[Beowulf] Cluster doesn't like being moved

[Mike Davis]

Steve Herborn wrote:
>
> I have a small test cluster built off Novell SUES Enterprise Server 
> 10.2 that is giving me fits.  It seems that every time the hardware is 
> physically moved (keep getting kicked out of the space I'm using), I 
> end up with any number of different problems.
>
> Personally I suspect some type of hardware issue (this equipment is 
> about 5 years old), but one of my co-workers isn't so sure hardware is 
> in play.  I was having problems with the RAID initializing after one 
> move back which I resolved a while back by reseating the RAID 
> controller card.
>
> This time It appears that the file system & configuration databases 
> became corrupted after moving the equipment. Several services aren't 
> starting up (LADP, DHCP, PBS to name a few) and YAST2 hangs any time 
> an attempt is made to use it. For example adding a printer or software 
> package. My co-worker feels the issue maybe related to the ReiserFS 
> file system with AMD processors. The ReiserFS file system was the 
> default presented when I initially installed SLES so I went with it.
>
> Do you know of any issues with using the ReiserFS file system on AMD 
> based systems or have any other ideas what I maybe facing?
>
>  
>
> *Steven A. Herborn*
>
> *U.S. Naval Academy*
>
> *Advanced Research Computing*
>
> *410-293-6480 (Desk)*
>
> *757-418-0505 (Cell)*
>
>  
My experience is that anytime a system runs for months or years, a 
shutdown leads to issues. Sometimes, hard drives fail to speed up, other 
times power supplies may fail, and occasionally RAM or MB's may go bad.

It may be hardware, and it may be a vibration issue brought on by the 
move. Then again, it may be magic!

-- 
Mike Davis			Technical Director
(804) 828-3885			Center for High Performance Computing
jmdavis1 at vcu.edu		Virginia Commonwealth University

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."  George S. Patton