Cluster Concepts

Building Machines Around Problems

Cluster computing is a exciting technology. It allows users to design a computing resource around a problem. In the past problems were often designed around large monolithic supercomputers. A typical supercomputer has a large amount of costly engineering and design that may or may not be needed for a specific application. Because the supercomputer comes in a "big box", the end user must pay for the cost of all the technology. Clusters built from commodity components allow the user to only buy what they needed at commodity prices. The use of clustered computing has redefined the price-to-performance curve for HPC (High Performance Computing).