CCL:Origin300, Linux Cluster (fwd)

[Iwao Makino]

At 18:26 +0200 4.07.2002, Eugen Leitl wrote:
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2002 12:04:07 -0400
>From: Jianhui Wu <wujih at BRI.NRC.CA>
>To: chemistry at ccl.net
>Cc: amber at heimdal.compchem.ucsf.edu
>Subject: CCL:Origin300, Linux Cluster
>
>(1) An Origin 300 2cpu 500MHZ cost around $35k.Are you using this kind of
>system? Do you have benchmark of MD simulation (such as Amber) for this
>system? Do you regret your purchase?
>
>(2) What is the best configuration for a PC Linux cluster now?  Is your
>cluster stable enough? For example, it only break down once a month
>instead of once a week or two weeks. How do you take care of the maintance
>issue? Do you keep a spare node to serve as spare parts for other nodes?
>How much it cost to mantain a PC cluster (service, parts, etc)?
>
>If you make the choice, what kind of system would you go for it? Any
>suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

As far as I know, as many said already, (1) is only option if you must use
an application that does not exist for Linux.  Or if you have to do special
visualization etc...

And for Amber(not talking other MD apps for now), AMD seem to run little 
faster.
Also, 1CPU * nNode seem to get better result than Dual CPU systems.
#1.7GHz P4(or Xeon) and 1.2GHz Athlon seen an identical speed for some.

PS: Amber site doesn't have much benchmarks with x86 machines.
If you are curious about 86(specially P4 and Xeon) you might try to check 
following
web site.

<http://www.hpc.co.jp/AP/Amber7-Linux01.htm>

Best regards,