It's Mosix what I need! (more help)

[Javi Ortiz]

Hi,

Thank you for every one for your comments and suggestions and to drive me 
to Mosix (My before e-mail was 'Is Boewulf what I need?').
  
Now I need to make the HW order but I still don't have a clear vision of 
the system. So I ask you some questions that deal with the HW purchase. 

I'm sending this e-mail to the beowulf list although I'm going to 
use Mosix, because it seems to me that for the HW Beowulf experience is 
what I need. If I'm wrong, just don't reply and I will understand I must 
apply to the mosix list.

Before to make the questions I'm going to explain what I have though for 
now. 

System configuration: (you can see the attached 'system.jpg'.)
---------------------
* The master node receives all the conexions from users. Mosix assign 
processes to the cient nodes.
* The master node is a Firewall.
* Each client node has one HD for linux and swap.
* The master node has SCSI HD's for /home and /applications.

HW list:
--------
N= 15 .. 25
x= depends of cost

* 1 		Ethernet Switch
* 1 		KVM switch

* 1 		SCSI card
* x 		SCSI HD's
* 1 		DAT driver
* 1 		CD-ROM driver
* 1 (or N)	Floppy driver
* 1 		Monitor
* 1		Mouse
* 1		Keyboard

* N		Tower PC
* N+1 		Ethernet adapter
* N*x		SDRAM memory
* N		Motherboard
* N		Dual Processor
* N-1		4 GB IDE Drives
* 1 (or N)	SVGA card
* N+1 		Net cable

* N (or 0)	Cables PC/KMV_Switch
* x 		Uninterruptible Power Supply 


Questions:
----------

* Is it recommendable to clone the node system disks and never access it 
directly but by telnet?
* Is AMD ok for this kind of system?
* Perhaps it's a stupid question but ... 8-S ... Do all the nodes need 
video cards for the X applications run ok?
* Is it a good idea to centralize all the HD's in the master node? Could 
it produce conflicts in the access and so reduce substantially the 
access time? Is it better to distribute the HD's in the nodes and give 
access via NFS?
* If it's better to centralize HD's, is there problems whith diskless 
nodes. What is better, to boot from floppy or from NFS?
* Is the relation improvement/cost ok between 100Mb/1Gb Eth. card?

Any suggestion out of this questions is welcome !!!!

Thanks.

Javi.

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Bioinformatics - University of Valencia - Spain
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