FAQ:BeoWulf Clusters
FAQ:
How To Build a BEOWULF cluster
What is a Beowulf cluster?
A Beowulf cluster is a collection of computers (referred to as nodes) that are networked and controlled by a head node. Beowulf clusters must run open source software (Linux).
OK.. But why?
Well it harnesses the power of each computer on the network and uses their computing power to create a parallel supercomputer
There is a problem though as programs have to specifically written for it .. So unless you find a useful Beowulf program or write your own u are stuck.
And bragging rights (in u r into that sort of thing) e.g. ‘I have my own parallel supercomputer; so who has a bitch comp now?’
Another Problem is that for the Beowulf to be effective work that the beowu;f does cannot rely on real-time interaction with the head node due to the constraints of the networking h/w were going to use– that is work packets of a small size relative to the time it takes to process them (basically like the F@H distribution computing system) so not games.
Are there any programs that I may use on a Beowulf?
Currently there is a movement to get Vijay Pande’s group to create Folding@Home for a Beowulf cluster. As you could imagine F@H on a Beowulf would have massive performance.
Requirements of the Cluster for true BEOWULF status (the requirements Beowulf purists live by)
• The nodes all run a variant of Linux as their operating system. (some use other open source OSes but these truly cant be called a BEOWULF)
• The OS has to be open source (in order to change some potions to enable the BEOWULF)
• There is one ``special'' node generally called the ``head'' or ``master'' node. This node often has a monitor and keyboard and has network connections both on the ``inside'' network (connecting it to the rest of the ``slave'' nodes) and on the ``outside'' (e.g. internet). This node often acts as a server for e.g. shared disk space.
• Generally the nodes are all identical (this solves issues but BEOWULFs usually consist of mixed nodes – again purists will say that this isn’t a BEOWULF)
• Generally the nodes are all running just one calculation at a time (or none) (or else you will just have a computer farm and not a parallel supercomputer).
How do I Build a Beowulf?
---------------beyond the scope of this FAQ but ------------------------------
But the network together as per diagram
Then install a Linux distro on each of the machines
Install MOSIX (www.mosix.org) on each node or Perform cluster installation
Essentially u are done
Further Info
http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/Beowulf/beowulf_book/beowulf_book/beowulf_book.html
www.beowulf.org
www.mosix.org
www.scyld.com
this was originally intended to be a guide but I can not seem to find the hardware I wish to build A Beowulf on (c’mon 6 1.4Ghz P3-‘s’ chips are really hard to find as is are the mobos and so is 3GB Pc133) and will not produce a guide for something like this if I haven’t created 1 myself …. After I made the BEOWULF and got it working was gonna turn those PC’s into a folding farm until a Beowulf f@H is released
FAQ:
How To Build a BEOWULF cluster
What is a Beowulf cluster?
A Beowulf cluster is a collection of computers (referred to as nodes) that are networked and controlled by a head node. Beowulf clusters must run open source software (Linux).
OK.. But why?
Well it harnesses the power of each computer on the network and uses their computing power to create a parallel supercomputer
There is a problem though as programs have to specifically written for it .. So unless you find a useful Beowulf program or write your own u are stuck.
And bragging rights (in u r into that sort of thing) e.g. ‘I have my own parallel supercomputer; so who has a bitch comp now?’
Another Problem is that for the Beowulf to be effective work that the beowu;f does cannot rely on real-time interaction with the head node due to the constraints of the networking h/w were going to use– that is work packets of a small size relative to the time it takes to process them (basically like the F@H distribution computing system) so not games.
Are there any programs that I may use on a Beowulf?
Currently there is a movement to get Vijay Pande’s group to create Folding@Home for a Beowulf cluster. As you could imagine F@H on a Beowulf would have massive performance.
Requirements of the Cluster for true BEOWULF status (the requirements Beowulf purists live by)
• The nodes all run a variant of Linux as their operating system. (some use other open source OSes but these truly cant be called a BEOWULF)
• The OS has to be open source (in order to change some potions to enable the BEOWULF)
• There is one ``special'' node generally called the ``head'' or ``master'' node. This node often has a monitor and keyboard and has network connections both on the ``inside'' network (connecting it to the rest of the ``slave'' nodes) and on the ``outside'' (e.g. internet). This node often acts as a server for e.g. shared disk space.
• Generally the nodes are all identical (this solves issues but BEOWULFs usually consist of mixed nodes – again purists will say that this isn’t a BEOWULF)
• Generally the nodes are all running just one calculation at a time (or none) (or else you will just have a computer farm and not a parallel supercomputer).
How do I Build a Beowulf?
---------------beyond the scope of this FAQ but ------------------------------
But the network together as per diagram
Then install a Linux distro on each of the machines
Install MOSIX (www.mosix.org) on each node or Perform cluster installation
Essentially u are done
Further Info
http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/Beowulf/beowulf_book/beowulf_book/beowulf_book.html
www.beowulf.org
www.mosix.org
www.scyld.com
this was originally intended to be a guide but I can not seem to find the hardware I wish to build A Beowulf on (c’mon 6 1.4Ghz P3-‘s’ chips are really hard to find as is are the mobos and so is 3GB Pc133) and will not produce a guide for something like this if I haven’t created 1 myself …. After I made the BEOWULF and got it working was gonna turn those PC’s into a folding farm until a Beowulf f@H is released
Reps for you :yumyum:
