Though, I think that anyone of us can clearly see that $38m for 300-600 Dell servers is a bit much. It doesn't take a great leap to realize that this is for many more things then just 'puters.
That said, it is interesting to note that when the figure of $5.2 mil was published for the VT system, it was also stated, much like the TX system that this was the 5 year cost of the total project, not just the computer itself. Is that a real world project cost or just a Public Relations number remains to be seen.
After reading an article from the VT school newspaper, it appears at least, that the project was designed at VT, VT staff worked out the software details, and that a great amount of savings was realized at VT by the use of a small army of volunteers, the article also mentions that the whole project was completed in 3 months time which also helped cut costs. In fact, the G5's didn't even arrive at VT until September.
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/index.php?ID=2029
BBC also has a nice little warm and fuzzy.
http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_clickon li ne.asp?pageid=666&co_pageid=3
The press release I found on Dell's website, states that "Dell services worked with Cray to design and deploy the cluster." I imagine that those services did not come cheap. Even if the services were ultimatly donated by Dell, I doubt dell would let TX not include the "retail cost" of those services in thier numbers so that Dell atleast receives the "good will" of thier charity (ala MSFT).
My feeling is that at the end of the day, the project at VT will still come out to have a better cost / Tflop using the Apple G5's. What intersts me the most however, is the notion that the VT project was in fact designed by the VT staff and set up was aided by many volunteers much like the Open Source software community approaches building app's, while the TX project appears to have been designed by Dell and Cray and installed by Dell services, no mention of volunteers at TX thus far.
It has been clear in the the articles I have read, including the first notice asking for volunteers to help in installation, that the budget for the VT project was kept to a low threw the VT staff and volunteers pitching in to make the project happen in such a short time.
Besides, how hard would it be to get a bunch of us to volunteer to help install a Super Computer Cluster at a University? That's certainly a volunteer T-Shirt I wouldn't mind having and a day off well spent.
Hopefully, when the dust settles, VT's system will serve as another example of how a community of volunteers can come together and participate in the completion of project for the greater good of community, knowledge and education. If the economics of the VT project hold true, could this be the advent of an "open source like" movement in super computer installation around the world?
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Though, I think that anyone of us can clearly see that $38m for 300-600 Dell servers is a bit much. It doesn't take a great leap to realize that this is for many more things then just 'puters.
9
n li ne.asp?pageid=666&co_pageid=3
s px /corp/pressoffice/en/2003/2003_10_03_aus_000?c=us& l=en&s=corp
That said, it is interesting to note that when the figure of $5.2 mil was published for the VT system, it was also stated, much like the TX system that this was the 5 year cost of the total project, not just the computer itself. Is that a real world project cost or just a Public Relations number remains to be seen.
After reading an article from the VT school newspaper, it appears at least, that the project was designed at VT, VT staff worked out the software details, and that a great amount of savings was realized at VT by the use of a small army of volunteers, the article also mentions that the whole project was completed in 3 months time which also helped cut costs. In fact, the G5's didn't even arrive at VT until September.
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/index.php?ID=202
BBC also has a nice little warm and fuzzy.
http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_clicko
The press release I found on Dell's website, states that "Dell services worked with Cray to design and deploy the cluster." I imagine that those services did not come cheap. Even if the services were ultimatly donated by Dell, I doubt dell would let TX not include the "retail cost" of those services in thier numbers so that Dell atleast receives the "good will" of thier charity (ala MSFT).
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.a
My feeling is that at the end of the day, the project at VT will still come out to have a better cost / Tflop using the Apple G5's. What intersts me the most however, is the notion that the VT project was in fact designed by the VT staff and set up was aided by many volunteers much like the Open Source software community approaches building app's, while the TX project appears to have been designed by Dell and Cray and installed by Dell services, no mention of volunteers at TX thus far.
It has been clear in the the articles I have read, including the first notice asking for volunteers to help in installation, that the budget for the VT project was kept to a low threw the VT staff and volunteers pitching in to make the project happen in such a short time.
Besides, how hard would it be to get a bunch of us to volunteer to help install a Super Computer Cluster at a University? That's certainly a volunteer T-Shirt I wouldn't mind having and a day off well spent.
Hopefully, when the dust settles, VT's system will serve as another example of how a community of volunteers can come together and participate in the completion of project for the greater good of community, knowledge and education. If the economics of the VT project hold true, could this be the advent of an "open source like" movement in super computer installation around the world?