On 8 April 2014 08:58, tuxdna <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > > I want to build a cluster of machines on a set of common PC boxes. > Specifically building a rack of let say 6 PC boxes, connecting them > over Ethernet, and ofcourse running Free and Open Source software. > > Before I begin my research and investment, I would like to take > opinion from you about what all things I would need to take care of in > terms of: > * how to build a rack to save space, with enough room for cooling? > * selecting amount CPU, RAM, Network Switch, Power Supply > * which brands to go for? > * and how to optimize the cost? > > Please note that I don't want to go for a ready-made solution from big > vendors like IBM, HP etc.
Hi, have you looked at opencompute.org? Has good resources on building data centers, but IMO overkill for small implementations. I'll try to take your questions point by point: 1. Rack space: decide how many machines you will be putting in. Calculate their size in terms of rack units (2U etc.) and then multiply the numbers. There are racks for of 42U, 36U etc. Plus, any other components you might want to put in there: KVM switch, network switches. Do the same calculation for them. Try to keep 0.5U space between each component. 2. Cooling: check heat dissipation of each machine (in BTU/hr) in the manuals. Take window size, number of windows, floor area, and sunlight (if any) entering the room into account, and add all the numbers up. Check the cooling capacity of the typical air conditioner you plan to buy, and calculate how many you would require. Plus redundancy in ACs if you can afford that. 3. CPU/RAM/Network switch: totally depends on the problem you are trying to solve or what you will use the cluster for. Do some benchmarking: memory profiling, CPU times to calculate basic performance numbers. Match it up with your expectations. 4. Brands: again, depends on what you are trying to do. For example, you may go with NetApp, EMC for storage solutions if you have that kind of a budget, otherwise brew your own Linux based solution on top of a barebones machine. 5. Cost IMHO, talk to multiple vendors and try to get the best price? The other way you can optimise is by knowing exactly what you want. Vendors will try to sell you all kinds of things which you may not want. HTH. -- Chirag Anand http://atvariance.in/chiraganand -- -- Mailing list guidelines and other related articles: http://lug-iitd.org/Footer --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Linux User Group @ IIT Delhi" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
