Cluster Computing

In the summer of 2001, Redbrick members built a Beowulf Linux Cluster for the School of Computing, DCU. We used 23 old lab computers that would have been thrown out, were granted access to a lab (LG28) in which to put it together for the month of July, experimented with a few different setups, and finally gave the school a system that was used for research in the "Modelling & Scientific Computing" Research Group.

CA4 projects using the cluster included analysis of digital video (cutting shots & scenes), and parallelisation of the QCL (Quantum Computing Language). Postgraduate research was conducted mostly on the analysis of biological data (DNA & protein sequences), but also on models of biological systems (immune system response, drug dissolution).

• http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~cluster/
• http://www.computing.dcu.ie/~msc/cluster/
• Initial proposal document for the School of Computing, DCU

Further Developments:

With the loss of a postgrad admin for the cluster (Karl Podesta, who left DCU to join Securelinx Ltd), and the arrival of a commercial cluster in the School of Computing (bought through a tender process for the National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology or NICB, 16 dual-CPU nodes Dell Poweredge running Red Hat Linux), the old Redbrick cluster has been since decommissioned (roughly 2004). It provided a platform for 2 years of research within the "ModSci" research group while it lasted. The new NICB cluster is now only available for use via special request by students & staff of NICB, or of the Masters in Bioinformatics, and not open to all students. A new commodity cluster specifically for the School of Computing has been set up by Neil Costigan working in cryptography on elliptic curves (DCU Crypto Cluster).

Related Links:

• The home of Beowulf Clusters
• Beowulf mailing list - very tech, high traffic, but worthwhile!
• Modelling & Scientific Computing Research Group - School of Computing, DCU