Before You Begin

You should read the Known Problems page first.

  1. Hardware Requirements

    A cluster usually consists of: For instance, if you want to build a cluster of 8 compute hosts, you need to buy 9 computers. Though we recommend having a cluster server, you may install software for the cluster server onto one of the compute hosts, so that you don't need to buy a computer for the server.

    A router is also necessary if you plan to connect the cluster to a LAN.

    All processor hosts forming a homogeneous cluster should be of the same architecture and use the same version of the operating system.

  2. Platform and Architecture Requirements

    There is a minimum list of basic parts that are necessary before you can start building your SCore Cluster System. Optional parts are also described.
    1. Basic Parts
      Processor
      The following Intel Pentiums and Compaq Alphas have been tested in Real World Computing Partnership:
      • Intel Pentium
        IBM compatible PCs using 440FX, 440BX, 450NX, 810, and 810E chipsets
        4-way Pentium II Xeon 450MHz, 450NX chipset
        2-way Pentium III 500MHz, 440BX chipset
        2-way Pentium III 800MHz, Server Set III
      • Athlon
      • Compaq Alpha
        XP-1000 and 164LX motherboard based systems
      Configuration
      Single or SMP (SMP support is only available for Pentiums at present)
      Memory
      Memory size depends on you applications. The SCore system software uses just a few MBytes
      Disk
      1GB or more for each compute host, 2GB or more for the server host
      Server hostCompute host
      System2GB 1GB
      User ~ ~
      ChkPnt0 B 1GB or more
      Total 2GB or more 2GB or more
      Ethernet Card and HUB/Switch
      We strongly recommend using an Ethernet switch or switching HUB instead of a HUB. If you use a HUB, you will not gain the benefit of parallelism.
      The following network cards have been tested in Real World Computing Partnership: eepro100, tulip, de4x5, and 3c509.
      VGA
      The SCore system does not require a VGA card in compute hosts, but requires the card in the server host. Note that most BIOS require a VGA card and a keyboard.
      Floppy and CD-ROM
      A floppy drive on each compute host is required for use by the Easy Installation Tool. A floppy and CD-ROM drive on the server host are required for use by the Easy Installation Tool.

    2. Optional Parts
      • Myrinet Cards and Switch
        • PCI Cards
          M2M-PCI32, M2M-PCI64A-2, M2M-PCI64A-4,
          M2L-PCI32, M2L-PCI64A-2, or M2L-PCI64A-4
          Note that M2M-PCI64A-4, M2L-PCI64A-2, and M2L-PCI64A-4 have not been tested in Real World Computing Partnership. We have been testing Myrinet-2000. So far, we found CRC error problems on NICs. We are waiting for arriving new cards to continue to test PM/Myrinet.
        • Switch
          M2M-DUAL-SW8, M2M-OCT-SW8, or M2M-SW16

        To see the Myrinet network configuration, see the PM-II Myrinet Conf(5) man page. If you install the SCore system using the Easy Installation Tool, see the Myrinet Configurations page.

      • Gigabit Ethernet Cards and Switch
        Optional. The GNIC-II card has been tested.

  3. Obtain Network Information

    It is advisable to obtain your network information before beginning the installation. The following data is used as an example for the Easy Installation, which is shown in the following pages. There is one server host (server) and eight cluster hosts (comp0, comp1, comp2, comp3, comp4, comp5, comp6, comp7):

    server IP Address 192.168.55.99
    comp0 to comp7 IP Addresses 192.168.55.100 -- 192.168.55.107
    DHCP IP Addresses 192.168.55.200 -- 192.168.55.207
    The DHCP IP addresses are required to
    install the system using the RWC EIT installer.
    Netmask 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway IP address 192.168.55.1
    Primary Nameserver IP address 192.168.55.2
    Domain Name score.rwcp.or.jp
    Server Hostname server.score.rwcp.or.jp
    NIS domain name score.info

  4. Supported Network Cards for Network Installation

    The following is a summary of supported and semi-supported network cards for network installation which the SCore Easy Installation Tool assumes.

    The following list is derived from the network driver modules contained on the installation floppy diskette together with the list documented in the Ethernet-HOWTO.

    Supported means that a driver for that card exists, and many people are happily using it and it seems quite reliable.

    Semi-Supported means that a driver exists, but at least one of the following descriptions is true:

    1. The driver and/or hardware are buggy, which may cause poor performance, failing connections or even crashes.

    2. The driver is new or the card is fairly uncommon, and hence the driver has seen very little use/testing and the driver author has had very little feedback.
    Obviously (2) is preferable to (1), and the individual description of the card/driver should make it clear which one holds true. In either case, you will probably have to answer `Y' when asked ``Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers?'' if you will run `make config'.

    Please note, RWCP has only tested the following network cards: eepro100, tulip, de4x5, and 3c509. 

    Company Product                           Status          Driver Name

3Com Ethernet Cards
        3c501                             Semi-Supported  3c501
        EtherLink II                      Supported       3c503
        EtherLink Plus,                   Semi-Supported  3c505
        Etherlink-16,                     Semi-Supported  3c507
        Etherlink III,                    Supported       3c509
        3c590/3c595,                      Supported       3c59x
Accton
        MPX                               Supported       ne
        EN1203, EN1207, EtherDuo-PCI      Supported       de4x5, tulip

Allied Telesyn/Telesis
        AT1500                            Supported       lance
        AT2450                            Supported       pcnet32
        AT2500                            Semi-Supported  rtl8139
        AT2540FX                          Semi-Supported  eepro100
AMD
        AMD LANCE (7990, 79C960/961/961A, PCnet-ISA)
                                          Supported       lance
        AMD 79C965 (PCnet-32)             Supported       pcnet32
        AMD 79c70/970A (PCnet-PCI)        Supported       pcnet32
        AMD 79c71 (PCnet-FAST)            Supported       pcnet32
        AMD 79c972 (PCnet-FAST+)          Unknown         pcnet32
        AMD 79c974 (PCnet-SCSI)           Supported       pcnet32

Ansel Communications
        AC3200 EISA                       Semi-Supported  ac3200

Boca Research
        Boca BEN(ISA, VLIB, PCI)          Supported       pcnet32

Cabletron
        E10**, E10**-x, E20**, E20**-x    Semi-Supported  ne
        E2100                             Semi-Supported  e2100
        E22**                             Semi-Supported  lance

Cogent
        EM100-ISA/EISA                    Semi-Supported  smc9194
        eMASTER+, EM100-PCI, EN400, EN960, EN964
                                          Supported      de4x5, tulip

Compaq
        Deskpro/Compaq XL                 Supported       pcnet32
        Nettelligent/NetFlex              Supported       tlan

Danpex
        EN9400                            Supported       de4x5, tulip

D-Link
        DE-100, DE-200, DE-220-, DE-250   Supported       ne
        DE-520                            Supported       pcnet32
        DE-528                            Supported       ne, ne2k-pci
        DE-530                            Supported       de4x5, tulip
        DE-600                            Supported       de600
        DE-620                            Supported       de620

DFI
        DFINET-300, DFINET-400            Supported       ne

Digital
        DE425 EISA, DE434, DE435, DE500   Supported       de4x5, tulip
        DEC 21040, 2104, 2114x, Tulip     Supported       de4x5, tulip

Farallon
        Etherwave                         Supported       3c509

Hewlett Packard
        27245A                            Supported       hp
        EtherTwist, PC Lan+               Supported       hp-plus
        HP0J2405A                         Supported       lance
        HP-Vectra on board Ethernet       Supported       lance
        HP 10/100 VG
         (27248B, J2573, J2577, J2585, J970, J973)
                                          Supported       hp100
        HP NetServer 10/100TX PCI(D5013A)
                                          Supported       eepro100

IBM
        Token Ring                        Semi-Supported  ibmtr

ICL
        EtherTeam 16i/32                  Supported       eth16i

Intel
        Ether Express                     Supported       eexpress
        Ether Express PRO/10              Supported       eepro
        Ether Express PRO 10/100B         Supported       eepro100

LinkSys
        Etherfast 10/100                  Supported       tulip
        LinkSys Pocket Ethernet           Supported       de620

Mylex
        LNE390A, LNE390B                  Supported       lne390
        LNP101                            Supported       de4x5, tulip
        LNP104                            Semi-Supported  de4x5, tulip

Novell
        NE1000, NE2000                    Supported       ne
        NE2000-PCI                        Supported       ne, ne2k-pci
        NE1500, NE2100                    Supported       lance
        NE3210                            Supported       ne3210
        NE5500                            Supported       pcnet32

Proteon
        P1370-ES                          Supported       ne
        P1670-EA                          Supported       de4x5, tulip

Pure Data
        PDUC8028, PDI8023                 Supported       wd

Racal-Interlan
        ES3210                            Semi-Supported  es3210
        NI5010                            Semi-Supported  ni5010
        NI5210                            Semi-Supported  ni52
        NI6510                            Semi-Supported  ni65
        EtherBlaster (NI6510EB)           Supported       lance

RealTek
        8009                              Supported       ne
        80129                             Supported       ne
        8029                              Supported       ne, ne2k-pci

Sager
        NP943                             Semi-Supported  3c601

SMC
        WD8003, SMC Elite                 Supported       wd
        WD8013, SMC Elite16               Supported       wd,o
        Elite Ulrtra                      Supported       smc-ultra
        Elite Ultra32 EISA                Supported       smc-ultra32
        EtherEZ (8416)                    Supported       smc-ultra
        EtherPower PCI (8432)             Supported       de4x5, tulip
        EtherPower II PCI(9432)           Semi-Supported  epic100

VIA
        86C926 Amazon                     Supported       ne, ne2k-pci

Znyx
        ZX342                             Supported       de4x5, tulip

WAVELAN
        Ethernet-like radio transceiver   ??              wavelan

Packet Engines
        G-NIC PCI Gigabit Ethernet        ??              yellowfin
CREDIT
This document is a part of the SCore cluster system software developed at Real World Computing Partnership, Japan. Copyright (c) 2000, 1999 Real World Computing Partnership.