New beowulf setup

[sees_all1]

I was teasing with the idea of creating a beowulf setup - several identical computers networked together to act as one.

Problem is that I don't want to sink much money into a project like this, especially when I wouldn't know what all I want to do with it.

 

Most of the fun would come from building the system myself - I expect that to include finding all the components, designing and making the case (probably out of wood), and then finally writing software for it.

Have any of you done this before, what should I expect. If I get it all together, what type of programs should I write?

 

 

Also, the biggest part of this might be one thing - cost. I don't want to sink a thousand dollars into a footrest. That means I'd like the cost to come in around $500-600 total for a minimum of five units, minus the cost of labor and the case.

A unit would be bare minimum motherboard, cpu, two fans, ram, hard drive and power supply.

 

Should I look for "top of the line" used computers in the classifieds and rip them apart, or buy new low-end parts?

[Sy_Accursed]

If you only want to spend $500-$600 and have no real reason or idea as to why you want/need a Beowulf Cluster. Why bother with it?

Seems like an awful money sink just for the sake of novelty. I mean outside big corporation and research type things Beowulf Clusters aren't exactly useful.

 

Tbh it sounds like you're spending for the sake of spending which is a bad idea. If you want to build something build something that actually useful to you and sink that $500 - $600 into 1 high spec system.

 

Other than that new parts in the way to go, used computers are generall sold on when they are outdated and or/breaking down so the parts r probably lower spec than what you'd get buying bits and odds of them failing on you are much higher.

[sees_all1]

If you only want to spend $500-$600 and have no real reason or idea as to why you want/need a Beowulf Cluster. Why bother with it?

Seems like an awful money sink just for the sake of novelty. I mean outside big corporation and research type things Beowulf Clusters aren't exactly useful.

 

I have a use for owning 5 individual computers at once, but I don't want 5 individual computers sitting in my room. After that, I'd have a cluster of 5 computers. One thing I could do is try to program them. :shades:

 

Anyhow, I started pricing components.

 

Cheap motherboard CPU combo - $65

2 GB ram -$36

Power supply - $15

160 GB Hard drive - $40

 

- about $160.

 

I might let this idea sit on the back burner for a while, especially since black friday is coming up. I expect on black friday I can get the hard drives and ram on the super cheap, maybe even a better cpu.

[Will H]

I think waiting for Black Friday is your best bet. I'm just curious about what you can use it for.

 

Right now I'm just imagining the epicness of a case mod that can hold all of it together. I'm thinking the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Anyway, enough fantasising, go for it when the price is right.

[sees_all1]

I think waiting for Black Friday is your best bet. I'm just curious about what you can use it for.

 

Right now I'm just imagining the epicness of a case mod that can hold all of it together. I'm thinking the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Anyway, enough fantasising, go for it when the price is right.

An idea in my head :P

I know I'm very vague about it, but I don't want to make a promise I can't deliver on.

Also IF I ever get to this, the case will probably be home-made particle board on the cheap. I need to come up with a template to hold it all in, and I don't have the tools for a designer's case.

 

Maybe I'll design it to hold 5, and then start with 1? I've got an old computer I'm willing to use to start...

I could buy a new hard drive, and try to get a distro of linux running on it first? Then template the case. So much to do!