Wish List

From Bootable Cluster CD

[edit]

This is the members' wish list for the project:


  • L3on asks:
    • An implementation of the (Linpack)HPL-Benchmark would be a nice feature to get an overview of the performance.
    • Or is it possible to download and install the librarys...?

Paul responds 

 The HPL Benchmarks, NAS, and Pallas (IMB) benchmarks are being rolled into list-packages downloads.  Thanks!

L3on: Thank you!

  • RexSter requests:
    • LTSP thin client support to let nodes boot without cd/fdd/hdd
    • better looking desktop, icewm/xfce would be nice

Paul responds: icewm, xfce, and even KDE would be nice, too. But the goal is to stay small. Remember that you run the OS entirely from the CD, or entirely from RAM. So glitz must take second nature to functionality. hackedbox gives all the functionality that you could ask for in an educational tool. I know that knoppix supports all sorts of glitzy bells and whistles, but staying under 210MB is a challenge. Staying under 50MB for the business-card version of the BCCD is even more challenging.


  • install to hdd script

Paul responds: Install the BCCD to disk? I'd much rather that you install Debian.

Reply: well... if one could install and configure this clustering stuffs by themself, i think they wont need bccd. and, knoppix would not need to have hdd install script.


  • benchmarking tools to see how cluster node really affect performance.
  • apt-get / dpkg / synaptic

Paul responds: Try "list-packages".


  • BrandonGray requests:
    • i810 chipset support

Paul responds: The i810 chipset is the "winmodem" of video cards. The latest 2.2.1-pre images have FULL SUPPORT FOR i810 chipsets. See the tips and tricks page for how to set up the card in a useful mode.


  • Updated pcmcia-cs

Paul responds: Thanks for the request --- check out the 2.2.1-pre images, which now have the latest pcmcia-cs package.


  • YuriS requests:
    • What about PXE booting for nodes? For example: we boot BCCD from CDROM for cluster console, and then other nodes boots via network (without GUI in "automode")

Paul responds: You asked for it (and so have others), so you got it. The BCCD now supports PXE booting of the client nodes, using tftp booting of the initrd containing the "bulk" of the BCCD image. Keep watching the wiki site for a PXE HOWTO, or post specific questions to the bccd list.

AlgotR: I get an error after booting with options "4 startdhcp pxeserver":

  • Starting dhcp-svrchk: Error!: /mnt/media/tftpboot directory not present
  • Perhaps you need to download the pxelinux BCCD image?

Where is that image, or where do I find the tftpboot directory?

Gray responds: The PXE boot image is a special image that requires special preparation, depending upon the hardware that you're using. The image that's available in the downloads section presumes a standard via-rhine chipset on your main server.

Algotr 17:42, 29 December 2006 (CST)

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