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Imagine a Beowulf Cluster of Penguin Computers

Posted by michael on from the all-jokes-aside dept.

Pii writes "News.com is running a story about Penguin Computing acquiring Scyld Computing, a company founded by Donald Becker, of linux ethernet driver and Beowulf cluster fame. Becker will stay on as Penguin's Chief Technology Officer, and the companies claim they don't expect any layoffs as a result of the merger."

7 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Anyone actually use a beowolf cluster? by dspyder · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just curious (in a serious way), is anybody actually using a beowolf cluster for anything important? Anything that couldn't be done with a super-powerful single machine?

    --D

    1. Re:Anyone actually use a beowolf cluster? by gnuadam · · Score: 4, Interesting

      To ask that question is to miss the beauty that is beowolf.

      Few things (anything?) that can be done on a beowolf can't be done on a single multiprocessor machine. But if your problem is well suited to a beowolf approach, it's often much cheaper.

      --
      You say :wq, I say ZZ. Why can't we all just get along?
  2. Becker rules by Giant+Ape+Skeleton · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I remember one of my earliest Linux experiences involved trying to get a gateway PC with one of those weird generic 3Cxxx based integrated NICs working with Debian (my first distro).

    I posted newbieshly to a Debian NG and amidst the flames and RTFM's, Donald Becker actually took the time to provide me with the solution.

    This experience encouraged me to continue learning Linux networking, and the rest is (obscure) history.... :-)

    --
    The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
    1. Re:Becker rules by Etyenne · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yep, I second that. Don Becker is one of the most accessible kernel hacker I know of. A colleague here exchanged a few email with him concerning a misbehaving NIC (D-Link DFE-530TX rev A3-1) and he was really helpful. Considering this man earn a living consulting, I think the free help with troubleshooting from his part was very generous. He really have the quality of his driver at heart.

      --
      :wq
  3. Yep... by Ron+Harwood · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Here's one at my workplace...

    What takes hours on this system could take weeks on a "super-powerful single machine".

    --
    BlackNova Traders
  4. Execellent by nomadlogic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    well this is great news. i work for a visual fx company and we pretty much use Penguin gear for our render farms and IT infrastructure. These guys have great gear and great prices...so this sounds great.

    I thought Scyld was based in Anapolis Md. will they be moving out to Cali?

    --
    God is real, unless declared integer.
  5. Re:Yes. by mhore · · Score: 3, Interesting
    So Linux is definitely a big help in scientific research, with or without Beowulf clusters.

    Yes, Linux is a huge help -- one reason that it is (and not the primary reason) is that it is free (or at least low cost). With the budget cuts that the state of TN (and I gather many others) have been facing, Linux is even more useful as we can get new nodes/whatever for our research while keeping costs low (as opposed to using an OS like Solaris which costs $$$). We can grab a bunch of parts off of the shelf and build a node for a few hundred dollars... instead of paying $2,000 for a high performance UNIX/Linux/whatever workstation.

    --

    Mmmm......sacrelicious.