[Beowulf] 96 Processors Under Your Desktop

[Joachim Worringen]

John Hearns wrote:
> On Tue, 2004-08-31 at 22:49, Jim Lux wrote:
>>The real value (to my mind) is making a cluster a minimal-hassle item, the
>>same way a desktop PC is perceived today....
> 
> You make a well-argues point.
> Then again, that was the original Beowulf concept - use COTS components.

I can't see a correlation between "usage of COTS components" and 
"minimal hassle". At least, not a correlation like "more COTS, less 
hassle". Just the contrary, if anything.

A system which was designed for one purpose from top to bottom will 
serve this purpose with minimal hassle (good design provided). A system 
build from components for universal usage requires much more integration 
efforts by people who have no influence on the design of the individual 
components.

  Joachim

-- 
Joachim Worringen - NEC C&C research lab St.Augustin
fon +49-2241-9252.20 - fax .99 - http://www.ccrl-nece.de