[ILUG] Getting started with Beowulf

[Robert Grundulis]

Hi Cian,

My experience with clustering and HPC is limited, but I'm learning fast.

I've read into MPI and I can already see how I could rewrite much of my code
to take advantage of it.

As for CFD, I'm not sure how big a part it plays in all this. The
calculations I am being provided with are unique to the field of naval
architecture. I'm sure CFD is factored in to them, buit for the most part
80% of the formulae I've been given are simply serial argorithms, repeated
many times and I've not come across talk of cells.

I should also point out I've spent the last week trying to get in to
Stroud's Engineering Mathematics book and I'm still learning about
enginnering math. It's a lot different than writing invoicing software!

Robert

2009/6/24 Cian Davis <cian.davis at skynet.ie>

>
> Hi Robert,
> During my Ph.D. (on CFD), I installed an maintained a small Beowulf
> cluster for our group and then spend a postdoc year installing and
> configing a larger system in UL (http://photos.killminus9.net/cluster/6/).
>
> I don't know how much experience you have with CFD, Beowulf/HPC or MPI
> so apologies if I state some stuff that's obvious!
>
> First off is that HPC will not always speed up the solution. You need a
> certain amount of cells (in CFD) per computational core and then the
> efficiency of programming, the MPI used, the interconnect, data volumes,
> hardware used etc. all have a significant bearing on how much faster the
> problem will run.
>
> If you let me know what software you're using, how many cells and a bit
> more on the hardware you have available (e.g. amount of RAM, hard disks,
> network interconnect), I'd be more than happy to give you some advice on
> the best way to proceed.
>
> Regards,
> Cian Davis
>
> Robert Grundulis wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >
> > Can anyone offer me suggestions on good books or resources that would
> help
> > get me up to speed with Beowulf clustering?
> >
> > I've written an application that does calculations on fluid dynamics,
> > propellers and hull forms (boaty stuff) and the intention is to move it
> on
> > to a cluster to speed it up. At the moment one calculation takes about 3
> > days on a dual core Xeon, so there are obvious benefits to moving it on
> to a
> > cluster.
> >
> > I have free access to dozens of old university PCs and servers (all P4
> and
> > adbove) and the plan is to cluster them.
> >
> > The thing is I've never worked with clusters before and I don't have a
> clue
> > where to start. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?
> >
> >
>
>


-- 
Cheers,
Robert Grundulis
http://www.chaptalk.com