Help starting 130 Server Cluster

[pstrapp]

I have a 130 unit set up that I would like to get started running but I will need some assistance.

The computer are all identical servers:

• - 2U Rackable Systems C2004
  - Asus KFSN4-DRE/2S motherboard
  - 2x AMD Opteron 2218 Dual core CPU
  - 8GB RAM

I would like to set this up to run with limited access to the devices, perhaps remotely administrated through a master computer. But, I'm very new to this whole thing. Would anyone be able to help explain what I would need to do to get started?

Thanks in advance.

[7im]

Hello pstrapp, welcome to the folding support forum.

The Folding@home client does not support clustering across multiple nodes in a cluster. However, the FAH client does consider each node with multiple CPUs it's own little cluster. To make full use of all 130 nodes, the FAH client would need to be installed on each node.

I would start with 1 node, then familiarize yourself with the client and the FAHControl monitoring and configuration program, which can monitor multiple clients (nodes) across the network. Add a second, and so on. Ask more questions as the come up.

[Joe_H]

Welcome to the folding forum.

First, each of the systems will need its own installation of the folding client suitable for the OS being used. An installation created on one system should not be cloned to another except if you are prepared to make certain each cloned installation is started as a new client. Otherwise you can end up copying the unique machine ID received by a client installation the first time it connects to the folding servers, and that can result in work assignments being duplicated.

The FAHControl portion of the folding install can be configured to control multiple systems, though I don't know if there is an upper limit. So it could be set up on a master computer to handle the other systems. Someone did write up a guide to setting this up, but I can't find the link at the moment. This would be configured on the Remote Access tab of FAHControl's Configure page. The FAHClient process on each system would need to be restarted once this has been done.

Others hopefully will chip in with their own advice.

Finally, as required in the terms of use, if these systems are not yours, make certain you have the permission of the organization who owns them. Many recommend that it be in writing in case there is a change in management. They do need to be aware of the increased use of resources such as electricity and cooling.

[pstrapp]

No issues with approvals to run this, it is specifically being requested. What is the simplest OS that would instantly boot into running FAH without individual configuration at each device? Is that even possible? I would like to ideally load the OS onto bootable USB drives and then have the servers load them automatically on boot.

[bruce]

7im and Joe have already said it. Folding@home is not designed to run on a cluster, but rather it's designed for home computers. There is no OS which will instantly boot FAH without individual configurations. Home computers do not consist of multiple nodes. Each Node of a cluster can be treated as a home computer, possibly with multiple CPUs or GPUs but they're expected to be running their own copy of Linux or Windows or MacOS.