[cluster-l] Single- vs. Dual- vs. Quad-core CPUs

[Nils Oberg]

Hello,

Thanks for all of the very helpful responses to my questions 
regarding CPUs, networking equipment, and compilers.

I ended up purchasing a 5-node disk-less cluster comprised of 
dual-socket, quad-core Xeon processors (2.33 Ghz) with 8 GB RAM.  The 
head is a dual-socket, quad-core Xeon (1.86 Ghz) with 8 GB RAM and 
1.5 TB of RAID-5 storage.  The O/S is CentOS 5, the provisioning 
system is Perceus (http://www.perceus.org/portal/), the cluster 
queuing software is Sun Grid Engine, the network hardware is a SMC 
SMC8024L2 24-port gigabit managed switch, the UPS is a Tripp-Lite 
Smart UPS SU3000RTXL3U (120V, 30A) for power conditioning, and a APC 
Netshelter 4 Post open frame rack.  The vendor was Champaign 
Computer, and the hardware cost was $26,549.  Electrical installation 
costs for three 120V, 30A circuits was $1,135.  The software, 
including the Intel C++ and Fortran compilers, Intel Cluster OpenMP 
extensions for those compilers, and the Intel Cluster Toolkit, cost 
an additional $1,431.95.  The labor for research, purchasing, and 
setup cost approximately $4,000.

Thanks!

Nils



--
Nils Oberg, Research Programmer
Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at U-C
phone: 217-333-8365, web: http://vtchl.uiuc.edu