SCore logo

Hardware Information for Installation of SCore

  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
      Processors and Chipsets
      The following Intel Pentiums (Pro, II, III, 4) and Compaq Alphas have been tested in Real World Computing Partnership, or known from SCore users' information:

      Processors
      Chipsets
      Intel Pentium (Pro, II, III, 4)
      IBM compatible PCs using 440FX, 440BX, 450NX, 810,
      810E and 815 chipsets
      4-way Pentium II Xeon 450MHz, 450NX chipset
      2-way Pentium III 500MHz, 440BX chipset
      2-way Pentium III 800MHz, Server Set III
      Pentium 4 1.5GHz, i850 chipset
      2-way Xeon 1.7GHz, i860 chipset
      2-way Xeon 2.4GHz Serverworks GC chipset
      2-way Xeon 2.4GHz Intel E7500 chipset
      AMD Duron, Athlon (XP)
      		AMD 760 chipset
      2-way AMD 760MP chipset
      2-way AMD 760MPX chipset
      Compaq Alpha 21164
      		21172 21174 chipset
      Compaq Alpha 21264
      		Compaq 21272(Tsunami) chipset on XP1000
      2-way Compaq 21272(Tsunami) chipset on DS20E

      Configuration
      Single or SMP (SMP support is only available for Pentiums at present)

      Memory
      More than 64MB. Memory size depends on you applications. The SCore system software uses just a few MBytes

      Disk
      3 GB or more for each compute host, 4 GB or more for the server host

      		Server host Compute host
      System 4 GB 2 GB
      User ~ ~
      ChkPnt 0 B 1GB or more
      Total 4 GB or more 3 GB 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 and Myrinet2000: Myrinet Cards and Switch

        Myrinet Types
        Myrinet NICs
        Myrinet Switches
        Myrinet
        (1.28 Gbps Link)
        M2M-PCI32, M2M-PCI64A-2, M2M-PCI64A-4, M2L-PCI32, M2L-PCI64A-2,M2L-PCI64A-4, or M3M-PCI64B-2
        M3F-SW8, M3-SW16-8S, M3-SPINE-8S, M2M-DUAL-SW8, M2M-OCT-SW8, or M2M-SW16
        Myrinet2000
        (2.0 Gbps Linx)
        		M3F-PCI64C-2, M3F-PCI64B-2, M3S-PCI64B-2, or M3M-PCI64B-2
        M3F-SW8, M3S-SW8, M3M-SW8, M3F-SW16, M3S-SW16, M3M-SW16 Switches or Combinations of Enclosures (M3-E16, M3-E32, M3-E64) and Switch Line Cards(M3-SW-16-8F, M3-SW-16-8S, M3-SW-16-8M, M3-SPINE-8F, M3-SPINE-8S)

        Note that M2M-PCI64A-4, M2L-PCI64A-2, and M2L-PCI64A-4 have not been tested in Real World Computing Partnership.

        To see the Myrinet network configuration, see the PMvII Myrinet Conf(5) man page. If you install the SCore system using the Easy Installation Tool, see these configuration pages:

        Myrinet: Myrinet Configurations
        Myrinet2000: Myrinet2000 Configurations

      • Gigabit Ethernet Cards and Switch
        Optional. The GNIC-II, Syskonnect SK9843, Broadcom BCM5700 and Intel PRO/1000T card has been tested.

  3. Testing Platform of SCore in PC Cluster Consotium

    Following systems are used for SCore distribution test in PC Cluster Consotium:

    Vendor [alphabetical order]
    Systems
    Testing Environmnents
    Compaq
    DL360
    Dual Pentium III 8 compute nodes, Myricom Myrinet2000 serial link, Dual Intel EEPRO100 Ethernet
    Fujitsu
    TS220
    (L200)
    Dual Pentium III 16 compute nodes, Myricom Myrinet2000 fiber link, Dual Intel EEPRO100 Ethernet
    Hitachi
    		 HA8000 110B5
    Pentium III 4 compute nodes, Myricom Myrinet SAN, Ethernet
    NEC
    		Express5800 120Ra-1
    Pentium III 4 compute nodes, Myricom Myrinet SAN, Dual Intel EEPRO100 Ethernet

  4. 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 192.168.0.2
    comp0 to comp7 IP Addresses 192.168.0.100 -- 192.168.55.107

    Netmask 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway IP address 192.168.0.1
    Primary Nameserver IP address 192.168.0.1
    Domain Name pccluster.org
    Server Hostname server.pccluster.org
    NIS domain name score

PCCC logo PC Cluster Consotium

CREDIT
This document is a part of the SCore cluster system software developed at PC Cluster Consortium, Japan. Copyright (C) 2003 PC Cluster Consortium.