Linux Parallel Cluster - Yes or No?

Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about to
get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.


Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
more shady then Linux.

RedPenguin <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about
> to get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all
> work fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster
> which could take a lot of work for things like research or just even
> learning about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them
> all up wtih networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like
> there is sm many different ways to do this I don't really know what to
> do.
>
> Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines
> or do you think something else I should do with these machines?
> Basically, I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I
> know but am more shady then Linux.

Since it sounds like your goal is learning for its own sake, nobody
else can really tell you what to learn nor how best to learn it.
Sticking your computers on an ethernet switch and installing MPI is a
great way to get started on learning parallel processing.
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
skype: jjpfeifferjr

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:41:49 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:

> Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about to
> get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
> fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
> could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
> about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
> networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
> many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.
>
>
> Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
> do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
> I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
> more shady then Linux.
>
Google: linux cluster

The Beowulf project is the leader, AFAIK. This is a fairly impressive
picture (circa 1996):
http://loki-www.lanl.gov/loki-image.jpg

You can do it now for a lot less, but electricity probably costs more.
BTW, check you breakers before you plug in too many computers!

Advice...
I think the first step would be to have some purpose in mind, but
a research project for learning is a valid project.

I think your first project would be to network a few of the machines,
without regard to clustering. Then as you move forward, you would add
the cluster application running on the network.

Networking Hardware...
You might want to consider the state of the network components you have at
the outset. If you don't have any network switches, then you can pick up
100Mb at bargain prices, and 1000Mb are only a little bit more. Older
equipment might have trouble with 1000Mb, though.

--
Douglas Mayne

> Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
> do you think something else I should do with these machines?

<snip>

You might like to read that RTFM -- the cluster-howto from
http://www.ram.org/computing/linux/linux_cluster.html and
http://lcic.org/documentation.html. The later link has loads of
information plus links on building a complete cluster. Before
everything else, get the ground up from
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerwork...lustering.html.
You have to register for it!

Have you ever googled with keywords like "linux cluster
site:www.linux-mag.com"? You won't feel bad about browsing
http://www.lam-mpi.org/ too!

--
Raqueeb Hassan
Bangladesh

You might find OpenMOSIX ( http://openmosix.org/ ) interesting...
It can be even as simple as connecting these pc and starting a bootable
linux with openmosix from floppy/cdrom to start your very own cluster
:-)

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:41:49 -0500, RedPenguin <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about to
>get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
>fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
>could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
>about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
>networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
>many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.
>
>
>Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
>do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
>I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
>more shady then Linux.

There is a clusterknoppix distro out there that will get you up and
running fairly quickly. Then you can tinker and play.

See:

http://bofh.be/clusterknoppix/


--

Benway

Raqueeb Hassan wrote:
>>Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
>>do you think something else I should do with these machines?
>
>
> <snip>
>
> You might like to read that RTFM -- the cluster-howto from
> http://www.ram.org/computing/linux/linux_cluster.html and
> http://lcic.org/documentation.html. The later link has loads of
> information plus links on building a complete cluster. Before
> everything else, get the ground up from
> http://www-128.ibm.com/developerwork...lustering.html.
> You have to register for it!
>
> Have you ever googled with keywords like "linux cluster
> site:www.linux-mag.com"? You won't feel bad about browsing
> http://www.lam-mpi.org/ too!
>
> --
> Raqueeb Hassan
> Bangladesh
>
I didn't even know that site existed and every site I found seemed to be
like an OpenMosix type of cluster.

Douglas Mayne wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:41:49 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:
>
>
>>Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about to
>>get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
>>fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
>>could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
>>about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
>>networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
>>many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.
>>
>>
>>Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
>>do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
>>I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
>>more shady then Linux.
>>
>
> Google: linux cluster
>
> The Beowulf project is the leader, AFAIK. This is a fairly impressive
> picture (circa 1996):
> http://loki-www.lanl.gov/loki-image.jpg
>
> You can do it now for a lot less, but electricity probably costs more.
> BTW, check you breakers before you plug in too many computers!
>
> Advice...
> I think the first step would be to have some purpose in mind, but
> a research project for learning is a valid project.
>
> I think your first project would be to network a few of the machines,
> without regard to clustering. Then as you move forward, you would add
> the cluster application running on the network.
>
> Networking Hardware...
> You might want to consider the state of the network components you have at
> the outset. If you don't have any network switches, then you can pick up
> 100Mb at bargain prices, and 1000Mb are only a little bit more. Older
> equipment might have trouble with 1000Mb, though.
>
I love that picture. Are there NIC cards with more then one port? Some
of those PCs in the pic look like they have like 6 ports each. Thanks
again for everything.

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:37:25 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:

> Douglas Mayne wrote:
>> On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:41:49 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about to
>>>get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
>>>fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
>>>could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
>>>about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
>>>networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
>>>many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.
>>>
>>>
>>>Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
>>>do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
>>>I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
>>>more shady then Linux.
>>>
>>
>> Google: linux cluster
>>
>> The Beowulf project is the leader, AFAIK. This is a fairly impressive
>> picture (circa 1996):
>> http://loki-www.lanl.gov/loki-image.jpg
>>
>> You can do it now for a lot less, but electricity probably costs more.
>> BTW, check you breakers before you plug in too many computers!
>>
<snip>
>>
> I love that picture. Are there NIC cards with more then one port? Some
> of those PCs in the pic look like they have like 6 ports each. Thanks
> again for everything.
>
According to the site, they are using this network card:
http://www.kmj.com/images/em400.gif

And also a D-Link single port card for "connecting to the CalTech machine."
I guess there are serious fiber optic connections between their labs.

--
Douglas Mayne

i always thought clusters were interesting, havent tried to
build one yet. another project i think is interesting is the
K12 linux project, google for more information.
cheers
scott
"Douglas Mayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:37:25 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:
>
> > Douglas Mayne wrote:
> >> On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:41:49 -0500, RedPenguin wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Ok just to set the background for what I am talking about, I am about
to
> >>>get 8 or 9 computers soon which even though they are old, they all work
> >>>fairly well. I was thinking maybe I would make a parallel cluster which
> >>>could take a lot of work for things like research or just even learning
> >>>about clusters. Now I know it's more than just hooking them all up wtih
> >>>networking cables and hopeing they work but it seem like there is sm
> >>>many different ways to do this I don't really know what to do.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Do you think a cluster would be better to do with all these machines or
> >>>do you think something else I should do with these machines? Basically,
> >>>I want Linux/UNIX on them. Preffebally Linux since UNIX I know but am
> >>>more shady then Linux.
> >>>
> >>
> >> Google: linux cluster
> >>
> >> The Beowulf project is the leader, AFAIK. This is a fairly impressive
> >> picture (circa 1996):
> >> http://loki-www.lanl.gov/loki-image.jpg
> >>
> >> You can do it now for a lot less, but electricity probably costs more.
> >> BTW, check you breakers before you plug in too many computers!
> >>
> <snip>
> >>
> > I love that picture. Are there NIC cards with more then one port? Some
> > of those PCs in the pic look like they have like 6 ports each. Thanks
> > again for everything.
> >
> According to the site, they are using this network card:
> http://www.kmj.com/images/em400.gif
>
> And also a D-Link single port card for "connecting to the CalTech
machine."
> I guess there are serious fiber optic connections between their labs.
>
> --
> Douglas Mayne