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Linux Clustering Hardware?

Posted by Cliff on from the expensive-highway-or-the-cheap-road dept.

Kanagawa asks: "The last few years have seen a slew of new Linux clustering and blade-server hardware solutions; they're being offered by the likes of HP, IBM, and smaller companies like Penguin Computing. We've been using the HP gear for awhile with mixed results and have decided to re-evaluate other solutions. We can't help but notice that the Google gear in our co-lo appears to be off-the-shelf motherboards screwed to aluminum shelves. So, it's making us curious. What have Slashdot's famed readers found to be reliable and cost effective for clustering? Do you prefer blade server forms, white-box rack mount units, or high-end multi-CPU servers? And, most importantly, what do you look for when making a choice?"

8 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. nes beowulf cluster by FLAGGR · · Score: 1, Funny

    I run a 4096 node NES beowulf cluster. Works great!

    1. Re:nes beowulf cluster by FidelCatsro · · Score: 3, Funny

      Is that an SMB(super mario brothers) server

      --
      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  2. Total Overkill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    We can't help but notice that the Google gear in our co-lo appears to be off-the-shelf motherboards screwed to aluminum shelves.

    That would be typical of a prima donna company like Google that's floating in cash from their IPO.

    Around here, we don't waste money on fancy designer metals like aluminum. Salvaged wooden shipping palettes work just fine for us; they're free. And screws!? No need to waste resources on high-end fasteners when you can pick up surplus baling wire for less than a penny per foot. A couple of loops of wire and a few twists are all you need to assemble a working server.

    The dotcom days are over. There's no reason to throw money around like there's no tomorrow.

  3. Re:Pictures? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh yeah, show me a picture of your rack baby!

  4. Obviously by iamdrscience · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't it obvious that the best technology is blade servers? I mean, c'mon fucking BLADE servers! It's far and away got the coolest name of any of them. The only way you could beat them would be if some company came out with something cooler like ninja star servers, now that would be awesome.

    1. Re:Obviously by PornMaster · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah.

      HP, instead of calling its big boxes Superdomes, should have used Thunderdrome!

      --
      500GB of disk, 5TB of transfer, $5.95/mo
    2. Re:Obviously by mikeage · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hi, this post is all about blades, REAL BLADES. This post is awesome. My name is Mikeage and I can't stop thinking about blades. These machines are cool; and by cool, I mean totally sweet.

      Facts:

      1. Blades are servers.

      2. Blades fight ALL the time.

      3. The purpose of the blade is to flip out and kill people.

      Testimonial:

      Blades can kill anyone they want! Blades cut off heads ALL the time and don't even think twice about it. These guys are so crazy and awesome that they flip out ALL the time. I heard that there was this blade who was eating at a diner. And when some dude dropped a spoon the blade killed the whole town. My friend Mark said that he saw a blade totally uppercut some kid just because the kid opened a window.

      And that's what I call REAL Ultimate Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      --
      -- Is "Sig" copyrighted by www.sig.com?
  5. Clarification.. by MilesParker · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...after posting I realized that the 34 and 60k quotes were before discount (I think). SO the actual price descrepncy was "only" 62%.