Hi All, Phycially setting up a cluster is not that hard, I got a redhat based beowolf distribution off a lecturer at uni. It had a modifed version of redhat and some scripts to help setup the nodes etc. I basicly had 4 nodes on it (2x 486 & 2x pentiums). But then i found that most common apps are not compatable with distributed clusters. I should have done a bit of research before i started to build the machines.
I also recamend a switch, but if your on tight buget put a couple of extra net cards in each machine and direclty link them to the others. i think this type of setup is called a hyper cube. ie node 1 links to node 2,3 and 4 then node 2, links 1,3 and 4 etc. But the problem is the apps need to be modified so thay can be distributed accross the machines. There are a compilers that help do this. Also there are some apps that are "beowolf friendly". I think the ray tracer povray is. But there is also Mosix from http://www.mosix.org/, i have not tried this my self but looks very good, which appears to do the transfering of procesess by it self. I think i have a another summer project to work on. :) C Mahesh > I wouldn't mind trying out a cluster of these with > beowolf. 10 of these @ $70 (including netcards) plus > cabling and a few extras, say $850 at the most. > > For $850, what would such a cluster be equivelant > to? > > Yuri ===== For Linux CD's check out http://www.xsolutions.co.nz/linux http://briefcase.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Briefcase - Manage your files online.
