Connect 2 Computers together... (as a supercomputer)

[Scanlia]

I want to connect a couple of computers over the network, so i can use the computing power all on one computer. Through the ethernet not physically connecting them. Something like beowolf, but beowolf seems a bit complicated and I'm not sure where to start, maybe another program.. anyone recommend anything?

 

[4745454b]

For what? I'm going to guess that its not for anything that a cluster is good at.

 

[Scanlia]

I don't know, for some batch processing or something... anyone know anything about this stuff?

 

[4745454b]

I do. What do you mean by batch processing?

Why don't you tell us what you want/need to do? We can better advise if we know what is trying to be accomplished. From what you've wrote so far, it seems like you just want to do something for the heck of it.

 

[aznshinobi]

It's most likely do-able.

Do you mean like how the air-force hooks up all those PS3 into one super-computer.

 

[Scanlia]

It's most likely do-able.

Do you mean like how the air-force hooks up all those PS3 into one super-computer.

Yes, something like that.

'4745454b' Doing it for the sake of it is fun... like building a computer. Maybe if I could do some rendering with blender, like adding another core.. I'm not sure how these things work.. you see. Can you tell me what I'll be able to do and what I won't...

People make supercomputers by putting lots of motherboards together via ethernet and lots of NVIDIA graphics cards... i don't see how it's that hard..
thanks

 

[mdd1963]

The ability to compute in parallel is largely limited by current software and operating systems, as custom parallel rendering rigs are very expensive; two or three computers connected via a router or a switch do *not* equal any sort of supercomputer.

Once you realize the complexities, you will see it is, in fact, VERY hard to do.

 

[4745454b]

The problem for us home users is there isn't really software designed out there to let us do this. You could probably find some brute force password cracking software, and I'm sure there are some other options as well. When doing this the only tasks that I'm aware of that work on these systems are those distributed programs like SETI and folding at home. Something that you can assign Computer 1 to do chunk 1, computer 2 to do chunk 2, etc. I don't think rendering like blender would work very well, or if it even supports working in this way.

This is different then just adding another core. The program needs to know which chunks are being worked on, and where they are on the network. This is different then just which core has the info. If its not network aware, then its not happening.

Doing for the sake of doing is one thing, but I think you'll find a big lack of software/tasks that you would care about.

 

[Scanlia]

Damn... looks really hard the way you guys put it, I was just thinking of some software that installs on the PC 2, and the PC 1 sends some information and data through the network and the software on PC 2 works it out and sends the results back to PC 1 through the network... not possible?

 

[4745454b]

It is possible. But you need something like F@H to make it work. A program on C1 would need to send out work units to the attached computer and they work on it. It would need to be a task that is suited to such a thing however. These tasks are not usually what home users want however. (unless you're into folding proteins or ???)

 

[LIAMSCANLON]

yes it is possible, get some glue and stick them together

 

[panji yehezkiel]

I've try it b4,.. Maybe what you trying to say is hardware resource sharing.. in theoretical it's need more than gigabyte LAN to work,.. but there is also a technology to combine PC resource under linux, but I don't think is there any software under windows yet..

Please see my pic for dual PC modd :
https://www.facebook.com/Yehezkiel.Panji/media_set?set=a.376495149028703.92320.100000046631988&type=3

 

[mboy813]

How would I link 10 desktops to run as 1