This article discusses how to set up and troubleshoot the Remote Solver in SolidWorks Flow Simulation.
Setup Remote Solver
- Go to Tools > Flow Simulation > Solve > Run.
- In the "Run" window that comes up, expand the dropdown for "Run at" and select "Add computer".
- In the "Add Computer" window that comes up, input the Computer Name/IP Address of the remote computer and the port number for the remote computer. You can also click "Browse" to select the computer from the local network.
Note: The port number must be in the range from 1024 to 65535. The specified port number must not be in use by any other process. The default port is 30950. Please, make sure that the appropriate TCP port number for the remote solver is specified under Remote Solver options under Tools > Flow Simulation > Tools > Options for the remote machine.
- The selected computer is added to the list of previously added network computers. The list contains additional info on each of the computers, including the number of available processors or cores, the amount of available memory, and the type of operating system. To delete a computer from the list, select the computer name and click "Delete".
- Click "OK". You can assign a particular project to be solved on the recently added computer by using the Run on option in the Run or Batch Run dialog box.
Troubleshooting
If you are unable to connect to a remote computer when trying to set up a remote solver for SolidWorks Flow Simulation, please verify the following:
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Verify that both the client computer and the remote computer are on the same version of SolidWorks (Year and Service Pack).
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Verify through a ping test and telnet test that the client computer and remote computer are able to connect to each other through the specified computer name and port number.
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If you are unable to ping or telnet, you will need to add a port number between 1024 and 65535 to the inbound and outbound rules on the remote machine. You will also want to verify the computer name or IP address of the remote computer.
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You will want to talk with your IT department if you are still unable to ping or telnet the remote computer after verifying the computer name, IP address, and adding rules to the firewall for a port number.
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As a more direct method, you can also temporarily disable the firewall completely on both machines to ensure that there isn’t another setting preventing communication between the two machines.
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Verify that the appropriate TCP port number for the remote solver is specified under Remote Solver options under Flow Simulation > Tools > Options.
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- Cleanup these temporary file folders:
- On the remote machine, empty the folder C:\Windows\Temp.
- On the local machine, empty the folder %temp%.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does this work with a Network License?
Yes, you can use the Flow Simulation Remote Solver option using a network license which will use the appropriate licenses on the local machine, which would be at least a SolidWorks Standard license and Flow Simulation License.
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Does this work with a Standalone License?
Yes, the main machine will need to be activated in order to use SolidWorks, but the remote machine will only require SolidWorks to be installed, but not activated.
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What happens on the local machine and on the remote machine when using the remote solver?
| On the local machine | On the remote machine | |
| What is the workload share between the local and the remote machine? | Meshing, creation of flow file, and all the pre-processing that has to be done before the first iteration is run. | All the iterations. |
| Where are the files created? | Files from the geometry preparation and mesh creation are created and stored in the normal project folder. To open the folder, go to Tools > Flow Simulation > Project > Open Project Directory. | The program creates solver files in a temporary folder within C:\Windows\Temp. The name of the temporary folders changes every time you run the solver. The program deletes the folder after the files are copied to the local computer at the end of the simulation. An example file path is: C:\Windows\Temp\19843652-7c4a-44a8-bc1c-2d5d88327e9f\Ball valve\1 |
| What is displayed while the project is running? | The Solver Monitor window is open on the screen. | Nothing is displayed on the screen. If you open the Windows Task Manager, you will see that the CPU Usage shows activity. The SolidWorks Flow Simulation application will not be shown as running, but in the list of processes you will see activity for efdsolver.exe. |
| What result previews are available? | All the regular previews, like goal convergence plots and plot previews, are available. | Nothing. |
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Do I need to activate the remote machine if I am using a Standalone License?
No, only the main machine will need to be activated, but the remote machine will only require SolidWorks to be installed.
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Can I use multiple remote machines to solve a single Flow Simulation study?
Unfortunately, it is not possible for Flow Simulation to distribute the calculation between a cluster of machines or even just two machines, even using the Remote Solver capability.
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What needs to be installed on the local machine and remote machine?
Both, SolidWorks Flow Simulation and Solidworks need to be installed on both the local machine and the remote machine. Both the local and remote machines also need to have the same year and service pack installed.
- Does the remote machine have the same system requirements as the local machine?
The graphics card requirement does not apply to the remote computer.
For further technical support, please contact Hawk Ridge Systems at 877.266.4469 for the U.S. or 866.587.6803 for Canada and support@hawkridgesys.com.
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