brainscales/neural-networks repository overview

⁠Description

Docker image, based on a Ubuntu 13.10 ssh server, that includes the neural network simulators used in brainscales:

• nest,
• brian,
• neuron,
• PyNN (0.7), the language-indpendent simulator (it uses as backend either nest, brian or neuron),
• music, the multi-simulation coordinator.

⁠I. Downloading the image

⁠Prerequisites

On the host computer, you only nedd to have the docker engine installed. If the host computer is a ubuntu machine, you should install lxc-docker:

sudo apt-get install lxc-docker

⁠Downloading

To download the image, just launch from the command line:

sudo docker pull brainscales/neural-networks:software

⁠II. Using the image

You can use it in two different ways, either using a bash terminal (without displat) or using X11 forwarding (with display):

1. through a bash terminal

In this mode, you can launch neural simulators but you can't display the results in figures. Launch the following command at the terminal:

sudo docker run -i -t brainscales/neural-networks:software /bin/bash

If you are a first-time user: once inside the container, look at the README and launch the different commands proposed:

ls
more README

To test the nest simulator:

cd /root//nest-2.2.2/examples/nest
nest brunel-2000.sli

To test nest, neuron and brian using the same PyNN (python) code:

cd /root/PyNN-0.7.5/examples
python brunel.py nest
python brunel.py neuron
python brunel.py brian

1. through X11 forwarding

In this mode, you connect to the machine using ssh -Y (that exports the X11 display). It permits to display your results

⁠Prerequisites

On the host machine, you need to install a ssh client. For example, if the host machine runs on Ubuntu, install openssh-client:

sudo apt-get install openssh-client

⁠Launching

Copy-paste in your terminal the following one-liner:

CONTAINER_ID=$(sudo docker run -d -p 22 brainscales/neural-networks:software /usr/sbin/sshd -D) && PORT_NUMBER=$(sudo docker PORT $CONTAINER_ID 22 | awk 'BEGIN {FS=":"} {print $2}')  && ssh -Y [email protected] -p $PORT_NUMBER

The current password of root is: root

username: root
passwd: root

If you are a first-time user: once inside the container, look at the README and launch the different commands proposed:

ls
more README

To test 'music' with 3D display:

cd /root/music/test
mpirun -np 4 /usr/local/bin/music /root/music/test/demo.music

To test 'brian' that gives a rasterplot:

python -c 'from brian import *; brian_sample_run()'

To launch the demo of 'neuron':

neurondemo

To test the nest simulator:

cd /root//nest-2.2.2/examples/nest
nest brunel-2000.sli

To test nest, neuron and brian using the same PyNN (python) code:

cd /root/PyNN-0.7.5/examples
python brunel.py nest
python brunel.py neuron
python brunel.py brian

1. Notes about X11 forwarding

• When you restart the computer, the sshd daemon will be relaunched if it has not been killed
• If you kill the ssh client connection, you can relaunch it through: ssh -Y [email protected] -p $PORT_NUMBER
• If you don't remember the local port (PORT_NUMBER), you can retrieve it using: sudo docker PORT $CONTAINER_ID 22
• If you don't remember the container ID, you can retrieve it using: sudo docker ps

1. Notes about docker

• Commit regularly your work: sudo docker commit $CONTAINER_ID your-image-name:your-tag-name
• In the command above, once you have committed your work as your-image-name:your-tag-name, in the one-liners proposed above, you will replace the name brainscales/neural-networks:software with your-image-name:your-tag-name
• If you have forgotten to commit before killing the sshd daemon or before closing the /bin/bash container, don't panic, it is still there. You can retrieve it using: sudo docker ps -a
• If you don't remember the local port (PORT_NUMBER), you can retrieve it using: sudo docker PORT $CONTAINER_ID 22
• If you don't remember the container ID, you can retrieve it using: sudo docker ps
• To list all the images: sudo docker images