[TLUG-ANNOUNCE]: Cluster Workshop

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Fri, May 14, 2010 at 07:16:07PM +0000, john.moniz-rieW9WUcm8FFJ04o6PK0Fg at public.gmane.org wrote:
> > Subject: [TLUG-ANNOUNCE]: Cluster Workshop
> > From: drew-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
> > To: tlug-announce-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
> > Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 13:26:49 -0400
> > 
> > Madison Kelly is looking for interest in doing:
> > 
> > Cluster Workshop - Build a 2-Node Cluster!
> > 
> > -=] What:
> > 
> > You or your group would come with two bare servers and leave with a
> > fully-functioning 2-Node cluster.
> > 
> Does a cluster have any useful purpose in a home environment (ie. web; 
> email; office suite; photo management...)? Would any of the software in a
>  typical home be able to use a cluster?

I believe the answer is quite simply: No.

At least that was what we told people on IRC in the late 90s when beowulf
came out and everyone was asking how to use beowulf with their pile of
386 and 486 machines.  As soon as you told them it would not speed up
their web browser they tended to go away.  Somehow people assumed it
would magically make one fast computer.

Most everything using a cluster needs to use OpenMPI or similar to pass
messages around to synchronize a parallel job.  Obviously most software
doesn't do this.  Plenty of software doesn't even use threads.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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