How to use SageMaker AI CatBoost

Use CatBoost as a built-in algorithm

Use the CatBoost built-in algorithm to build a CatBoost training container as shown in the following code example. You can automatically spot the CatBoost built-in algorithm image URI using the SageMaker AI image_uris.retrieve API (or the get_image_uri API if using Amazon SageMaker Python SDK version 2).

After specifying the CatBoost image URI, you can use the CatBoost container to construct an estimator using the SageMaker AI Estimator API and initiate a training job. The CatBoost built-in algorithm runs in script mode, but the training script is provided for you and there is no need to replace it. If you have extensive experience using script mode to create a SageMaker training job, then you can incorporate your own CatBoost training scripts.

from sagemaker import image_uris, model_uris, script_uris

train_model_id, train_model_version, train_scope = "catboost-classification-model", "*", "training"
training_instance_type = "ml.m5.xlarge"

# Retrieve the docker image
train_image_uri = image_uris.retrieve(
    region=None,
    framework=None,
    model_id=train_model_id,
    model_version=train_model_version,
    image_scope=train_scope,
    instance_type=training_instance_type
)

# Retrieve the training script
train_source_uri = script_uris.retrieve(
    model_id=train_model_id, model_version=train_model_version, script_scope=train_scope
)

train_model_uri = model_uris.retrieve(
    model_id=train_model_id, model_version=train_model_version, model_scope=train_scope
)

# Sample training data is available in this bucket
training_data_bucket = f"jumpstart-cache-prod-{aws_region}"
training_data_prefix = "training-datasets/tabular_multiclass/"

training_dataset_s3_path = f"s3://{training_data_bucket}/{training_data_prefix}/train"
validation_dataset_s3_path = f"s3://{training_data_bucket}/{training_data_prefix}/validation"

output_bucket = sess.default_bucket()
output_prefix = "jumpstart-example-tabular-training"

s3_output_location = f"s3://{output_bucket}/{output_prefix}/output"

from sagemaker import hyperparameters

# Retrieve the default hyperparameters for training the model
hyperparameters = hyperparameters.retrieve_default(
    model_id=train_model_id, model_version=train_model_version
)

# [Optional] Override default hyperparameters with custom values
hyperparameters[
    "iterations"
] = "500"
print(hyperparameters)

from sagemaker.estimator import Estimator
from sagemaker.utils import name_from_base

training_job_name = name_from_base(f"built-in-algo-{train_model_id}-training")

# Create SageMaker Estimator instance
tabular_estimator = Estimator(
    role=aws_role,
    image_uri=train_image_uri,
    source_dir=train_source_uri,
    model_uri=train_model_uri,
    entry_point="transfer_learning.py",
    instance_count=1,
    instance_type=training_instance_type,
    max_run=360000,
    hyperparameters=hyperparameters,
    output_path=s3_output_location
)

# Launch a SageMaker Training job by passing the S3 path of the training data
tabular_estimator.fit(
    {
        "training": training_dataset_s3_path,
        "validation": validation_dataset_s3_path,
    }, logs=True, job_name=training_job_name
)

For more information about how to set up CatBoost as a built-in algorithm, see the following notebook examples.