def checkpoint(global_model, local_model=None):
    """Checkpoint the model.

    This means we finished a stage of execution.
    Every time we call check point, there is a version number which will increase by one.

    Parameters
    ----------
    global_model: anytype that can be pickled
        globally shared model/state when calling this function,
        the caller need to gauranttees that global_model is the same in all nodes

    local_model: anytype that can be pickled
       Local model, that is specific to current node/rank.
       This can be None when no local state is needed.

    Notes
    -----
    local_model requires explicit replication of the model for fault-tolerance.
    This will bring replication cost in checkpoint function.
    while global_model do not need explicit replication.
    It is recommended to use global_model if possible.
    """
    sglobal = pickle.dumps(global_model)
    if local_model is None:
        _LIB.RabitCheckPoint(sglobal, len(sglobal), None, 0)
        del sglobal
    else:
        slocal = pickle.dumps(local_model)
        _LIB.RabitCheckPoint(sglobal, len(sglobal), slocal, len(slocal))
        del slocal
        del sglobal