2007/12/7, Bill Broadley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > amjad ali wrote: > > Hello all, > > > > I want to bulid a beowulf cluster of 16+1 nodes with each node having > one > > Intel Core2Duo (2.66 GHz, FSB 1333MHz, 4MB L2) processor and GiGE as the > > interconnect. On this cluster, I would run my PETSc based CFD/FEM codes > > (REQURING VERY FAST MEMORY/high memory bandwidth). Please help me out to > > select out any one of the following boards: > > Keep in mind that the Petsc faq mentions: > A fast, low-latency interconnect; any ethernet, even 10 gigE cannot > provide > the needed performance. > > I wouldn't assume that your workload will scale with gigE to 16 nodes. > > > 1) Intel Server board S3200SH, System Bus 1333MHz, supprting 240-pin > DDR2 > > 800 MHz RAM > > 2) Intel Desktop board DX38BT, System Bus 1333MHz, supprting 240-pin > DDR3 > > 1333 MHz RAM > > The application performance difference should be minimal to nil. 2 800 > MHz > 64-bit dimms can easily saturate the 64 bit 1333 MHz FSB. I've not > personally > tested DDR3, but all the tests I've seen show minimal performance > improvements > at substantial price increases. > > > See that RAM speed difference. Given that keeping up running the cluster > all > > the time and loging on of many user simultaneously is not the concern. > The > > cluster may be dedicated to be used by one user whenever required. But > it > > may be the case that running a code for several days will be required. > > > > Would the desktop board DX38BT be suitable to run the cluster for > several > > hours/days? > > Which Board you recommend for this scenario? > > Either, you didn't mention the budget, but I'd at least consider a faster > network.
DX38BT have a 82566DC Gigabit controller, that isn't capable of jumbo frames (frame size is limited to 1500 bytes). But S3200SH have a 82566 controller too and a 82541PI that support jumbo frames up to 16kb (probably your switch will support frames up to 10kb).
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