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'''Beowulf''' is a design for high-performance [[parallel computing]] clusters ([[HPPC cluster]]) on inexpensive personal computer hardware. Originally developed by Thomas L. Sterling and Donald Becker at NASA, Beowulf systems are now deployed worldwide, chiefly in support of [[scientific computing]].
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A Beowulf cluster is a group of usually identical [[computer|PC computers]] running a Free and Open Source Software ([[FOSS]]) [[Unix]]-like [[operating system]], such as [[Linux]] or [[BSD]]. They are [[computer network|networked]] into a small TCP/IP [[LAN]], and have libraries and programs installed which allow processing to be shared among them.
[[Image:Simple Beowulf Cluster Diagram.png|right|thumb|250px|In a Beowulf cluster, the network cables (shown in blue) that connect the eight nodes to the master serve as a [[Computer#How_computers_work:_the_stored_program_architecture|bus]]]]


There is no particular piece of software that defines a cluster as a Beowulf. Commonly used parallel processing libraries include MPI (Message Passing Interface) and PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine). Both of these permit the programmer to divide a task among a group of [[computer network|networked computers]], and recollect the results of processing. It is a common misconception that any software will run faster on a Beowulf. The software must be re-written to take advantage of the cluster, and specifically have multiple non-dependent parallel computations involved in its execution.
A '''Beowulf cluster''' is a class of supercomputer, specifically one that utilizes "Commercial Off the Shelf" (COTS) hardware such as [[personal computer|personal computers]] and [[Computer network|Ethernet switches]] to link the machines together so that they act as one, and the Beowulf library of software which is used to help implement a [[distributed computing|distributed application]].  


The name comes from the main character in the Old English epic [[Beowulf]].
The concept of clustering machines together in this way is known as [[distributed computing]].
 
The Beowulf libraries provide facilities for using a global [[PID|process id]] (among the machines in the Beowulf), methods of [[remote execution]] of [[process|processes]] to run across the cluster, and more. The downside of the use of this library is that programs have to be specifically written to be run in a Beowulf, and have to be compiled with said libraries included. Newer clustering technology such as [[Mosix]] clusters address this limitation. <ref name="Donald Becker at NYLUG">{{cite web|url=http://ssadler.phy.bnl.gov/adler/DB/DonaldBecker.html|title="From Word Processors to Super Computers: Donald Becker Speaks about Beowulf at NYLUG"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref>
 
==Beowulf Development==
In early 1993, NASA scientists [[Donald Becker]] and [[Thomas Sterling]] began sketching out the details of what would become a revolutionary way to build a cheap supercomputer: link low-cost desktops together with commodity, off the shelf (COTS) hardware and combine their performance.<ref name="The inside story of the Beowulf saga">{{cite web|url=http://www.gcn.com/print/24_8/35499-1.html|title="The inside story of the Beowulf saga"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref>
 
By 1994, under the sponsorship of the "High Performance Computing & Communications
for Earth & Space Sciences" (HPCC/ESS)<ref name="HPCC/ESS">{{cite web|url=http://www.lcp.nrl.navy.mil/hpcc-ess/|title="High Performance Computing & Communications for Earth & Space Sciences homepage"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref> project, the Beowulf Parallel Workstation project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center had begun.<ref name="Becker Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.beowulf.org/community/bio.html|title="Donald Becker's Bio at Beowulf.org"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref>
<ref name="beowulf.org history">{{cite web|url=http://www.beowulf.org/overview/history.html|title="Beowulf History from beowulf.org"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref>
 
==Beowulf Implementation==
This type of cluster is composed of a 'master' (which coordinates the processing power of the cluster) and usually many 'nodes' (computers that actually perform the calculations). The 'master' typically is [[server]]-class, and has more horsepower (i.e. [[RAM|Memory]] and [[CPU]] power) than the individual nodes. The [[node|nodes]] in the cluster don't have to be identical, although to simplify deployment this is usually the case.
 
Usually the Beowulf 'nodes' are running [[Linux]],<ref name="Beowulf Project Overview">{{cite web
| url=http://www.beowulf.org/overview/index.html
| title="Beowulf Project Overview"
| date= Retrieved 08-April-2007
}}</ref> however this is not required, as both [[Mac OS X]] and [[FreeBSD]] clusters have been created.<ref name="OSX Beowulf">{{cite web
| url=http://www.stat.ucla.edu/computing/clusters/deployment.php
| title="Mac OS X Beowulf Cluster Deployment Notes"
| date= Retrieved 08-April-2007
}}</ref><ref name="OSX Beowulf Deployment">{{cite web
| url=http://docs.huihoo.com/hpc-cluster/mini-wulf/
| title="A small Beowulf Cluster running FreeBSD"
| date= Retrieved 08-April-2007
}}</ref>
 
==Popularity in High-Performance Computing==
Today Beowulf systems are deployed worldwide as both as "cheap supercomputers" and as more traditional high-performance projects, chiefly in support of [[number crunching]] and [[scientific computing]].
 
It should be noted that more than 50 percent of the machines on the Top 500 List of supercomputers
<ref name="Top 500">{{cite web|url=http://top500.org|title="TOP500 Supercomputer Sites"|date=Retrieved 11-April-2007}}</ref> are clusters of this sort.<ref name="The inside story of the Beowulf saga"/>
 
==External links==
The Linux [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Beowulf-HOWTO.html Beowulf HOWTO], from the Linux documentation project


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}


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In a Beowulf cluster, the network cables (shown in blue) that connect the eight nodes to the master serve as a bus

A Beowulf cluster is a class of supercomputer, specifically one that utilizes "Commercial Off the Shelf" (COTS) hardware such as personal computers and Ethernet switches to link the machines together so that they act as one, and the Beowulf library of software which is used to help implement a distributed application.

The concept of clustering machines together in this way is known as distributed computing.

The Beowulf libraries provide facilities for using a global process id (among the machines in the Beowulf), methods of remote execution of processes to run across the cluster, and more. The downside of the use of this library is that programs have to be specifically written to be run in a Beowulf, and have to be compiled with said libraries included. Newer clustering technology such as Mosix clusters address this limitation. [1]

Beowulf Development

In early 1993, NASA scientists Donald Becker and Thomas Sterling began sketching out the details of what would become a revolutionary way to build a cheap supercomputer: link low-cost desktops together with commodity, off the shelf (COTS) hardware and combine their performance.[2]

By 1994, under the sponsorship of the "High Performance Computing & Communications for Earth & Space Sciences" (HPCC/ESS)[3] project, the Beowulf Parallel Workstation project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center had begun.[4] [5]

Beowulf Implementation

This type of cluster is composed of a 'master' (which coordinates the processing power of the cluster) and usually many 'nodes' (computers that actually perform the calculations). The 'master' typically is server-class, and has more horsepower (i.e. Memory and CPU power) than the individual nodes. The nodes in the cluster don't have to be identical, although to simplify deployment this is usually the case.

Usually the Beowulf 'nodes' are running Linux,[6] however this is not required, as both Mac OS X and FreeBSD clusters have been created.[7][8]

Popularity in High-Performance Computing

Today Beowulf systems are deployed worldwide as both as "cheap supercomputers" and as more traditional high-performance projects, chiefly in support of number crunching and scientific computing.

It should be noted that more than 50 percent of the machines on the Top 500 List of supercomputers [9] are clusters of this sort.[2]

External links

The Linux Beowulf HOWTO, from the Linux documentation project

References

  1. ↑ "From Word Processors to Super Computers: Donald Becker Speaks about Beowulf at NYLUG" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The inside story of the Beowulf saga" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
  3. ↑ "High Performance Computing & Communications for Earth & Space Sciences homepage" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
  4. ↑ "Donald Becker's Bio at Beowulf.org" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
  5. ↑ "Beowulf History from beowulf.org" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
  6. ↑ "Beowulf Project Overview" (Retrieved 08-April-2007).
  7. ↑ "Mac OS X Beowulf Cluster Deployment Notes" (Retrieved 08-April-2007).
  8. ↑ "A small Beowulf Cluster running FreeBSD" (Retrieved 08-April-2007).
  9. ↑ "TOP500 Supercomputer Sites" (Retrieved 11-April-2007).
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