As previously noted, I have been documenting the supercomputer build at [H]ard|Forum (Hardforum, for search simplicity). Well, things are never so simple when I'm deep into them as they may seem on the surface when I start out because I like to go for elegance and longevity in everything I do.
It's damn near winter now and I'm working on the power/data system, not just for the supercomputer, but for the whole Fragwell Laboratory. It's already driving me insane just from playing "Beat The Clock" with Mother Nature.
This is the real deal. NEC 2008 Code-compliant and built to last a lifetime and then some. While there's no way I'll be staying in a trailer park for life, I'm reluctant to stay beyond Age 40, I want the next owner to have something extra that sets this house apart from the others.
For the next decade, this is where I will learn my Kung Fu. I hope I outgrow it before 2020.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Supercomputers - Two of them
I've been documenting this over at the [H]ardForum.
I almost finished Dashcat and had bought my switch when a larger rack of the same brand I used for Dashcat came available. Couldn't pass that up. Dashcat is being expanded to 10 nodes from the original eight and will have UPSes and the master server installed in the rack, in addition to an LCD console and storage drawer. Atop the rack, since it came with an adaptable 5U shelf, I have affixed the ICEBox controller, switch and two Belkin Omniview Matrix 8-port KVMs.
Dashcat only requires eleven ports out of the sixteen total KVM ports available. One will be reserved, on a long cable, for computer repairs so I can use the LCD console as the interface and save space on the workdesk.
As mentioned, the KVMs are Omniview Matrix models. These units allow two consoles with the interface of any two connected machines being displayed at the same time. As I'll only have one console, the second console port is open. What to do? Easy. Run it out to a KVM repeater, through one of the UTP links into the house, into the repeater catcher and to one of the displays on my desk (neither of which I'm using the VGA ports on).
The Omniview Matrix 2x8 was a lucky buy. It supports control through the OSD, hotkey commands, and the front panel. It's interesting that I originally had two of them, sold one for $50, decided to use the remaining one, ended up short by one and bought one on eBay for $25 total.
As for the second supercomputer, it's really an experiment in condensing the computing power of the larger system. Same CPUs, same motherboards, smaller fans, passive channeled airflow. It's not going to be cooled with 100F air. I'm convinced that's impossible for this one. It will, however, be a guinea pig for practical use of the ICE protocol, monitoring CPU temperatures. To apply the same on the original machine, I would need more ICEcards and thermal sensors. I'm still keeping an eye out for them.
I almost finished Dashcat and had bought my switch when a larger rack of the same brand I used for Dashcat came available. Couldn't pass that up. Dashcat is being expanded to 10 nodes from the original eight and will have UPSes and the master server installed in the rack, in addition to an LCD console and storage drawer. Atop the rack, since it came with an adaptable 5U shelf, I have affixed the ICEBox controller, switch and two Belkin Omniview Matrix 8-port KVMs.
Dashcat only requires eleven ports out of the sixteen total KVM ports available. One will be reserved, on a long cable, for computer repairs so I can use the LCD console as the interface and save space on the workdesk.
As mentioned, the KVMs are Omniview Matrix models. These units allow two consoles with the interface of any two connected machines being displayed at the same time. As I'll only have one console, the second console port is open. What to do? Easy. Run it out to a KVM repeater, through one of the UTP links into the house, into the repeater catcher and to one of the displays on my desk (neither of which I'm using the VGA ports on).
The Omniview Matrix 2x8 was a lucky buy. It supports control through the OSD, hotkey commands, and the front panel. It's interesting that I originally had two of them, sold one for $50, decided to use the remaining one, ended up short by one and bought one on eBay for $25 total.
As for the second supercomputer, it's really an experiment in condensing the computing power of the larger system. Same CPUs, same motherboards, smaller fans, passive channeled airflow. It's not going to be cooled with 100F air. I'm convinced that's impossible for this one. It will, however, be a guinea pig for practical use of the ICE protocol, monitoring CPU temperatures. To apply the same on the original machine, I would need more ICEcards and thermal sensors. I'm still keeping an eye out for them.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Spring Cleaning - Part Two
The move process has turned out to be quite advantageous. When this is done, there will be more than enough space for everything in my shop.
The heavy cabinet that held my toolboxes moved from the South wall to the North wall and now has my working mini-fridge sitting on top of it, placing the fridge at eye-level. I did have to move the shop light controller since the fridge would have been covering it otherwise. I didn't even have to move the Ikea desk because the cabinet and fridge were the same width. That's a win.
With the cabinet gone, I moved my main desk to take its place and rolled the Dashcat rack into place next to the desk. I had enough space left on that wall to move the crappy laptop inventory shelf next to Dashcat, freeing up the East wall for addition of the AC unit and big storage rack from the bedroom.
The AC unit was easy to re-install. I must have done something right last summer when I put it in because there was no trouble at all on that front. I had forgotten the rating of the unit so I checked the specs and found it was a 9000BTU/hr model. I had been expecting a 6500BTU machine so this was a nice bonus and will easily take care of the 6000BTU/hr Dashcat throws out.
The rack from the bedroom is better than the racks I use in my storage bay since the shelves of this one were extruded with no holes in the surface. This means no more small stuff falling through the holes or anti-scuff pads being torn off of merchandise. It also means I have twenty more square feet of storage space.
A small amount of time before work this morning was spent re-positioning my laptop's docking station. It had been sitting on top of the cabinet I already moved. Now, I just need to find a spot for my laser printer.
Still do do before the really hot weather comes along:
Insulate the West end of the shed, including the door (The summer sun heats the wood and the AC can't even fight that entirely)
Remove the wood surrounding the shed foundation (spider haven)
To do at some point soon:
Run the 230V 30A power leg (this is going to take some serious doing)
Install an awning for the shop. Rain sucks. Snow sucks worse.
The heavy cabinet that held my toolboxes moved from the South wall to the North wall and now has my working mini-fridge sitting on top of it, placing the fridge at eye-level. I did have to move the shop light controller since the fridge would have been covering it otherwise. I didn't even have to move the Ikea desk because the cabinet and fridge were the same width. That's a win.
With the cabinet gone, I moved my main desk to take its place and rolled the Dashcat rack into place next to the desk. I had enough space left on that wall to move the crappy laptop inventory shelf next to Dashcat, freeing up the East wall for addition of the AC unit and big storage rack from the bedroom.
The AC unit was easy to re-install. I must have done something right last summer when I put it in because there was no trouble at all on that front. I had forgotten the rating of the unit so I checked the specs and found it was a 9000BTU/hr model. I had been expecting a 6500BTU machine so this was a nice bonus and will easily take care of the 6000BTU/hr Dashcat throws out.
The rack from the bedroom is better than the racks I use in my storage bay since the shelves of this one were extruded with no holes in the surface. This means no more small stuff falling through the holes or anti-scuff pads being torn off of merchandise. It also means I have twenty more square feet of storage space.
A small amount of time before work this morning was spent re-positioning my laptop's docking station. It had been sitting on top of the cabinet I already moved. Now, I just need to find a spot for my laser printer.
Still do do before the really hot weather comes along:
Insulate the West end of the shed, including the door (The summer sun heats the wood and the AC can't even fight that entirely)
Remove the wood surrounding the shed foundation (spider haven)
To do at some point soon:
Run the 230V 30A power leg (this is going to take some serious doing)
Install an awning for the shop. Rain sucks. Snow sucks worse.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Spring Cleaning
Winter around here just sucks. Fortunately, I had the good sense to prepare for the inevitable Spring season by gathering gear for yard and house care. While the snowblower still sits under my carport, inoperable, I have plenty of time to work on it so there's no hurry. The other stuff, however, is best done as soon as possible before the hellacious summers are upon us again.
Enter the pressure washer. I bought a decent Karcher pressure washer for $15 last year and was bummed out when I found that the internal water channels of the wand were cracked, preventing pressure from building up. I set the machine aside and picked up a universal wand back in November. I put it all to work today, cleaning windows, yard tools and the driveway and blasting horribly damaged paint from the East shed. The system was powerful enough to tear off the grey layer of the wood and leave the natural colored stuff behind. This was some rather welcome destruction.
The window AC units are going in a bit early to make room for some stuff from the house. It's a welcome change.
I've still got to put the AC unit back in the Fragwell workshop and that will require moving some gear around as the Dashcat supercomputer is occupying the spot where I had the AC unit last year. I do believe it's time to move my desk.
Enter the pressure washer. I bought a decent Karcher pressure washer for $15 last year and was bummed out when I found that the internal water channels of the wand were cracked, preventing pressure from building up. I set the machine aside and picked up a universal wand back in November. I put it all to work today, cleaning windows, yard tools and the driveway and blasting horribly damaged paint from the East shed. The system was powerful enough to tear off the grey layer of the wood and leave the natural colored stuff behind. This was some rather welcome destruction.
The window AC units are going in a bit early to make room for some stuff from the house. It's a welcome change.
I've still got to put the AC unit back in the Fragwell workshop and that will require moving some gear around as the Dashcat supercomputer is occupying the spot where I had the AC unit last year. I do believe it's time to move my desk.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Dashcat Nodes
I started this last night. Now that there's a break in the action, turning the LNXI cases, Verari/RackSaver nodes, Tivo hard disks, "Hershey Bar" RAM and OEM Windows licenses into the heart of the eight-node version of the Dashcat farm. I have two nodes built as part of a trial right now. I'll be working up an assembly line approach for the rest of them. I've got to pick up a few more cases to cannibalize fans from. It has turned out to be the perfect approach since the fans screw right down and hold tightly with the screws that were used to fasten them to the steel wall inside the case.
I wonder what all eight will sound like when powered up?
Configuration:
Dual AMD Opteron 275 2.2GHz dual-core
3.5GB DDR RAM
160GB Seagate hard disk from a DVR.
I wonder what all eight will sound like when powered up?
Configuration:
Dual AMD Opteron 275 2.2GHz dual-core
3.5GB DDR RAM
160GB Seagate hard disk from a DVR.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Through The Fire And Flames
The only thing burned was calories. I've dropped over twenty pounds since my last post. That's been my focus since the start of the year, much like many other Americans. I've still got about thirty pounds to go.
The render farm project changed a bit and I'm sixteen cooling fans, eight rack handles and a managed switch short of having everything I need to build the machine. Other than that, with the warmer weather thawing the ground, I can pull up the pavers I buried the data trunk under and shift the slack to allow connection of the workstations in the house. With that done, I can run a single link until I am able to find a couple of dual-port gigabit cards.
The render farm project changed a bit and I'm sixteen cooling fans, eight rack handles and a managed switch short of having everything I need to build the machine. Other than that, with the warmer weather thawing the ground, I can pull up the pavers I buried the data trunk under and shift the slack to allow connection of the workstations in the house. With that done, I can run a single link until I am able to find a couple of dual-port gigabit cards.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I Live.... Again
I haven't fallen off the map. I've been too busy keeping Plasmafit updated during my training. When I wasn't updating Plasmafit, I was updating Fragwell. I really need to combine the two, actually.
The circuit breaker I spoke of was replaced quickly and dissected for troubleshooting. I don't know (or care) what it did, but there was a 1206 SMD resistor with a scorch mark halfway across the package. That was the cause of the tripping, for sure. The new one has been solid since Day zero.
I found out my recently installed space heater is wired wrong. I would have sparky blackouts in my shop when it moved and caught one in the act one day. The outer portion of the heater case is supposed to be neutral, which is connected to ground via a bunch of other devices in my house. Well. it's not. That heater has the case connected to the hot lead. Someone was playing around inside it. It was sitting on top of the rack for Legacy/Kitten and would touch the case when moved with vibration. No wonder the arc took out a small chunk of the case. I've kept the heater mounted on wood for a while so I didn't have to go tearing it apart. I still have to do it, though.
The Legacy upgrade project went through two sets of upgrades and a name change. It's now being called the Dashcat Personal Supercomputer, or DashcatPSC for short. It's named after my cat, Dash. He was adopted from a family who named him after a character in The Incredibles.
The circuit breaker I spoke of was replaced quickly and dissected for troubleshooting. I don't know (or care) what it did, but there was a 1206 SMD resistor with a scorch mark halfway across the package. That was the cause of the tripping, for sure. The new one has been solid since Day zero.
I found out my recently installed space heater is wired wrong. I would have sparky blackouts in my shop when it moved and caught one in the act one day. The outer portion of the heater case is supposed to be neutral, which is connected to ground via a bunch of other devices in my house. Well. it's not. That heater has the case connected to the hot lead. Someone was playing around inside it. It was sitting on top of the rack for Legacy/Kitten and would touch the case when moved with vibration. No wonder the arc took out a small chunk of the case. I've kept the heater mounted on wood for a while so I didn't have to go tearing it apart. I still have to do it, though.
The Legacy upgrade project went through two sets of upgrades and a name change. It's now being called the Dashcat Personal Supercomputer, or DashcatPSC for short. It's named after my cat, Dash. He was adopted from a family who named him after a character in The Incredibles.
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