Distributed CPU processing

Is it possible to spread the processing power of like 10 PCs to a particular application? such as 3d rendering

Free or $$, does anybody know how to do it?

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Comments

sprkymrk

Try to google for parallel+computing+linux. You can't do it with ordinary Windows OS.

hetty

I found stuff about a Beowulf cluster and openMosix, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

JDMurray

If you can get a bunch of the original Microsoft XBox units you can cluster them using Linux. Each box is a P3-500, and that's decent processing power for a cluster. The same can be done with a bunch of old P3 and P4 computers that businesses typically throw in the trash. You major problem will be space and power consumption versus work output.

XBOX Linux Cluster
The AnandTech Linux XBOX PC Experiment

And you can cluster multiple VMWare instances on the same or different machines too.

hetty

Thanks that AnandTech article was an interesting read.

sprkymrk

JDMurray wrote:

The same can be done with a bunch of old P3 and P4 computers that businesses typically throw in the trash. .

JD- Where are these businesses that are throwing away P-4's?

I am ready to get my snorkel and do some dumpster diving!

JDMurray

sprkymrk wrote:

JD- Where are these businesses that are throwing away P-4's?
I am ready to get my snorkel and do some dumpster diving!

The local recycling place near me takes electronics in addition to household wastes (e.g., paint, cleaners, detergent, etc.). Whenever I go over to drop something off, there are always piles of monitors, printers, and computers. I always see a LOT of Dell Pentium 2, 3, and 4 boxes. There are also businesses that specifically take "eWaste" for recycling, refurbishing, or disposal, which is mostly computers, printers, and monitors. We're drowning in this e-stuff here in Southern California.

GT-Rob

I actually work for a company that "recycles" computers for schools, and we get skids full of dell GX260s which are P4 2.53/512ddr/40gig with 17in LCDs that companies automatically replace every 2 years. Not to mention all the servers that get donated *drool*

Darthn3ss

i'll take a few of those

sprkymrk

Darthn3ss wrote:

i'll take a few of those

Get in line...