[Beowulf] Racing kernels

[Fringe Dweller]

G'day all.

Is anyone out there running a "racing" kernel on their nodes?

By "racing" I mean removing all unnecessary components (SCSI, USB et 
al), tweaked buffer values, pre-empting, stripped, helium filled, 
brushed aluminum etc?

Yes, it's a loaded question. I'm contemplating performance tweaking when 
I realized that there's a bucket load of stuff in the default kernel 
config I don't need.

Now anyone that's ever been exposed to that strange subspecies known as 
"overclockers" knows you can go to ridiculous lengths ("Duuude, it's 
fully sick, I can get another 2.3MHz if I take the box outside and hit 
it with a hose").

I'd like to think we're giving priority to stability. But still... I 
think there's scope for "safe" improvement?

Also need to include the type of target app(s) I s'pose. My Nbody apps 
are smokin' math stuff but the IO is quite light. So there'd be a fair 
range of variation in "optimal" config I'd imagine.

Thoughts appreciated.

Cheers
Steve