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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?"

5 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. XServe by bonch · · Score: -1, Troll

    Probably a lot more expensive than you're considering, but at my new job, we have two XServes serving data in the back room. They were incredibly easy to set up and administer, and they are FAST. And best of all, they're UNIX.

    However, we also have a low-end PC Linux Gentoo cluster for some extra low-end processing, mostly for when we get a special task and don't want to have the XServes do it. But I'm in love with the XServes. To those who say Apple isn't targeting the enterprise, look no further.

    1. Re:XServe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Yeah, with Linux on them, I bet they're not totally bad...

    2. Re:XServe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Like most Apple zealots, you're completely missing the point here. Why should he have to run his own software update server to circumvent Apple's childishness? Quite a waste of resources, don't you think?

  2. Green Solution Instead of the Fastest Solution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition regularly assesses computer companies to determine whether they have good environment policies and respect for workers' rights. Chinese companies (including those in Taiwan) consistently fail on both counts.

    Our conscience requires us to avoid buying Chinese computers and other Chinese products. As for the Linux clusters, here is one approach to creating a green clustered computer which is fast but may not be the fastest machine. We willingly sacrifice a little bit of speed in order to promote the environment and workers rights.

    Buy 16 Sony desktops, of which many are actually assembled in the United States of America. Alternatively, buy 16 Fujitsu or Toshiba desktops. Sony, Fujitsu, and Toshiba are committed to protecting the environment. Another alternative is to buy 16 Siemens-Nixdorf desktop.

    Then, get a copy of Linux and Beowulf, and presto (!), you have a supercomputer in your office. The total cost should run you about $10,000.

  3. Re:Dual Opteron 1U rack units.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Don't buy that.

    AMD cpus are made in china and have bugs!!!!