> On 11/13/12 3:32 PM, Beat Rubischon wrote: >> "PXE Boot" is a nice container (buzzword? :-) for a hand full of simple >> steps. First the PXE Boot ROM asks for a DHCP address, second it will >> load PXElinux over tftp. PXElinux will ask again for a configuration >> file and finally loads the kernel and an initial ramdisk. Again tftp is >> used. >> >> DHCP and tftp are damn simple protocols on top of IPv4 UDP to avoid a >> full featured TCP/IP stack in the boot ROMs. They are also pretty slow. >> Loading a file over TFTP isn't limited by the network, it's usually >> limited by the slow implementation of the client side stack in the boot >> ROM. Improvements by switching from GigE to IB won't give you any >> performance improvements. It's usually also not "big data". We are >> talking about ~100MBytes for a kernel and an initrd. > > Yes, I am reading (and practising) how to boot over IP using DHCP and > tftp now. Still struggling to get it successfully booted.
Might I suggest: http://warewulf.lbl.gov/trac and: http://hpc.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Warewulf-Cluster-Manager-Master-and-Compute-Nodes -- Doug > >> >> Your task is now to add all IB relevant stuff into the initrd to make >> sure your adapters are brought up and you are able to mount your central >> storage over NFS using IPoIB, NFSoRDMA, iSCSI using IPoIB, SRP or >> whatever you like to use. BTW: There is no difference in this initrd if >> you will load it over IB or GigE. It's absolutely the same work. >> >> The only advantage of booting over IB using a tool like FlexBoot from >> Mellanox would be the possibility to eliminate the separate GigE >> connection to the nodes. But wait, we don't have IPMI over IB. I was >> told that the Mellanox chips have a dedicated foot providing IPMI, but >> no mainboard vendor ever connected this one to the BMC. At the end >> you'll need the GigE cabling for IPMI and I see no point to fiddle >> around with the firmwares and BIOSses to make the first steps going over >> IB. > > Hum... looks like I still need a lot of readings :). > > On 11/13/12 4:20 PM, Jon Tegner wrote: >> How are you planning to boot your nodes? >> >> I have used perceus (http://www.perceus.org/) and was happy with it. >> There is also Warewulf (http://warewulf.lbl.gov or >> http://hpc.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Warewulf-Cluster-Manager-Master-and-Compute-Nodes) >> which I haven't used. >> >> Anyone who has compared the two? > > I dont know :(. All of this is new to me. I am reading and testing with > tftp/dhpc/nfs now. Will try any other recommendation when I am able to > boot up the nodes. > > On 11/13/12 4:30 PM, Beat Rubischon wrote: >> I usually use the PXE mechanism to boot the standard installer image of >> my distribution of choice. Every recent distribution brings you the >> needed files on your installation media - have a look in images/pxeboot/ >> of your RHEL / CentOS / Scientfic DVD, boot/*/loader of your SuSE DVD, >> the pxe subdirectory of the Ubuntu boot image directory... Once bootet, >> you deliver the packages using http, nfs etc. Just copy the content of >> the DVD or FTP directory to your headnode and make it available. > > Yes, I did try this, and was able to boot Scientific Linux 6.3 LiveCD. > But still struggling on next steps. > >> To automate the installation by itself every distrbution accepts >> automatic installation instructions. RedHat calls it Kickstart, SuSE >> AutoYaST, Debian / Ubuntu Preseed. You'll find plenty of examples in the >> web. And you'll find plenty of tools automatic this stuff. >> >> No need to use CDs oder DVDs. No need to answer any questions. Only need >> to learn a little bit of systems management :-) >> >> Or to pay somebody delivering you support and / or software (-: > > Sure, I prefer learning :). > > On 11/13/12 5:19 PM, Eugen Leitl wrote: >> On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 10:45:36AM +0700, Duke Nguyen wrote: >>> Thanks for all suggestions and comments. Looks like we will go for a >>> gigabyte switch and boot nodes over Gb. Not to mention that this >> You probably mean GBit Ethernet. Gigabyte is a motherboard vendor. >> > > Yes, that was what I meant. > > On 11/13/12 5:29 PM, Hearns, John wrote: >> My honest advice to you is not to do any of this. >> >> There are lots of reliable, knowledgeable companies out there who will >> only >> Be too willing to partner with you and construct a cluster, plus >> expandable storage for you. >> >> I suggest that you start looking on various sites, eg Clustermonkey and >> Hpcwire, >> And invite some vendors in to talk to you. >> >> Many vendors have pre-packaged clusters which would suit you just fine. > > Thanks for your very honest advice! Unfortunately it is not similar > situation like in US, where we can find companies with appropriate > services to help and assist us. In Vietnam, where we are now, cluster > systems are already rare. In fact Intel is helping Vietnamese Goverment > to build a first, big HPC cluster: > > http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2012-10-01/hpc_comes_to_vietnam.html > > Not to mention that the service's price, if available in Vietnam, might > be far beyond our funding. Last, but not least, we are kind of building > and learning for ourselves, so I prefer to learn (the hard way) :D. > > D. > > _______________________________________________ > Beowulf mailing list, [email protected] sponsored by Penguin Computing > To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit > http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf > > -- > Mailscanner: Clean > -- Doug -- Mailscanner: Clean _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list, [email protected] sponsored by Penguin Computing To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf
