AMBER Archive (2002)

Subject: Re: Origin300, Linux Cluster

From: C. Klein (cklein_at_pharma.anbi.ethz.ch)
Date: Thu Jul 04 2002 - 12:41:31 CDT

Hi,

take a look at this:
.............
~/bin> uptime
  7:32pm up 50 days, 4:10, 7 users, load average: 0.01, 0.09, 0.06
.............

That is the front end of our linux cluster, a bunch of athlons with a
dual PIII front end machine. This all came for maybe 15000 USD and the
performance is extremely good. The uptimes of the compute nodes are
equally high. So do not worry about stability.

The price/performance ratio is much much better for linux clusters than
for SGI systems.

I do not have a lot of time to write, but there is one very important
issue: Once you get your cluster hardware, check it thoroughly. Check if
all the hardware meets the specification (amounts of RAM, NIC types
etc.). I had some surprises with that. And even more important: Do test
runs of your software, if possible in parallel, for maybe a week. I had
to send back 10 dual PIIIs because they would give unexplainable
crashes!!!!! Do not pay the bill before everything is up and running...
Take care not to buy cheap NICs.

Best regards,

Chris 

-- 
Dr. C. Klein; cklein(at)pharma.anbi.ethz.ch
Dept. of Applied Biosciences, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology / ETH Zuerich
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zuerich
Phone: +41 1 6356062
FAX  : +41 1 6356884