Building a SuperComputer

[Guest]

Folks:


A few years ago, I read that a Supercomputer was produced by connecting
several thousand older windows computers.
I have 2 old slow computers (550 MHz processors).

* Can someone briefly explain how this linking is done & how it works
* Is it possible to use any hardware or software technique to allow
for these 2 processors to be linked so that they work as one.


Any information or references appreciated.



Thanks,
Jo.

 

[John John]

The Hillbilly Supercomputer!
http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/HOMEPAGE/STAFF/SETI/stack.htm

email him, he should be able to give you links and advice. There might
be information on the SETI site... if the Martians haven't knocked it
out of service...

John

 

[FedUp]

The Hillbilly Supercomputer!
http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/HOMEPAGE/STAFF/SETI/stack.htm

email him, he should be able to give you links and advice. There might
be information on the SETI site... if the Martians haven't knocked it
out of service...

John

Thanks for the link John John. It is amazing what some people will do in
their spare time

JoJo, I think the HillBilly computer is just a stack of independent
computers (independent processing, timing, memory), not a "super" computer
that you want, unless I misunderstood what you want to do.

 

[JS]

It's possible DCOM was used (see:
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DCOM.html ). However the software must be
coded to take advantage of this feature.

Also see: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dcom
and: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=pc+supercomputer+dcom

JS

 

[John Jay Smith]

linux supports clustering...

that means more than 1 computer working together...

 

[BobC]

Folks:


A few years ago, I read that a Supercomputer was produced by connecting
several thousand older windows computers.
I have 2 old slow computers (550 MHz processors).

* Can someone briefly explain how this linking is done & how it works
* Is it possible to use any hardware or software technique to allow
for these 2 processors to be linked so that they work as one.


Any information or references appreciated.



Thanks,
Jo.

This link may help you:
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/eserver/articles/openmosix.html

 

[NoStop]

Folks:


A few years ago, I read that a Supercomputer was produced by connecting
several thousand older windows computers.
I have 2 old slow computers (550 MHz processors).

* Can someone briefly explain how this linking is done & how it
works
* Is it possible to use any hardware or software technique to allow
for these 2 processors to be linked so that they work as one.


Any information or references appreciated.



Thanks,
Jo.

This can be done by setting up a Linux* cluster.

* A word that is not spoken of much in mickeymouse newsgroups other than in
derogatory terms because it is so superior to anything mickeyouse sells.


--
Linux is ready for the desktop! More ready than Windoze XP.
http://tinyurl.com/ldm9d

You just can't play games on Linux!
http://tinyurl.com/kgszl

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Folks:


A few years ago, I read that a Supercomputer was produced by connecting
several thousand older windows computers.
I have 2 old slow computers (550 MHz processors).

* Can someone briefly explain how this linking is done & how it works
* Is it possible to use any hardware or software technique to allow
for these 2 processors to be linked so that they work as one.


Any information or references appreciated.

Were you thinking of this?

Large Array of Stale Technology
http://www.dumbentia.com/pdflib/last.pdf

Seriously, though, you can't do it the way you're thinking of.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[johannes]

Folks:

A few years ago, I read that a Supercomputer was produced by connecting
several thousand older windows computers.
I have 2 old slow computers (550 MHz processors).

* Can someone briefly explain how this linking is done & how it works
* Is it possible to use any hardware or software technique to allow
for these 2 processors to be linked so that they work as one.

Any information or references appreciated.

I remember there was a software called PVM, Parallel Virtual Machine.
You could run it on a unix network and call it from your fortran code
to fork out calculations. However, since network access is substantially
slower than memory access, you have to be careful with load balancing.
This is also known as 'coarse grain' parallel.