# Max\_run\_subjobs vs max\_run nuances

**URL:** <https://community.openpbs.org/t/max-run-subjobs-vs-max-run-nuances/4093>\
**Category:** Users/Site Administrators\
**Created:** [March 3, 2025, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.openpbs.org/t/max-run-subjobs-vs-max-run-nuances/4093 "2025-03-03T12:42:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@HeyHey](https://community.openpbs.org/u/HeyHey)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.openpbs.org/t/max-run-subjobs-vs-max-run-nuances/4093/1 "2025-03-03T12:42:42Z")

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Curious what the exact nuances is between max\_run\_subjobs vs max\_run ? I think they can both be specified as a queue attribute (?) so is there a nuance here, cause they both server to limit a number of subjobs running. Is there a queuing difference or priority? Does max\_run\_subjobs on the cli override the queue attribute? Actually, and is there a way to specify a sep. priority for subjobs? (they are regular jobs, right? So thinking not.)

Thanks

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**Author:** ![adarsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@adarsh](https://community.openpbs.org/u/adarsh)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.openpbs.org/t/max-run-subjobs-vs-max-run-nuances/4093/2 "2025-03-04T18:02:40Z")

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**max\_run\_subjobs** : to limit number of subjobs running at the same time  
qsub -J 1-100000%1000 pbsscript.sh  
qsub -J 1-10000%\<max\_run\_subjobs\> pbsscript.sh  
Refer:[elim\_on\_subjobs](https://help.altair.com/2024.1.0/PBS%20Professional/PBS2024.1.pdf)

**max\_run** : maximum number of jobs allowed to be running  
With respect to the job array: Refer:[elim\_on\_subjobs](https://help.altair.com/2024.1.0/PBS%20Professional/PBS2024.1.pdf) , this has some implications on understanding on count subjob as single jobs or count array job as single job which is default behaviour.

> [@HeyHey](#):
>
> is there a way to specify a sep. priority for subjobs?

All the subjobs of a job array has the same scheduling priority.  
Individual subjobs priority cannot be set.

> [@HeyHey](#):
>
> (they are regular jobs, right? So thinking not.)

Not regular jobs in terms of assigning priority.  
Refer:[elim\_on\_subjobs](https://help.altair.com/2024.1.0/PBS%20Professional/PBS2024.1.pdf) affects max\_queued limits

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HeyHey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@HeyHey](https://community.openpbs.org/u/HeyHey)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.openpbs.org/t/max-run-subjobs-vs-max-run-nuances/4093/3 "2025-03-04T19:13:17Z")

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Ty!

For reference, the bit I found pertinent to me from the elm\_on\_subjobs

“specify whether the max\_queued limit attribute counts each array job as a single job, or counts each subjob as  
a single job via the elim\_on\_subjobs server attribute. Set this to True to have each subjob count as a single job.”

For others.

Def do NOT want it counting against max\_queued.