Cluster Set-up Help!!!
 

Hello Everyone,

I would like to thank everyone in advance for any advice they may provide. I guess in a nutshell I wish to create a 3 node cluster. Listed below is the set-up I plan on using and wish to get some advice on it. I also have some questions on the software set-up I am opening some people could help me with. My background is that I have some Sun experience (like a year's worth) but I still consider myself a noob. What I wish to do with the cluster is basically have a powerful set-up that can be broken down. I guess what I mean is that I wish to use Node 3 at time as a windows machine to do some dare I say play some DX9 based games. I would also like to have apache running and a CS server running. I know I could possibly get by with one box for all that but I also wish to learn about clustering. The bonus to this set-up is being able to break it down and have Node 1 still do the apache/CS thing while Node 2 can be used by the wife for windows stuff. Node 3 could also then be used as another LAN party game machine. I know roughly how much all the stuff will come out to $ wise and that is not much of a concern to me. I figure a 2.8C will be in the hunt for a while until the Prescott's come out. Here is the hardware set-up:

Node 3:
Dell 400SC
Intel based 875P Mobo
P4 2.8C with HT and 800FSB
512MB DDR3200
5900 128MB Nvidia card (non-ultra)
has built in gigabit LAN
120GB SATA
40GB IDE 7200rpm

Node 2:
Dell 400SC
Intel based 875P Mobo
P4 2.8C with HT and 800FSB
512MB DDR3200
MX440 64MB
has built in gigabit LAN
40GB IDE 7200rpm

Node 1:
Dell 400SC
Intel based 875P Mobo
P4 2.8C with HT and 800FSB
512MB DDR3200
MX440 64MB
has built in gigabit LAN
40GB IDE 7200rpm

Switch:
Linksys 8-port gigabit switch

Cables:
Cat6

KVM switch:
Belkin KVM 4 port (electronic)

Monitor:
2 Viewsonic 19" monitors

Questions:
How does this set-up sound?

What distro should I consider?

What clustering software should I consider? I wish to use openmosix with the MAASK patch so shared mem processes can be migrated also. Is there something else out there comparable? Such as openssi?

If all three machines are in a cluster is it possible to use WINE3.1 with openmosix and MAASK? If so, then I would never ever need to do the dual boot thing to Node 3.

Also if WINE migrates across is it safe to say that while playing say Battlefield 1942 that even graphical processes would migrate? Would that mean that all three nodes would require a 5900? I know it is possible to assign a node a job, but was just wondering on the migration of graphics.

Am I missing anything?


PS- Got a Sun Ultra2 2x300Mhz 512MB RAM and 2x9GB drives and a CD-ROM. Also it has the 3D creator optional card. FOR SALE - OFFER
Thanks everyone,
Chris

bump

Dunno how much help I'll be but it couldn't be any worse than what everyone else has recomended... ;)

The setup sounds good. Most clustering solutions I have seen use identical hardware for each node. Typically I've seen clusters set up with a host node and slave nodes. You start a job on the host node and it will divide the work around to the slave nodes. It sounds to me like you want to use a clustering solution similar to what I've seen with VMS where the nodes are peers and typically one node will run the job and if it dies the other takes over.

What distro...
I think that is up to you. For some reason Redhat 7.3 is popular but it's getting old so I would go for something newer.

Clustering software...
Like I said I'm still new at the clustering software deal. There are a few comercial Linux Clustering vendors out there but usually they develop their own solution. I have installed ROCKS but it was kind of strange. (used the host and slave node architecture)
Good luck

Thanks Blinker_Fluid.

I guess what I hoping is to have a wooping computer

I am figuring i can run VMware to do the windows thing. Just wondering if the windows thing gets migrated all over or is stuck on that one node. I guess all this can be answered and found out by building it. Dell just closed out there deal yesterday of free upgrades to a 3.2g P4. Damn it!. I wish I jumped on it. I am waiting for my stupid 10% discount coupon.

Thanks again for the help.

Use AMD processors they are cheaper and they will give you more gigaflops. Also you can try an Opteron system with a Nvidia (nForce3) chipset. You can also go with a dual Opteron system.

The Pentium 5 (Prescott core) may not be able to run on a 875/865 chipset although its too soon to tell.

You can do the setup that a poster listed a link for AMD processor cluster. Its about a week ago post. Sorry I don't remember the address to the post.

Use any distribution that doesn't make you install X Window Server. Redhat or Mandrake makes you install X Window Server. I think Slackware should be good to use. I don't think it installs any GUI crap that Redhat or Mandrake has.