Context
Given the abundance of inexpensive "desktop grade" CPUs it is absurdly simple to throw togother a "deskside beowulf cluster" for prices which typically in the past would only get you a 2-CPU workstation from a major vendor.
Clearly, a beowulf environment is ONLY suitable for workloads which don't mind being split across multiple CPUs. Such issues are NOT discussed here but basic "good candidate" tasks might include,
- when you run batches of large jobs in parallel, each independant from the other
- when you run a single large job, using MPI parallel architecture
- when you run a single large job, using PVM parallel architecture (older than MPI but still used it seems)
The prices below are NOT to be taken as an "absolute written in stone" but rather as an overview to the rough price range and feasability of a concept such as this.
Also, be warned that a bunch of .. 5 desktop pc Tower cases ... takes up a fair bit of space, so the term "deskside" is somewhat generous. Additionally, they will throw out a not-insignificant amount of heat and noise, plus of course you need a spare outlet, network drop, etc. However, if you have a "back room" with power and a LAN drop, then this might be an option. (Such a cheapo cluster will not be housed in the POLan server room! :-)
It is also taken as a given that a "standard linux cluster distro" (something like "Rocks Cluster - http://www.rocksclusters.org/wordpress/ ) would be used on this gear, to simplify deployment and management issues, which are NOT insignificant in planning a project like this.
Final footnote: this setup has NO redundancy at all. (No mirrored HDDs, etc). Such things are possible with a bit more $$ (not a lot).
Rough Pricing for a 5-box / 10 CPU cluster:
Rough "per node" price:
$190 - Athlon64 X2 3800+ (2000mhz dual core)
$100 - Motherboard (Asus A8N-VM CSM Socket 939 MB has video,
gig-ether Marvell Based, on-board..)
$232 - 2 gigs memory (2x1 gig)
$ 50 - case and PSU
$ 70 - seagate 160gig HDD
=====
$642 For dual-2.0ghz Node with 2gigs Ram and 160 HDD disk
space for Local OS / Scratch Storage.
Thus:...for ~$3000 we could buy,
4 nodes @ $642 = $2568
1 headNode @ $812 (slave node but with two 320gig HDDs, cost is 120$
each so this adds $170 above base cost)
5-port gig-ether cheapo switch = $50 approx, add $50 for cables etc.
Grand Total = $3380 for this setup, $3500 with cables/switch etc.
NOTE - ALL PRICES ARE "PRE-TAX". these prices are pulled from local reseller, "Robotnik", so all gear will have 1 year dealer warranty, possibly longer on some parts (such as HDDs which have 5years from Mfr.)
This provides 10 CPU cores @ 2000mhz, 10 gigs RAM / 2gigs per node, head node with ~550 gigs local storage (NOT mirrored // no redundancy)
If ~600gigs of local disk isn't enough, then more can be added .. $120 per 300 gigs up to a max of 4 drives approx.
if 2 gigs memory per node isn't enough, more $ can be spent there (it is $116 per gig, up to 4 gigs per node)