Do I need to have a pre-existing "cluster" to use the Distrubuted Computing Toolbox and MATLAB Distributed Computing Engine?

The documentation for the Distributed Computing Toolbox 1.0 (R14SP1+) refers to running a job on a "cluster of computers." Does this mean that my computers need to be in a pre-existing cluster? Typically, a "cluster" refers to an architecture in which cluster management software controls several machines so that they appear as a single entity for the purpose of parallel processing.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This enhancement has been incorporated in Release 2006a (R2006a). For previous product releases, read below for any possible workarounds:

The computers used for distributed computing do not require any pre-existing "clustering" software. The MATLAB Distributed Computing Engine (MDCE) enables computers on the same network to act as a cluster, in that tasks are distributed across several independent machines running the MDCE. An actual "cluster," running cluster management software, is not required to use the product.