Server Node
The server for the cluster is housed in a standalone tower with a Tyan Thunder K7 S2462 motherboard with dual AMD processors (1.2GHz), 1Gb of DDR RAM, a 137Gb SCSI disk array, dual 100Mb Ethernet ports and a PCI64B-2 Myrinet interface. The SCSI array consists of an Adaptec 3200S SCSI RAID controller and 4 Seagate Cheetah X15 36LP series (model ST336752LW) disks in RAID 0 configuration.Client Nodes
There are 31 diskless client nodes, each in a "1U" case and mounted in a heavy-duty rolling rack. Each client node is a APPRO 1124 "server" pre-configured (i.e., purchase options) with a Tyan K7 motherboard with dual AMD processors (1.2GHz), 1Gb of DDR RAM, dual 100Mb Ethernet ports and a PCI64B-2 Myrinet interface. Fully loaded, this rack weighs more that 1200 lbs. Power is distributed to groups of 8 client nodes through 4 APC SurgeArrest units, each requiring a dedicated 15A electrical service. We estimate the power requirements of rack to be 4 to 5kW, most of which is lost as heat which must be dissipated by adequate room cooling and ventilation.Networking
Two LinkSys EF2S24 v2 EtherFast II switches provide 100Mb Ethernet connections for client boot-up and "background" NFS communications. Gigabit optical networking is provided by a Myrinet-2000 32-port switch equipped with a monitoring line card for message-passing during parallel program execution.
MacCHESS Senior Research Associate Dave Schuller hiding behind SIRIUS. 13 of 15 "1U" nodes are present and working in the upper section of the rack (the missing pair above the surge protectors were removed for service), while 16 additional nodes reside in the lower section below Dave's hand. The Myrinet switch is mounted in the front center of the rack (green lights, orange cabling) between 2 pairs of APC Network SurgeArrest units, while the Ethernet switches and cabling are located on the back (not visible).