Cluster as a Computer

[Xanibod]

I know what a cluster is. I've heard of different things like Beowulf.

What I want to know is can the master node act as a desktop computer with the combined resources of the whole cluster, so you can run VM Workstation or something of that effect on it? If you can could you give me general setup info using Linux for all the nodes, what software to use and so on? Not just VM, but anything else really like launching an app from Unity and having it figure how to distribute that process across the nodes. Please?

 

[Xanibod]

Perhaps someone could suggest a forum where someone would know.

 

[DelJo63]

Cluster: A group of connected computers working together.

The connection is normally with a special 'back plane' operating as a very high speed network (but not TCP) where one node sends both commands and data to other nodes.

A cluster configuration is not practical for home usage.

 

[HTTP403]

What you said is very similar to how a super computer works. You can go search "Raspberry Pi supercomputer" on YouTube. The setup is almost the same with a bunch of x86 computers. However, the program run on a supercomputer (either a RPi or a x86) must be customized with some kind of internal protocol such as MPI so it know how to communicate with each other. So generally, you can't make a cluster of computer act like one computer because I didn't heard any operating system support MPI or something similar. MPI works on application level not OS level.

 

[DelJo63]

So generally, you can't make a cluster of computer act like one computer because I didn't heard any operating system support MPI or something similar. MPI works on application level not OS level.

The IBM AIX HA and the Tandem T16 all run on MPP architectures and the 'link' protocol IS in the OS.