On Thu, 26 Jan 2006, Warren Turkal wrote:
Is it ok to mix linux distributions when building a cluster? I am wondering for migration purposes. For instance, it the current cluster had FC2 and I wanted to move to FC3, would it be okay to install new nodes as FC3 and gradually migrate?
It's "OK", but sure, you'll have some problems. In particular, PVM would be happy enough with it if you build separate binaries (or verify binary compatibility). MPI I think you'd have to end up with binary compatibility -- it isn't as happy with heterogeneity (right, o MPI experts?). Other than that, PVM would let you run linux and Windows and AIX on different nodes (so FC-whatever would surely work). As would raw sockets. The other problems are all management ones -- it is a PITA to maintain different linux variants (speaking from much experience and pain). Different repos, different update streams, missing or incompatible libraries, yuk. What >>I'd<< recommend is the following, especially if you use FCx. Construct kickstart files that build a "standard cluster node". You can use tools (Duke provides some nice ones at the Linux at Duke site) that can even customize kickstart installs per node/ip in real time through the magic of cgi. Build an FC4 node, not FC3 -- why update to something that is already obsolete? Then pick a day and flash over the entire cluster to FC4. With kickstart/pxe and said scripts, this should take maybe a few hours total, and will leave you all happy and everything with ONE repo to support, ONE yum-update to manage, ONE set of libraries and no binary compatibility issues. That is, you maybe "can" do this, but do you want to? rgb
wt
-- Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf@beowulf.org To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf
