MATLAB: Is there a way to run MATLAB Production Server as a Windows service

asMATLAB Production Servermpsservicewindows

I am running MATLAB Production Server (MPS) on a Windows server. I can create and start a server instance using the instructions in the User's Guide but the server instance stops when I log off the Windows server. I need the server instance to remain running even when I am not logged on to the server. Is there a way to run MPS as a Windows service?

Best Answer

This functionality was added in R2015a with the mps-service utility. See the documentation on mps-service for details.

For earlier releases, follow the instructions below to run MPS as Windows service:

1. If you have not done it already, install MPS, the MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR), and Network License Manager as you would during a normal setup.

2. Make a new MPS server instance if you have not done it already (with the mps-new command). If working with an existing instance, make sure it is stopped first.

3. Download the attached service wrapper. Make sure to download the correct version, when working with 32-bit MPS/MCR download the win32 package, when working with 64-bit MPS/MCR download the win64 package.

4. Make sure that Windows trusts the downloaded ZIP-file, to do so right-click on the file and select "Properties". This should show a dialog as below. If you see the "Unblock" button as marked in the screenshot, click on it and then click "OK". If you do not see the button the file should already be trusted and you can just close the dialog.

5. Unpack the contents of the "MPS_Service_Wrapper_win64" directory in the ZIP-file into your MPS instance directory (root level, alongside .mps_version, config, log, auto_deploy, etc.).

6. Edit mps_install.txt file such that it contains the full path (root directory) to your MPS installation, with no newline. For example:

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\MATLAB Production Server\R2013b

7. Using the Windows command prompt, run one of the following commands as Administrator from inside the instance directory.

When working with 32-bit MPS/MCR:

"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\InstallUtil.exe" MPS_Service_Wrapper.exe

When working with 64-bit MPS/MCR:

"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\InstallUtil.exe" MPS_Service_Wrapper.exe

(NOTE 1: The framework version number may be slightly different on your system.)

(NOTE 2: If you ever need to uninstall the service use the same command but add the /u option.)

8. It should ask you for user credentials for the user that MPS will run as. Give the required login credentials.

9. This step is only required when working with 32-bit MPS/MCR on a 64-bit Windows system: create MPS_ARCH as a system environment variable with a value of win32. To do this:

Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced System Settings > Environment Variables.

In the System variables section, add a new variable with MPS_ARCH as the name and with a value of win32.

10. Go to Start > Administrative Tools > Services.

11. You should see MATLAB Production Server listed as a service. Click start.

12. Your instance should be running, and should stay running even if you log off. You should be able to set the instance to start automatically when the system boots as well by right clicking and accessing the properties of the service. To do this, make sure to select the "Automatic (Delayed Start)" option instead of just the "Automatic" option.

13. Note that the Windows firewall may behave differently for services compared to normal applications and you may need to specifically open the port on which your MPS instance is running to allow external applications to connect.

Troubleshooting

- If you receive an error:

Exception occurred while initializing the installation:
System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'file:///C:\MPSInstance\MPS_Service_Wrapper.exe' or one of its dependencies. Operation is not supported. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131515).

While running InstallUtil.exe, please double check whether step 4 was performed correctly.

- If the service does not start correctly under step 11, please use the Windows "Event Viewer" and go to "Applications and Services Logs" -> "MPS_Service_Wrapper_Log" and have a look at the logged messages, these should offer a clue to what exactly went wrong. If you need help in interpreting the error messages please contact our Technical Support department.

Updates

Monday, June 8 2015

- Added mention of official support in R2015a with mps-service

Friday October 3 2014

- Added support for spaces in MPS instance paths.
- Errors are now logged in Error (instead of Information) category in Windows Event Log.

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MATLAB: Do I receive License Manager Error -14

This error could be caused by a number of things.

1. This error can occur on a client machine when the hostname in the SERVER line of your license.dat file does not match the hostname on the SERVER line of your license server's license.dat file. The client machine's SERVER line must match that of the license server. Contact your License Administrator to confirm the hostname in the SERVER line.

The license file on the client machine varies depending upon operating system and version. For R2008a and above, the license file is generally called network.lic and is located in $MATLAB\licenses (where $MATLAB is the MATLAB installation directory). For versions prior to R2008a, the license file will generally be the following:

Windows

---------

 $MATLAB\bin\win32\license.dat (for 32-bit MATLAB)
 $MATLAB\bin\win64\license.dat (for 64-bit MATLAB)

Linux/Unix/Mac

------------------

 $MATLAB/etc/license.dat

2. This error can also occur if the hostname of your license server is not resolvable. To test this, run the following command from a terminal/command prompt:

 ping <hostname>

where <hostname> is the hostname of the license server as it appears on the SERVER line of your license.dat file.

If the output of the above command comes back as 'unreachable' or 'unresolvable', then please contact your System Administrator and have them address this issue.

MATLAB: When stopping the MATLAB Production Server instance why do I receive “Error: Unable to stop the server service: The service has not been started”

This error will typically occur if a Windows Service has been configured for the server instance. In order to stop the instance you will need to remove the service first.Run the command mps-service delete within the server instance folder.

For example:C:\MPS\mps_instance\mps-service delete

Then run mps-stop:C:\MPS\prod_server_1\mps-stop\mps-stop

The instance should stop and you can make changes if necessary and restart the instance.

Best Answer

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MATLAB: Do I receive License Manager Error -14

MATLAB: When stopping the MATLAB Production Server instance why do I receive “Error: Unable to stop the server service: The service has not been started”

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