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Virginia Tech Supercomputer Cluster Photos
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In the presentation they state the configuration as 4GB RAM ea., 160GB S-ATA Storage ea. -> that amounts to 176TB total storage with 4,4TB of RAM. They state there are 4 head nodes, so I assume the rest of the nodes are headless?
Every node uses the built-in gigabit ethernet as "secondary communications channel", while the primary interconnect is with specially added Infiniband adapters (more than twice the Speed of Gigabit Ethernet).
I also assume it would cost more to remove stuff like firewire connectors than to just leave it in.
Sidenode: There planning on a second cluster to go online 2006. So guys, there will be a nice wait when you're going to order that new G6...
Just imagine all the possible internet bandwidth if all the g5's in VT dialed into the internet each with just a 56k modem.
~5kBps x 1100 = 5500 kBps
That is how the should fix the VT bandwidth issue
Headline: "Today, aol has tripled their dialup users"
this is just how i think
~5kBps x 1100 = 5500 kBps
That is how the should fix the VT bandwidth issue
Headline: "Today, aol has tripled their dialup users"
this is just how i think
Virginia Tech, as I remember, has 3 oc11 lines. They aren't hurting for bandwidth. I used to cap out my 10mbit connection frequently when connecting to some friends at Georgia Tech (also on Internet2) =)
However, their backbone goes up along I-81 and meets up with a major router in Washington, DC. I'm sure Hurricane Isabel has knocked a few of these connections out and their are probably running on backup bandwidth.
However, their backbone goes up along I-81 and meets up with a major router in Washington, DC. I'm sure Hurricane Isabel has knocked a few of these connections out and their are probably running on backup bandwidth.
Man that's cool! Er, it's definitely NOT cool i.e. heat, odd how they mount those dual fan things in the ceiling above the racks, I wonder if those are venting air out or in?
One thing I'm confused about is all the blue wiring just looks like your basic 10baseT Ethernet cable you'd buy at Staples to connect them all. I'd think you'd need or want optical cabling to pipe everything to supercomputer status?
One thing I'm confused about is all the blue wiring just looks like your basic 10baseT Ethernet cable you'd buy at Staples to connect them all. I'd think you'd need or want optical cabling to pipe everything to supercomputer status?
I don't think anyone got bumped because of this. I'm sure this was in the works far before Apple even officialy announcd the G5's. So, it's not like they started shipping and along comes this university that order 1100 units that causes other peoples orders to be sent to the school instead.
Cat6 cable looks just like Cat3....
The cluster uses GigE for normal TCP/IP traffic, that's probably the blue cable. GigE over fibre is a lot more expense (a *lot* more) for exactly the same speed.
Even Fibre Channel is often copper-based - you don't use optical unless you need to!
The InfiniBand fabric is also copper-based, but it doesn't look like much is installed yet... The GigE cables are dangling, the power cords are dangling....
What a waste
Look at all those empty PCI slots and wasted aluminum. Time for some XServes with g5s.
Look at all those empty PCI slots and wasted aluminum. Time for some XServes with g5s.
64-bit nonsense
Interesting that the slideshow talks about 64-bit systems (the Dell bid was Itanium II) at length....
And then it says that they are using a 32-bit operating system! Why insist on a 64-bit chip, but settle for a 32-bit OS???
Something doesn't connect here....
Interesting that the slideshow talks about 64-bit systems (the Dell bid was Itanium II) at length....
And then it says that they are using a 32-bit operating system! Why insist on a 64-bit chip, but settle for a 32-bit OS???
Something doesn't connect here....
Re: There it is!
You know, one day you have to let them go, to let them live their one life. Sigh.
You know, one day you have to let them go, to let them live their one life. Sigh.
Originally posted by Flynnstone
VT is keeping all the boxes and package
The PowerMacs are standard configuration
In a year or two Apple will come out with a Power Mac with (hopefully) an IBM 980 dual core hot rod of some sort, that takes another jump in performance
Perhaps the VT students will be able to purchase these units as VT revamps (& reinvests) in their cluster
Or we could see them all on eBay
This is my first post via my "new" PowerMac G4. I am officially an apple owner today thanks to Tech. I picked up my computer at Tech's surplus auction. You can count on it that I will forever watch the list for when those G5 start trickling into surplus.
remember, you will need both Air In & Air Out... any mechanical enigineers here? architect's are not allowed to "practice" any engineering.... can someone count the ceiling tiles or give us a sq. footage of the room?
secondly , how long do you think these suckers will be kept around, before selling the whole lot on ebay?
Yeah thats a hot shirt.
Originally posted by Tastannin
Don't those racks actually hold 12 G5's rather than 9? Look at the 3rd pic of Arn's mirror.
Just a minor quibble.
Other than that, it's awesome, I agree.
Yeah, they do hold 12.
BTW, you think they could add more fans?
Jebus, PowerMac's 9 + like 2 More fans on top?!?
I hope they remember to use the MODE32 extension and they check that their applications are 32-bit clean rather than settle for the 24-bit ones!Originally posted by dombi
I do not want to ruin their fun, but they will be so pissed when they find out that they cannot run OS 8 on them.
Sriously, what good is a computer (OK, let's even call it cluster) for, if you cannot troubleshoot the Extensions folder.
Hah.
Re: 64-bit nonsense
64 bit Panther is "coming soon". Based on the slide show I would have to estimate 1-1-04.
Rocketman
64 bit Panther is "coming soon". Based on the slide show I would have to estimate 1-1-04.
Rocketman
Re: Re: 64-bit nonsense
I find that highly unlikely. I'd wouldn't expect to see true 64-bit until OS X 10.4 "Wildcat" in about a year. Or even OS XI - 64-bits would be worth a major version number increment.
As to the slideshow - no way that they'd do an OS change as they go into production. They'll have spent months getting whatever OS they are using (10.2.7, right) working smoothly.
You don't do a major OS upgrade on a $5M computer, especially to a new 64-bit OS, at the last minute.
I find that highly unlikely. I'd wouldn't expect to see true 64-bit until OS X 10.4 "Wildcat" in about a year. Or even OS XI - 64-bits would be worth a major version number increment.
As to the slideshow - no way that they'd do an OS change as they go into production. They'll have spent months getting whatever OS they are using (10.2.7, right) working smoothly.
You don't do a major OS upgrade on a $5M computer, especially to a new 64-bit OS, at the last minute.
Yep. Apple told us our order (edu inst.) would ship by the end of August... still hasn't shipped, Apple still can't answer why not. If we don't have them by October 1, we lose the $27,000 in grant money that bought them, and our order. So if we still want to order them, we have to dig up another $27,000... and get back at the end of the line. And my cinema display on my desk is getting dusty. But what's the point of cleaning it? Doesn't look like I'll be using it anytime soon. At least the Z-680s can plug into my trusty W2k PC. I pity the business professor in the next office.
Re: 64-bit nonsense
Oh... my... god.
Why do you not understand that the reason Panther is *Not* a 64 Bit OS is because then 32 bit users can't *RUN IT*.
This does not mean however it is not G5 compatible, it is and they optomized Panther so it has 64 bit code in in!
Very Very nice.
You don't think they will notice if one is missing eh?
A sea of Powerful computers... ahh
Oh... my... god.
Why do you not understand that the reason Panther is *Not* a 64 Bit OS is because then 32 bit users can't *RUN IT*.
This does not mean however it is not G5 compatible, it is and they optomized Panther so it has 64 bit code in in!
Very Very nice.
You don't think they will notice if one is missing eh?
A sea of Powerful computers... ahh