Quakecon Computer

[slipperyskip]

Well I'm pretty much done. I'll be shipping it to Texas tomorrow.

Specs:
5-node cluster totaling 4.2GHz processing power
One VIA PD10000 Mainboard (Dual NIC)
Four VIA V8000A Mainboards
2.5 GB Memory (512MB per node)
Linksys 5-port switch
200GB total storage-Five 2.5" Seagate 40GB, 5400 rpm, 8MB cache drives
Single external ACDC power supply, Five internal DCDC converters
Two green Kingwin Thunder lights
Thompson Lucky Seven cabinet-style cigar humidor (12"x12"x20")
Vantec 92mm Stealth case fan
Each node dual boots Win Server 2003 and Fedora Core 2

The entire cluster slides out of the case after disconnecting the case fan.

The QuakeCon rules state that you can only bring one computer. It will be fun to watch them stroke out on this one. :lol:

I will have a full story after I get back.

Come visit me in the BYOC if you plan to attend.

http://slipperyskip.com/Cluster/a.jpg

[dworld]

thats cool

[Amanda]

*shall drag Joe and Cookie over to check it out*

:-D

See you next week!

[dhuss]

kick ass skip, what are you gonna do with it after the fragging's over???

*cough cough fold cough cough* :lol:

D.H.

[scifikg]

well done. Is there any particular reason why you are dual booting windows and linux? Also is that line of leds indicaticating network activity from the switch?

[slipperyskip]

Originally posted by scifikg@Aug 5 2004, 11:02 AM
well done. Is there any particular reason why you are dual booting windows and linux? Also is that line of leds indicaticating network activity from the switch?
The majority of high performance clustering software out today is Linux based. My reason for building this computer is to learn as much as possible about all flavors of clustering, including Windows server clusters and network load balancing.

Yes, I have all kinds of lights going on here. The row of lights you are talking about is the switch which I mounted with its case removed. There is also the activity lights on the network jacks. Finally, the hard drive activity lights are mounted just below the switch.

Everything is green.

'nother lousy picture. The flash distorted the green LEDs.

[JonR]

Hey skip, do you have more pics you post or perhaps a work log?

[BSW4650]

Very nice, i like it. Have fun and GL fraggin. ;)

[scifikg]

Do you have any benchmarks comparing the cluster to just a single 800Mhz board?

[Bigfat]

Sweet, good to see the final specs, GL at QC.

[anode]

Very pretty. Cherrywood? is is that real glass? Looks awfully clear to be plastic

[Xtremist]

That is SO pretty!!

[\/1ndicated]

What bout gfx card u just usin onboard or what i dont think u ahve space for a card and u have enoguh ram o use onboard(thats if you have options on ram size for onboard gfx)

[slipperyskip]

I am not going to QuakeCon to frag with this thing. It has lousy graphics. Just as long as I scare a few people into thinking I came to crush them then I will be happy.

I am (was) coming solely to compete in the case mod contest.

I just found out 10 minutes ago that VIA is sponsoring the case mod contest which means I'm out. ^&%&$^%$#^%

They have asked me to be a "celebrity VIP judge". Sounds cool but I am still disappointed.

[RedXray]

Originally posted by slipperyskip@Aug 5 2004, 08:45 PM
I just found out 10 minutes ago that VIA is sponsoring the case mod contest which means I'm out. ^&%&$^%$#^%

They have asked me to be a "celebrity VIP judge".
Sorry to hear that Skip.

Are you somehow affiliated with VIA?

I'm sure the competition is breathing a sigh of relief...

as you and Crimson are probably two of the best in this field.

[kevrwag]

very cool and great workmanship.

[WVJammer]

Originally posted by slipperyskip@Aug 5 2004, 08:45 PM
I just found out 10 minutes ago that VIA is sponsoring the case mod contest which means I'm out. ^&%&$^%$#^%


Man that sucks.
You would have
been a "shoe-in"
for first place with
this one.

[slipperyskip]

Originally posted by RedXray@Aug 5 2004, 09:03 PM
Are you somehow affiliated with VIA?


I suppose. Unofficially like the Wendy's guy.

In this case, VIA gave me the PD10000 board, they are re-imbursing me for my airfare and paying for shipping costs.

I may be wrong but I doubt there will be very many VIA CPU based machines in the event.

How would it look if I won the VIA-sponsored case mod contest?

Instead, I'll be bringing the Cluster, The Machine Age Project and the Mini-Me to display at VIA's booth.

I believe that this same thing happened to ZapWizard last year when AMD sponsored the contest.

[SLAY3R]

How the hell do you cool this thing? :unsure:

[slipperyskip]

Originally posted by SLAY3R@Aug 9 2004, 02:30 PM
How the hell do you cool this thing? :unsure:
I haven't had much time to play with it since finishing but....a single 92mm exhaust fan in the back along with two 60mm filtered intake ports seems to do the trick....so far.

I can always install two 60mm intake fans and replace the Vantec Stealth 92mm exhaust with something with a little more serious CFM like a Tornado.

The real challenge of this project was the power. I didn't get it worked out until 2 days before shipping. Four PW-60s and one PW-200 all powered from one external ACDC brick.

[High Voltage Guru]

At least their paying for your shipping and airfare...

[Slayer2k3]

Aw man, all that work and you cant compete. that truely sucks guy, sorry. Awsome rig though, nice n neat layout, and not cluttered. B)

[\/1ndicated]

Man i would love to build a cluster computer but i have no where near the money to build. 4 setups at like 100 for mobos 5 hard drives hmmm do i need to add things up for u it isnt cheap. But awsome work u have a site that tells u all about clustering pcs.

[Lockblade]

Same here. I am on a small budget ($500-$700). Also, homework is eating up my time. How can I cluster windows PC's?

[TVR&PC_Fan]

And I good thing to ask how much in total did you spend, I bet yoshi is thinking bring it on The Screen Savers.

[vial]

I saw it quake and wow! Your projects look so good in person, my friend kept on wanting to open your cluster case but I had to stop him repeatedly.

[nugget]

That is a nice puter.

[dhuss]

Originally posted by \/1ndicated@Aug 10 2004, 08:45 PM
Man i would love to build a cluster computer but i have no where near the money to build. 4 setups at like 100 for mobos 5 hard drives hmmm do i need to add things up for u it isnt cheap. But awsome work u have a site that tells u all about clustering pcs.
Same here. I am on a small budget ($500-$700). Also, homework is eating up my time. How can I cluster windows PC's?

I'm sure you can find Mobos a lot cheaper than 100 each... I'm actually in that same boat. want to build a cluster but don't have much money. So what i'm doing is really going with the cheapest I can find (more or less). after finding a few things I figure I could make 5 nodes at 1.7 GHz each for 700 bucks (assuming prices don't go up any, some of that stuff was on sale). of course I don't really need any cases for them so if need be factor that in. you can make one on the cheap, it's just a matter of hunting around and looking for what you can afford.

D.H.

[slipperyskip]

Thanks everyone. I had fun at QuakeCon. It took me about three 1/2 hours to help judge the case mod contest. It was a blast getting to scope on all the great work there.

It wouldn't cost a lot to build a cluster if you were able to rescue computers headed for the landfill. Some old PIIIs would work perfect.

A ghetto cluster would be very cool.

[waxon]

Do you have a web-site or work log you could link us to? Is that a cigar humidor.

[SLAY3R]

Originally posted by slipperyskip@Aug 18 2004, 10:38 AM


A ghetto cluster would be very cool.
As long as it doesn't speed down residential roads, parties hard and plays loud music. :lol:

[dhuss]

Originally posted by slipperyskip@Aug 18 2004, 09:38 AM
It wouldn't cost a lot to build a cluster if you were able to rescue computers headed for the landfill. Some old PIIIs would work perfect.
you need to tell me these people that throw away old P3s... I tried that and the best I could get my hands on was a P1 @ 90 MHz (which is going to be my new smoothie :D ) I think a lot of people around here have the same mentality as my work does (they don't throw ANYTHING in the way of electronics away...). In fact i'm still working on a P3 800 MHz with only 256 MB of ram, yeah not only that but they also won't even spring for a copy of XP... i'm still running ME which came with it :angry:

D.H.

[zeLupin]

QuakeCon 2004 – Ultimate Collection of Case Mods (http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=685&dPage=5)

That last one looks familiar. :D

QuakeCon 2004 - Ultimate Collection Of Case Mods (http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=685&dPage=6)

So do those first two. :D

[slipperyskip]

Originally posted by dhuss@Aug 18 2004, 02:37 PM
you need to tell me these people that throw away old P3s...
Government is your best source especially local school boards. Find out how your school system disposes of old computers. Even PI 233s are worthy cluster nodes.

[slipperyskip]

Originally posted by Lupin_Modder@Aug 18 2004, 03:35 PM
QuakeCon 2004 - Ultimate Collection Of Case Mods (http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=685&dPage=6)

So do those first two. :D
The last two show the cluster pulled out. Every now and then I would disconnect the case fan power cable and pull the whole cluster out of its case, while it was still running, just to show off. :P

[\/1ndicated]

Originally posted by Lupin_Modder@Aug 18 2004, 03:35 PM
QuakeCon 2004 – Ultimate Collection of Case Mods (http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=article&dId=685&dPage=5)


Is it just me or are some of those cases not mods i have seen the clear case before maybe it is cutom but u can buy them like that now and the thermaltake one only thing was they bondod and panted front door i think i cant c the hole case so if im wrong im wrong dont shot me though.