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Re: some Linux news
On Tue, 28 Apr 1998, Ira Abramov wrote:
> strongest Beowulf cluster to be built yet: 19.2 Gflops
> http://slashdot.org/articles/984279137.shtml#
>
> I'm just wondering if MOSIX for Linux will be as usable and popular as
> this when done. is there a maven in here that can tell us the differences
> between MOSIX and Beowulf?
I don't know about popular - that's a matter of marketing. From what I
understood, Beowulf simply allows increasing network traffic by allowing
2 NICs routing to the same addresses (balancing traffic). Over this
infrastructure popular tools such as PVM or MPI are used for message
passing between cuncurrent processes.
This is the scenario:
1. Beowulf requires kernel modifications, and to be usefull - hardware
modifications too.
2. You need to install 3rd party toolkits to benefit from the added
networking power.
3. You have to program for those toolkits (depends on the kit API).
4. All processes must be started at the same time on different machines
(this varies with the kit, sometimes it's simpler).
With MOSIX, however, it's 2 leagues above - process MIGRATE from loaded
machines to free machines DYNAMICALLY, for ANY process (not just those
written to support an API). What you need:
1. Kernel modifications (for the migrations);
2. NO hardware modifications (of course, the faster the merrier);
3. NO 3rd party APIs or kits (if you want them, you can use them);
4. NO need to plan runs or start proceses in special schedules - the
system adapts dynamically for any change.
Bottom line - Beowulf apparently has more clout, so it may be more
popular. MOSIX is more usable, more advanced, offers stronger options,
and is 100% blue and white. Beowulf is there today on Linux, MOSIX only
runs on BSDI right now with Linux in the works.
Disclaimer: I'm not working on/for MOSIX, not in their lab, not
representing them, all opinions are mine (and mine alone), etc.
Regards,
Ariel
--
Ariel Nowersztern Systems Programmer reln@cs.huji.ac.il
Finger for GCode v3.1 Check out http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/~reln/
"The best way to keep one's word is not to give it." -- Napoleon Bonaparte