John,
Rob's reply is a good starting point for what I think of as a command channel.
The is a logical data channel that you can set up to complement the command and
make data collection easier: NFS or shared disk. Simply enable nfs on both
machines and 'export' (share) a directory from one, then 'mount' (use) it from
the other; they now have a single directory in common (i.e. the data channel is
established).
With a data channel in place you could write 'bash' scripts to query a
'new-work' file and execute any found commands. Be sure to add some type of
queuing or locking mechanism to prevent nodes from reading the work-file while
the main wkstn is adding new commands to the file. Tell me more about the work
steps and I might be interested in writing the scripts, or at least getting you
started.
As I'm sure you know there are options available for setting up a cluster. How
much change are you willing to impose on the machines current configurations?
I.E. a true (tightly-coupled) cluster configuration would limit these machine
general purpose usage. The suggested use of a data & command channel is
comparable to loosely-coupled cluster/grid. There might be a
remote-job-submission program already available; search google for a 'how-to'
on the subject.
Although I think their tools are true GRID/cluster related, you might be
interested in this site http://www.cse.scitech.ac.uk/about_us/index.shtml.
Also, I'm available to help as are others; but how much help were you looking
for?
James,
----- Original Message ----
From: John McKelvey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, January 5, 2008 10:14:33 PM
Subject: [fwlug] Linux clustering
Hello!
I am a retired chemist and a user and abuser of computers [i.e. for fun I do
computational chemistry, and keep a dual-dual 4-processor AMD box running RHEL4
cranking 24/7. I have an additional box that is a dual-core Xeon that I would
like to cluster with the AMD box. I run only _extremely _ coarse grained
parallel codes, and identical executables running on any linux box... I run a
fitting procedure that runs a particular executable on hundreds of examples,
one at a time, collects results, adjusts parameters, and does it all again,
over and over, till finished. There is no communication between nodes. Each
node does a complete, seperate discreet task Node0 knows when a pass through
the data has been completed, adjust parameters, and farms out jobs, over and
over] .. but I'm not much of a systems person.. I have this running OK on the
SMP box... just need to know how to farm out some of the work to the Xeon box.
There is very little data moved
around so standard old ethernet through my Verizon router should be fine. [4
machines are cabled in, plus a wireless machine.]
I need a bit of help and advice. Is there someone available for helping me get
this going?
Many thanks!
John McKelvey
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