$1250 Supercomputer

prescient63 · 09-05-2007, 03:21 AM

I thought this was pretty interesting, its not fast by todays supercomputer standards but it would of been blazing in 1990. At any rate I thought it was a pretty cool project.

From OhGizmo

Do you ever suffer from computer-related performance anxiety? If so, you’re definitely not alone, and Calvin College student Tim Brom has the cure: a built-from-scratch 26.25 gigaflops supercomputer that runs off one standard wall outlet, will fit on your desk, and cost less than $2500 to build in 2006 (building a copy today would cost only $1256). The supercomputer, called Microwulf, consists of four microATX motherboards, each with a dual core CPU and 2 gigs of ram, all connected with an 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch. The whole shebang also includes a CD/DVD drive and a 250 gb HD, and runs Ubuntu Linux. Microwulf’s price to performance ratio, as well as its performance to power ratio, is thought to be among the best on the planet, and it’s certainly more portable than any other supercomputer out there.

Microwulf isn’t for sale, but if you want to try to build your own, there’s a complete hardware manifest on the Microwulf website, and ClusterMonkey has a fairly comprehensive article on the design and construction process. Good luck; if you can make it work I’ll buy one from you.

Clericnon2boxed · 09-05-2007, 04:42 AM

I read that the R600 delivers 450 gigaflops, but only single precision, next gen graphiccards are supposed to have double precision which will make them more useful for supercomputers.

Nevertheless it's interesting what they did there.

khanibal · 09-06-2007, 10:08 AM

He made a cluster.

Grats?

Grooverider · 09-06-2007, 10:22 AM

It's impressive because it could sit on your desk at home. Most beowulf clusters are built in rackspace and are basically dogshit.

Also the $/gflop barrier is very respectable!

So yes - grats.

Slide · 09-06-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grooverider

It's impressive because it could sit on your desk at home. Most beowulf clusters are built in rackspace and are basically dogshit.

Also the $/gflop barrier is very respectable!

So yes - grats.

Or you could buy a dual socket machine and put a pair of quad cores in it?

Tyen · 09-06-2007, 03:34 PM

Gigaflop is a hilarious word. Just my 2 cents~

khanibal · 09-07-2007, 06:17 AM

for the price he paid on that you could do better.

seriously.

I'm really not that impressed.

and yes, gigaflop is a weird word.. sounds like an abusive sexual act.

I'LL GIGAFLOP THAT HOE INTO NEXT WEEK, YO

Kiely · 09-07-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyen

Gigaflop is a hilarious word. Just my 2 cents~

Agreed. It's all about the Jigawatt.

09-05-2007, 03:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
prescient63 You can't blame women for what they do wrong in the same way that you can't blame a dog for what it does wrong. Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,484 -5 Internets	$1250 Supercomputer I thought this was pretty interesting, its not fast by todays supercomputer standards but it would of been blazing in 1990. At any rate I thought it was a pretty cool project. From OhGizmo Do you ever suffer from computer-related performance anxiety? If so, you’re definitely not alone, and Calvin College student Tim Brom has the cure: a built-from-scratch 26.25 gigaflops supercomputer that runs off one standard wall outlet, will fit on your desk, and cost less than $2500 to build in 2006 (building a copy today would cost only $1256). The supercomputer, called Microwulf, consists of four microATX motherboards, each with a dual core CPU and 2 gigs of ram, all connected with an 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch. The whole shebang also includes a CD/DVD drive and a 250 gb HD, and runs Ubuntu Linux. Microwulf’s price to performance ratio, as well as its performance to power ratio, is thought to be among the best on the planet, and it’s certainly more portable than any other supercomputer out there. Microwulf isn’t for sale, but if you want to try to build your own, there’s a complete hardware manifest on the Microwulf website, and ClusterMonkey has a fairly comprehensive article on the design and construction process. Good luck; if you can make it work I’ll buy one from you.

09-06-2007, 10:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
khanibal lolololololol Join Date: May 2002 Location: lololol Posts: 261 -1 Internets	He made a cluster. Grats? __________________ lolololololol

09-07-2007, 06:17 AM	#7 (permalink)
khanibal lolololololol Join Date: May 2002 Location: lololol Posts: 261 -1 Internets	for the price he paid on that you could do better. seriously. I'm really not that impressed. and yes, gigaflop is a weird word.. sounds like an abusive sexual act. I'LL GIGAFLOP THAT HOE INTO NEXT WEEK, YO __________________ lolololololol

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09-05-2007, 04:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
Clericnon2boxed Up Syndrome Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Bärlin Posts: 1,458 -2 Internets	I read that the R600 delivers 450 gigaflops, but only single precision, next gen graphiccards are supposed to have double precision which will make them more useful for supercomputers. Nevertheless it's interesting what they did there.

09-06-2007, 10:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
Grooverider hildog Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 855 -1 Internets	It's impressive because it could sit on your desk at home. Most beowulf clusters are built in rackspace and are basically dogshit. Also the $/gflop barrier is very respectable! So yes - grats.

09-06-2007, 03:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tyen Ghost of Tyen Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 2,219 +14 Internets	Gigaflop is a hilarious word. Just my 2 cents~