• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Beowulf Usage

N

NRaygun

Member
I was thinking of putting together a Beowulf cluster for the fun of it.

What are people running on them? Other than S@H and other distrib computing, are there games or simulations that leverage the power of the cluster?

What's the killer app for the average joe?
 
Originally posted by: NRaygun
I was thinking of putting together a Beowulf cluster for the fun of it.

What are people running on them? Other than S@H and other distrib computing, are there games or simulations that leverage the power of the cluster?

What's the killer app for the average joe?
Click to expand...
Put plainly, there really isn't one. If you're doing things like video or 3D rendering, and have the right software, that can be run on a cluster. Or, if you like doing chemical or biological simulations, there's software that will run on a cluster to do those things. But will it make your internet browser go faster? No. Will it give you higher FPS in Quake 3 or UT2003? No. Sorry, but I don't have any better answer for you. That's just the way things are. 🙁
 
Not exactly something for the "average joe," but Mosix is an OS that might interest you. It is based on Linux, and lets you use a group of regular networked PCs as a "beowulf" type cluster. A process started on one node can migrate to other nodes, thus evenly distributing the work load among the cluster. If you regularly compile large programs, or would find compressing multiple video streams at once a useful task, this might be just the thing for you. 🙂

Edit for screwed up link
 
Forget beowulfing. The benefits just arent there, unless you were running john the ripper or whatever 😛

Setup some diskless crunchers. Its a fun way to cheaply setup some massive crunchers and learn a Unix-like system at the same time. I have plans for this when the money starts coming in again.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Forget beowulfing. The benefits just arent there, unless you were running john the ripper or whatever 😛

Setup some diskless crunchers. Its a fun way to cheaply setup some massive crunchers and learn a Unix-like system at the same time. I have plans for this when the money starts coming in again.
Click to expand...
Just curious, are you talking about the small CF disk in a IDE-to-CF adapter with a minimal Linux / BSD installation, or are you going to go the really hardcore (IMHO) way of burning EEPROMs with the necessary bootcode to place in the network adapter for netbooting? (I was considering the former, since it's cheaper because I don't have an EEPROM burner)
 
Originally posted by: jliechty
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Forget beowulfing. The benefits just arent there, unless you were running john the ripper or whatever 😛

Setup some diskless crunchers. Its a fun way to cheaply setup some massive crunchers and learn a Unix-like system at the same time. I have plans for this when the money starts coming in again.
Click to expand...
Just curious, are you talking about the small CF disk in a IDE-to-CF adapter with a minimal Linux / BSD installation, or are you going to go the really hardcore (IMHO) way of burning EEPROMs with the necessary bootcode to place in the network adapter for netbooting? (I was considering the former, since it's cheaper because I don't have an EEPROM burner)
Click to expand...

You dont need an EEPROM burner. grub can boot using Intel's PXE(?) thingy on their network cards. The network card on the k7S5As can do net boots and there is a bios update to allow it floating around.
 
Linux diskless seti cruncher. This is a close as you can get for linux based diskless seti cruncher. you just need motherboard, ram, cpu, network card and a floppy drive. The floppy drive can be removed after boot if you want. Really cool setup, I have my motherboard hanging from the floor joist in the basement.

 
Originally posted by: onebadv6
Linux diskless seti cruncher. This is a close as you can get for linux based diskless seti cruncher. you just need motherboard, ram, cpu, network card and a floppy drive. The floppy drive can be removed after boot if you want. Really cool setup, I have my motherboard hanging from the floor joist in the basement.
Click to expand...
Heh, I want to get away from floppy drives all together. My next PC will probably be an as-silent-as-I-can-get-it box, since I can't stand PC noise (my current Coolermaster HSF and cheapo powersupply are making me allergic to it). Speed is nice, but not totally necessary, so I may get one of those Cyrix processors, or a slow-speed Celeron that can run undervolted or something like that. It would all go in a small case (Shuttle-style). A CompactFlash card in a IDE-to-CF adapter would be used; a minimal Linux installation would boot from this, allowing the machine to be used non-networked, but data files and the rest would be stored on a network drive (presumably mounted via NFS). The only thing I can't figure out how to take care of is the power supply. All PSes that I've seen seem to require a fan. 🙁
 
for power supplies check this out from the TiVo forum

power supply thread

company that sells them

PDF with all the models

Now the Tivo is a linux based box that uses 2 HD and a fan to keep the case cool but that is all. It's quiet enough that I can barly hear it running. Now with your CF setup you power requirements should be very little so this supply should do that. Also for CPU you may want to try the embeded VIA Eden chip. Nice and cool and low power as well

Eden info
 
The FREESCO set up to run SETI wasted 20 to 30 percent of the processing available. I measured this in the MTR that lasted 30 days.

I didn't read all the posts totally BUT
I didn't see mentioned LTSP.org and k12ltsp.org
I'm about to try these when I get less lazy.

You can do the above and mosix but I'm not sure where to get the information.
If you want I know of a mailing list for LTSP where u can ask for information to get mosix interfaced also.

muttley
 
Originally posted by: onebadv6
for power supplies check this out from the TiVo forum

power supply thread

company that sells them

PDF with all the models

Now the Tivo is a linux based box that uses 2 HD and a fan to keep the case cool but that is all. It's quiet enough that I can barly hear it running. Now with your CF setup you power requirements should be very little so this supply should do that. Also for CPU you may want to try the embeded VIA Eden chip. Nice and cool and low power as well

Eden info
Click to expand...
Thanks for the links. 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top