.old" and a new logfile is opened.  (default=10M. 0 disables)

- **--debug-release-reset**

  Debug file will be closed, renamed, and a new one opened after being released from a manager.

- **--foreman**

  Enable foreman mode.

- **-f,--foreman-name=*\<name\>***

  Set the project name of this foreman to *\<project\>*. Implies --foreman.

- **--foreman-port=*\<port\[:highport\]\>***

   Set the port for the foreman to listen on.  If *\<highport\>* is specified the port is chosen from between *\<port\>* and *\<highport\>*. Implies --foreman.

- **-Z,--foreman-port-file=*\<file\>***

  Select port to listen to at random and write to this file.  Implies --foreman.

- **-F,--fast-abort=*\<mult\>***

  Set the fast abort multiplier for foreman (default=disabled).

- **--specify-log=*\<logfile\>***

  Send statistics about foreman to this file.

- **-P,--password=*\<pwfile\>***

  Password file for authenticating to the manager.

- **-t,--timeout=*\<time\>***

  Abort after this amount of idle time. (default=900s)

- **--parent-death**

  Exit if parent process dies.

- **-w,--tcp-window-size=*\<size\>***

  Set TCP window size.

- **-i,--min-backoff=*\<time\>***

  Set initial value for backoff interval when worker fails to connect to a manager. (default=1s)

- **-b,--max-backoff=*\<time\>***

  Set maxmimum value for backoff interval when worker fails to connect to a manager. (default=60s)

- **-A,--arch=*\<arch\>***

  Set the architecture string the worker reports to its supervisor. (default=the value reported by uname)

- **-O,--os=*\<os\>***

  Set the operating system string the worker reports to its supervisor. (default=the value reported by uname)

- **-s,--workdir=*\<path\>***

  Set the location where the worker should create its working directory. (default=/tmp). Also configurable through environment variables **CCTOOLS\_TEMP** or **TMPDIR**.

- **--bandwidth=*\<mbps\>***

  Set the maximum bandwidth the foreman will consume in Mbps. (default=unlimited)

- **--cores=*\<n\>***

  Set the number of cores this worker should use.  Set it to 0 to have the worker use all of the available resources. (default=1)

- **--gpus=*\<n\>***

  Set the number of GPUs this worker should use. If less than 0 or not given, try to detect gpus available.

- **--memory=*\<mb\>***

  Manually set the amount of memory (in MB) reported by this worker.

- **--disk=*\<mb\>***

  Manually set the amount of disk space (in MB) reported by this worker.

- **--wall-time=*\<s\>***

  Set the maximum number of seconds the worker may be active.

- **--feature=*\<feature\>***

  Specifies a user-defined feature the worker provides (option can be repeated).

- **--volatility=*\<chance\>***

  Set the percent chance per minute that the worker will shut down (simulates worker failures, for testing only).

- **--connection-mode=*\<mode\>***

  When using -M, override manager preference to resolve its address. One of by\_ip, by\_hostname, or by\_apparent\_ip. Default is set by manager.

## FOREMAN MODE

**work\_queue\_worker** can also be run in **foreman** mode, in which it connects to a manager as a worker while acting as a manager itself.  Any tasks the foreman receives from its manager are sent to its subordinate worker processes.

**Foreman** mode is enabled by either specifying a port to listen on using the **--foreman --foreman-port** *\<port\> option or by* *setting the mode directly with the* **--foreman --foreman-name** *\<foreman\_name\>* *option.  The foreman works for the manager specified with the with the* **-M** *\<project name\> flag.*

## EXIT STATUS

*On success, returns zero.  On failure, returns non-zero.*

## EXAMPLES

*To run* **work\_queue\_worker** *to join a specific manager process running on host FCmanager.somewhere.eduFT port 9123:*

```

```

-

  *% work\_queue\_worker manager.somewhere.edu 9123*

*To run* **work\_queue\_worker** *in auto mode with debugging turned on for all subsystems and* *to accept tasks only from a manager application with project name set to project\_A:*

```

```

-

  *% work\_queue\_worker -a -d all -M project\_A*

*To run* **work\_queue\_worker** *as a foreman working for project\_A and advertising itself as foreman\_A1:*

```

```

-

  *% work\_queue\_worker --foreman -M project\_A -f foreman\_A1*

## COPYRIGHT

*The Cooperative Computing Tools are Copyright (C) 2022 The University of Notre Dame.  This software is distributed under the GNU General Public License.  See the file COPYING for details.*

## SEE ALSO

- •

  **Cooperative Computing Tools Documentation**

- •

  **Work Queue User Manual**

- •

  **[work\_queue\_worker(1)](/work_queue_worker/1.md)** **[work\_queue\_status(1)](/work_queue_status/1.md)** **[work\_queue\_factory(1)](/work_queue_factory/1.md)** **[condor\_submit\_workers(1)](/condor_submit_workers/1.md)** **[uge\_submit\_workers(1)](/uge_submit_workers/1.md)** **[torque\_submit\_workers(1)](/torque_submit_workers/1.md)**