Combining CPUs

xFlankerx · Sep 26, 2005

How does someone combine more than one CPU? I'm not talking Dual-Core CPUs or Quad-processor Mobos. I mean like a system that has like 10xAthlon 64s or w/e. Obviously it would function as a server, but how would someone go about it?

9mmCensor · Sep 26, 2005

Like a cluster?

xFlankerx · Sep 27, 2005

I suppose. But take this supercomputer for example; it has 288 processors, 144 gigs of memory, and 11.5TB of HD space.

Feast your eyes...

Something like that, but on a MUCH MUCH SMALLER scale. I'm looking for how to combine 5-10 Athlon 64 Processors (Maybe single-core, maybe Dual-Core, whichever is easier) into one machine.

EvilCloudStrife · Sep 27, 2005

omg... lmao

Captain Newbie · Sep 27, 2005

Well, it wouldn't be *one* machine, but you could build a lot of systems into a pizza box rackmount system.

And as for tying them all together on the same board...forget it. Sorry.

xFlankerx · Sep 27, 2005

Yea, I'm not trying to get them onto one mobo.

My main questions is simply how to connect two different motherboards (if thats possible) so that two or more processors can function on one PC.

Captain Newbie · Sep 27, 2005

Cluster over network. it won't ever function as one PC unit per se, but it will function as a distributed supercomputer.

stui_nz · Sep 27, 2005

google beowulf ...
or start at http://www.beowulf.org/

Quailane · Sep 27, 2005

Go for a quad opteron board and use dual core opterons. That would be your simplest option and will run just like any pc. You could use linux or windows server enterprise edition.

The only other option is a cluster, which would be very hard to set up and would get you less performance per Ghz than the single board solution due to the slow network (relatively) and all the overhead caused by running actually different systems.

Go for this and dual core opterons: http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=272

Xtreme Barton · Sep 27, 2005

on that tyan board ... if you had 4 cpu's and ran games or 3dmark would it use all cpu power or just one cpu until it maxed out ?

IWasHungry · Sep 27, 2005

Quailane said:
Go for a quad opteron board and use dual core opterons. That would be your simplest option and will run just like any pc. You could use linux or windows server enterprise edition.

The only other option is a cluster, which would be very hard to set up and would get you less performance per Ghz than the single board solution due to the slow network (relatively) and all the overhead caused by running actually different systems.

Go for this and dual core opterons: http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=272

Probably the closest thing to a supercomputer on a single system.

9mmCensor · Sep 27, 2005

Xtreme Barton said:
on that tyan board ... if you had 4 cpu's and ran games or 3dmark would it use all cpu power or just one cpu until it maxed out ?

Just one CPU. its not multithreaded.

Quailane · Sep 27, 2005

9mmCensor said:
Just one CPU. its not multithreaded.

Just imagine running some of those multi-threaded apps on an 8-way tyan opteron board with dual-core processors. :drool:

Could you just imagine seeing 16 2.4Ghz processors in the windows task manager?

Nexus Realized · Sep 27, 2005

Quailane said:
Just imagine running some of those multi-threaded apps on an 8-way tyan opteron board with dual-core processors.

Could you just imagine seeing 16 2.4Ghz processors in the windows task manager?

That would be pretty sweet. Realistically what would something like that cost, $15,000? I don't even know how much memory something like that would need...

@md0Cer · Sep 27, 2005

Captain Newbie said:
Cluster over network. it won't ever function as one PC unit per se, but it will function as a distributed supercomputer.

Captain Newbie hit it right on, it will act as a cluster, not quite a single computer with multiple processors like a dual core or quad CPU system.

Might I ask what you are planning to use it for? Most common uses are those into Folding at Home and SETI, you know the distributed computing stuff. Even in that case, it is just more simple to build a large rack each with individual "computers." Each of course would have its own stuff, PSU, etc. Google "Folding Farms" You will see what I am talking about.

@md0Cer · Sep 27, 2005

Quailane said:
Just imagine running some of those multi-threaded apps on an 8-way tyan opteron board with dual-core processors.

Could you just imagine seeing 16 2.4Ghz processors in the windows task manager?

I saw a system with a custom motherboard that had 8 dual core 8XX Opterons. Unfortunatly the search system isn't working so I can't find the thread on it. I believe it was made by Sun Microsystems? That rings a bell, but it could have been something else. If I ever stumble across it again I will definitely post a link.

Captain Newbie · Sep 27, 2005

Quailane said:
Just imagine running some of those multi-threaded apps on an 8-way tyan opteron board with dual-core processors.

Could you just imagine seeing 16 2.4Ghz processors in the windows task manager?

Could you imagine that XP won't run on that board?

(You'll need a highend server edition of 2003, or some *nix, to use it to its full potential.)

But it would _still_ be awesome.

Quailane · Sep 27, 2005

Captain Newbie said:
Could you imagine that XP won't run on that board?

(You'll need a highend server edition of 2003, or some *nix, to use it to its full potential.)

But it would _still_ be awesome.

Yeah. Windows 2003 Server enterprise edition. License itself could buy me a dream machine.

@md0Cer · Sep 27, 2005

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pricing.mspx

It's ONLY 4 grand!

Captain Newbie · Sep 27, 2005

@md0Cer said:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pricing.mspx

It's ONLY 4 grand!

And *THAT*, my friends, is why Linus wrote Linux.

(Well, not exactly, it was mostly a project to teach him about his 386, and then a program to telnet to the Helsinki news server...

)

Combining CPUs

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