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To avoid the 'i wouldn't start here' when asking directions to go somewhere, i am going to explain where I'm at and what i want to achieve. I have read a certain amount, but it never seems to quite start off from where I am. I am at an earlier position than any documents seem to describe.
The end point.
I want a cluster which allows me to run various software and submit jobs to individual nodes using rsh. Those jobs will read and write to files.
The software is driven by Java, which submits Fortran programs to nodes. I also use Perl and Python.
The cluster will be dedicated to this software, and will be running it for the next few years.
I am knowledgeable about Java, less so on Perl and Python, and a novice on Linux. I have used Linux slightly, and have installed a virtual linux on my windows laptop. Over the last 30 years I have used a total of maybe 10 linux/unix commands. vi, ps, cp, mkdir, lnk, rsh, that's about it. Most of my development is on a windows platform, and this will continue to be the case. When I want to run the cluster, I will copy my Java software to the cluster. The Java code changes frequently, as it is under development. The fortran is fairly stable, with yearly upgrades.
I will want the cluster to boot from hd, and input/output files to be on the hard disc.
I have a windows laptop with internet connections etc.
The starting point.
I have nothing. I will be purchasing various hardware (cpu's, motherboards, psu's, cases etc) and you can assume that I can build the hardware and connect the wires. But I have not set up any drives, made any partitions, installed any OS, installed a network etc.
So here I am, with some hardware and no OS.
What do I do next? Should I:
- download the files to my windows laptop, copy them to a CD (how, just a windows copy?) and put the CD into a drive and turn on the front end node? Will this process partition my drive? What options should I choose if it does?
or
- install some flavour of linux first on the front end? If so, what version is suggested? Again, will this partition my drive?
Depending on which of the above I do, what is then the next step? I don't want a live linux plus a hd installed linux, do I?
At a later stage i will want to install Perl, python, java, and any necessary Fortran libraries. Is this lots of extra work, or is most of it already installed on the linux on my hd? If not, where do I get it and how do I transfer? Assume the linux cluster has no internet access, only my windows pc has internet.
The fortran is certified to run on redhat, but has not been tested on anything else.
And finally - if this is all too much for me and distracting from my main job, are there consultants who could get it all set up how i want for under $1000, excluding connectimng the hardware ? It seems that some of what I want is considered 'expert', so I am wary of trying it myself.
Indeed, is Pelican the appropriate tool for me? I don't think I need mpi, as all jobs are independent and serial.
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