Beowulf clusters and folding

[KFB]

anyone know anything about the possibility of running F@H on a Beowulf cluster? it seems it would be faster on such a cluster, if it would run...

[Ploaf]

You could probably do it, although the software often has to be written to work on the cluster. I was looking into Mosix for clustering. I have not made the official attempt yet. Still acquanting myself with Linux some more before using Mosix which I think is built in to some of the new kernels. There is a Yahoo group for this although I cannot remember what it is called specifically.
The Linux version may work, but it has have smp enabled. otherwise you will need to run one instance of the client for everyprocessor on your cluster.

[KFB]

first thanx for the reply ploaf
i checked out MOSIX and it looks good. however, i am beginning to doubt that only one instance of F@H will run any faster on a cluster, if at all. if i was to run one instance on each node, how would that be any better than just leaving the machines as stand-alone computers? all this is hypothetical, since i don't have a cluster yet, other than the cluster of p200's i have lying in my basement in a heap of disarray...:)

[Ploaf]

If the client had smp enabled then a cluster may be useful, especially MOSIX because of it's compatibility. It won't make sense to try to get more speed from fast equipment, but it may enable 2 or 3 P100's to join the fray as one machine and I am pretty sure that you could do that with just fast ethernet for just a few machines. That's only useful if they are just laying around looking for something to do, and it's best if you're laying around looking for something to do to ;)

[KFB]

first i will have to build up the motivation. next, i am wondering if a how-to exists for setting up a MOSIX cluster. do i install a unix/linux distro first and then MOSIX? any info will be appreciated. :beer:

[adamtekh]

i am also interested in this , we r trying it out as a school project

[#Rotor]

well Here is some motivation...

http://3rotor.homelinux.com/images/SCM_Beowulf_project/DCP05386_sml.JPG (http://3rotor.homelinux.com/images/SCM_Beowulf_project/)

the feeling of booting her up, and watching as each node comes online, and then to see how the load is getting shared by each node.... Priceless.... :D

[KFB]

#Rotor is that cluster Folding? Please let us know some details. Thanks.:)

[#Rotor]

It can be.... :)

mainly a cluster like this, would come in really handy if you have 3 or 5 or so (300 will do really nice too... :D ), computers in a dedicated farm. Normally you would need to go to each one individually and initiate the client separately. But now, with them all hooked up in a cluster, you would only need to initiate 5 instances of the client on your mother-node. the cluster then takes over, and distributes the CPU load, over the entire network. if a sub node is down for whatever reason, if will show up on the graph as being dead, and investigation can commence, the project, however does not get held up, as the load will get distributed over the remaining nodes, once the downed node comes back online, it's back to business as usual. Remember that clustering will not split an instance of a client in 2 to run it on 2 CPU's, that would be slowing it down, the software is clever in the sense that it figures out if a particular job can run on a node, and if so, it will try and keep the job there,

[cmcquistion]

#Rotor, is there a guide somewhere that can teach me how to set up something like this. I currently have 7 computers with Windows 98 installed and ready to fold individually. Would running them in a cluster like yours be faster or advantageous? Most of them are slower machines (200MHz to 850 MHz).

[#Rotor]

Originally posted by cmcquistion
#Rotor, is there a guide somewhere that can teach me how to set up something like this. I currently have 7 computers with Windows 98 installed and ready to fold individually. Would running them in a cluster like yours be faster or advantageous? Most of them are slower machines (200MHz to 850 MHz).

you can visit Mosix at there website , www.mosix.com

it won't make things run faster, it just make things for a farm administrator a hole lot simpler. however, in the case of large companies, with 100's of PC's hooked up to an intranet, the benefits of having all these pc's work together, during the dark and long night, might prove to be highly advantageous.

You do however, need to be very proficient at maintaining a Linux based network, and you should know how to at least configure and compile Linux kernels. If not, I suggest you start with that first, get yourself well versed and then move on to the more involved things.... Linux is getting better, but it's still a far cry from being POP&PLAY.
Personal knowledge is still the number 1 ingredient, it is the way it should be.

[KFB]

Thanks for the details on your cluster, #Rotor. If you want to have it Folding for Team 32 that would be great. Is it working on a different job at the present time?

cmcquistion, #Rotor is right on with his advice for a Linux cluster. If you have the time and desire to learn, GNU/Linux has endless possibilities.