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Clustering

B

bob

2[H]4U
Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
2,971
Ive been using one PII-400 as a webpage server (CGI/Perl/HTML). Its performace is "ok". I was thinking about a Mini-itx Cluster at mini-itx.com, When I had an idea. I can get ahold of about 5 or 6 complete 200Mhz Socket 7 computers, and put about 64mb of ram in each.

I know one would have to me the master controller, and I would need some high bandwidth networking (100mbs 10 port switch?), but I think It can be done. I can just mount 6 motherboards vertically on thin steel plates, use a rack mount setup, use a 350W psu and hook in AT connectors. A second PSU to run the 6 hard drives and one CDROM.

Since Perl is multi-threaded (on my server, it runs about 4 copies at once and distributes the load) why not distribute the load accross three or so computers, have one computer for HTML and one computer for FTP or some other crap.

And Why bother? Cost, Noise, and Performace. One early 200Mhz PII system isnt too bad at running a CGI/perl forum. I can get these computers for free, steel costs me about 15 cents per square foot, and socket 7 computers barley need more than the wind of a PSU fan 2 feet away to keep cool.

I just need input on setting this up. Linux, of course, for the OS. But which distro?
Networking? I can do this without any special stuff, just have one computer be an internet router and do some fancy port forwarding and IP masquerading. But i would rather try a master controller to distribute.

I did some reaserch on this, and tomcat/apache seems to be all I can find. But I know nothing about this.
 
bump


After about 10 hours of reaserch, I found only this: there is something called Mod_backhand for apache. Its supposed to go onto the "main" master computer, and run some math to figure out which request needs to go where.

There must be someone at hardforum that knows somethign about clustering.
 
F@H wont run well on a cluster.
As its highly optimized to run on a single CPU trying to get it to run SMP mode slows it down to much.
Thats why I'm running two clients on each of my duallies.

Luck............ :D
u=Tigerbiten.gif
 
Bob,

You might be better off in the Multiprocessor forum. The Distributing Computing forum is used for discussions about Folding @ home, UD and SETI.

Good Luck.
 
I had a "real" server, that outperformed my PII desktop by about 200 times (but only having four 200Mhz cpus) under CGI. Its average rated current draw was 10A, and it put out a LOT of heat. It also was 4ft tall, 3ft deep and 8" wide, 86lbs.

six Socket 7's @ 200mhz would only use about 400W, be quieter, and take up 4ftx16x16".
 
bob said:
I had a "real" server, that outperformed my PII desktop by about 200 times (but only having four 200Mhz cpus) under CGI. Its average rated current draw was 10A, and it put out a LOT of heat. It also was 4ft tall, 3ft deep and 8" wide, 86lbs.

six Socket 7's @ 200mhz would only use about 400W, be quieter, and take up 4ftx16x16".
Click to expand...
True. LVS is still my suggestion; it's a PITA to set up, but once it gets going it really flies. Click on Documentation, then go down and read the howtos. I don't know how much experience you have with linux, but if you're new at it, this is a tricky way to dive in. I'd just set up apache2 on one machine (for practice) and read the docs and work on the other ones to cluster them.

pm if you get really stuck. good luck.
 
wouldn't power cost alot with 7 computers on all the same time?
 
The size of the CPU and the PSU are what makes for power useage. The common assumption that everyone seems to be using is 45 watts per gig. figuring out power useage on my power bill, that is extremely close to what my 20 boxen are using up.

the monitor is of course not figured into that, but as a cluster will only be using one, that amount will be the same. and splitting the power feeds off of two PSU the actual consumption will be still very low, and stability in the power feed will be absolutely reliable.

I want to see this when he is done, looks like fun :D
 
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