Linux Cluster

Can linux run as a cluster OS ?.. meaning I want to run two identical systems togeather and use one OS on them

Ok, here I go talking about Linux stuff that I do not have all the details on (Been doing that a lot lately- and getting pointed to the right info.)

Yes, it can do that: I think one method is a Beowulf Cluster, and I believe there are more as well.

And from here on in I am less clear: I think that applications need to have support for clustered computing to reap the benefits, and most software does not.

I am about to hit google to check myself now......

http://www.beowulf.org/
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Beowulf-HOWTO.html
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=linux+cluster


I've got 8 old 486s plus three old P1s that I want to get running as a beowulf type cluster, but I haven't gotten around to doing it yet.

rogerdugans: Yes, you do have to have specialized software.


And here are some links to other supercomputing sites:

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/LG/issue30/vrenios.html
http://tonga.usip.edu/gmoyna/chaingang/
http://loki-www.lanl.gov/
http://stonesoup.esd.ornl.gov/
http://www.top500.org/

There's OpenMosix too. The machines still have their own OS's though when clustered (as all clusters should). I.e., all of them will boot a Linux kernel from a floppy or hard drive or network or something. Whether or not you differentiate the machines or have them all use the same root image is an implementation detail.

OpenMosix will let you run non-cluster aware apps on the cluster, but you can't do something like run Quake3 and expect an fps boost. I think its more along the lines of migrating threads or processes to idle machines.

so im guessing the folding client does not support this? i have 15 p2's doing nothing at the moment, and i remember someone mentioning a linux cluster a while back but i never looked into it.

Folding client doesn't support it. Its already been broken up for clustering in the sense that they broke it up so it runs on lots of people's personal computers. You'd probably be better off setting up the machines individually and running the folding clients on them.