Table of Contents
Introduction
A high-power computer cluster is a group of computers connected together to act as a single, integrated computing resource. Building a cluster allows you to harness much greater processing power than a single computer could provide. Clusters are commonly used for high-performance computing (HPC) tasks like scientific modeling, machine learning, and financial analysis.
This guide will walk you through the key steps and considerations when building your own high-power cluster.
Hardware Components
The hardware makeup of a cluster can vary, but these are the core components you’ll need:
Compute Nodes
The compute nodes are the workhorse servers that handle the actual processing. For HPC tasks, choose high-end server hardware with powerful multicore CPUs, lots of RAM, and fast storage like SSDs or NVMe drives. The more nodes you have, the more parallel processing power your cluster can harness.
Network Infrastructure
The nodes need to communicate at fast speeds, so invest in high-bandwidth network equipment like 10 Gigabit Ethernet or InfiniBand switches and NICs. Make sure your switch has enough ports for all planned nodes.
Head Node
The head node manages and monitors the other nodes. It can be a basic machine since it isn’t doing heavy computation.
Storage
You’ll need shared storage like a NAS or SAN so data can be accessed from all nodes. Local SSD storage on each node also helps improve performance.
Rack and Power
House your equipment in server racks for easy access and organization. Invest in robust power strips and adequate cooling like fans or AC units.
Software Components
Software is needed to effectively manage resources across nodes:
OS
Linux is the standard OS for clusters given its flexibility. CentOS, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are popular choices.
Resource Manager
Software like Slurm, Torque, or Grid Engine queues, schedules, and monitors jobs across nodes. This maximizes utilization.
Libraries and Frameworks
Install parallel programming frameworks like MPI and math libraries as needed by your applications.
Cluster Manager
Tools like Bright Cluster Manager and Rocks provide a unified interface to monitor hardware, administer accounts, configure networks, and deploy images.
Network Setup
Connect the head node, compute nodes, storage, and any other devices to your cluster switch. Segregate this network using VLANs if you want to prevent access from other networks.
Configure static IP addresses or DHCP reservations for all nodes. Enable jumbo frames on your switch and NICs to allow larger packet sizes and boost performance.
Test connectivity across all nodes. Set up SSH keys so you can access nodes without passwords.
Software Configuration
On the head node:
- Install your chosen Linux OS, resource manager, cluster manager, and any other admin tools
- Define compute nodes and shared storage in the cluster manager
- Set up user accounts and access policies based on organizational needs
On the compute nodes:
- PXE boot nodes from the head node to quickly deploy your chosen Linux OS image
- Install libraries, frameworks, packages etc. needed by your applications
- Configure the resource manager client to allow job submission
Testing and Optimization
Run test workloads on your cluster to validate functionality and performance. Monitor utilization using tools like Ganglia to identify bottlenecks.
Fine-tune your configuration to ensure maximum efficiency – adjust parallel job settings, add more nodes or storage if needed, or tweak network parameters.
Conclusion
Building a high-power cluster takes careful planning, but allows you to run complex HPC workloads that would not be feasible on a single machine. Follow the steps outlined to design a cluster tailored to your specific needs.
Optimizing performance takes trial and error. Monitor workloads closely as you expand your system to ensure you get the most out of your investment.
