Numerical Simulation Using Beowulf Systems

Parallel Computers in the CFD Lab at OSU

Some Numerical Results

What is a Beowulf?

n A cluster of PCs interconnected by Local Area Network (LAN).

n Running an open-source UNIX-like operating system, e.g. Linux.

n Executing parallel applications programmed with an industry standard message passing model and library, e.g. Message Passing Interface (MPI).

Why Beowulf?

n Availability: Constructed by commodity PC parts, available everywhere.

n Scalability: To improve performance, just include additional nodes.

n Cost-effectiveness: Cost of PC and networking parts continues lowering.

A Schematic of a Beowulf Cluster

Time Surfer IV

cese.eng.ohio-state.edu

32 nodes, built in 2003

Hardware:

CPU: Pentium 4 2.8GHz

Memory: 1 GB PC3200 DDR memory

Hard Drive: 73 GB SCSI for master node, 80 GB IDE for slave nodes

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-8KNXP with Intel 875P chipset

Network card: onboard Intel 82547EI Ethernet controller

Network Switch: SMC 8624T 24-port Gigabit switch

KVM Switch: Aten ACS-1216AL

Software:

Operating System: RedHat Linux 9

Compiler: Intel Fortran Compiler 7.1 for Linux

MPI: Lam/MPI 7.0

Cost: 60K US$

Previous Systems:

Generation I:

2 nodes, built in 1998

Hardware (Dell Precision workstation):

CPU: dual Xeon 450 MHz CPU

Memory: 768 MB SDRAM ECC

Network card: 3Com 905 Fast Ethernet card

Software:

Operating System: SuSE Linux 6.1

Compiler: GNU Fortran compiler (included in all Linux distribution)

MPI: MPICH 1.2

Cost: 24K US$

Generation II:

8 nodes, built in 1999

Hardware:

CPU: Dual Intel Pentium III 450MHz

Memory: 512 MB SDRAM ECC

Hard drive: 13 GB IDE for master node, 6 GB IDE for slave nodes

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-6BXD with Intel 440BX chipset

Network card: Dual 3Com 905C Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) with channel bonding technology

Network Switch: Dual SMC-EZ1024FDT 16-port 10/100 Mbps

KVM Switch: Iogear GCS138

Software:

Operating System: RedHat Linux 7.1

Compiler: PGI Cluster Development Kit (CDK) 3.0

MPI: MPICH 1.2

Cost: 25K US$

Generation III:

8 nodes, built in 2002

Hardware:

CPU: Intel Xeon 2.0 GHz

Memory: 1 GB PC2100 DDR registered ECC, dual channel

Hard drive: 37 GB SCSI for master node, 40 GB IDE for slave nodes

Motherboard: Tyan S2720 UGN/GN with Intel E7500 chipset

Network card: onboard Intel Gigabit Ethernet controller 82554GC

Network Switch: Netgear GS516T 16-port Gigabit switch

KVM Switch: Aten CS1016 16-port

Software:

Operating System: RedHat Linux 7.3

Compiler: Intel Fortran compiler 6.0 for Linux

MPI: LAM/MPI 6.5

Cost: 22K US$

Some Numerical Results

Three-dimensional ZND wave

Pressure contour

Mesh: 1.8 million (120x120x128) mesh cells

Running time: 10 hours on Time Surfer II, May 2000

Refer to http://cfd.eng.ohio-state.edu/research/znd3d.htm.

Transverse Injection in a Supersonic Flow

Vorticity contour

Mesh: 5.5 million (220x120x208) mesh cells

Running time: one day on Time Surfer III, Dec 2002

Refer to http://cfd.eng.ohio-state.edu/research/injection/injection030103.htm.

Pulse Detonation Engine

Pressure Contour

Mesh: 6.4 million (4000x1600) mesh cells

Running time: 88 hours for one cycle (roughly 83,000 steps of iteration) on Time Surfer III, Jan 2003

Refer to http://cfd.eng.ohio-state.edu/research/pde.htm.

Useful Links

Beowulf: http://www.beowulf.org

Linux: http://www.linux.org/

RedHat: http://www.redhat.com

LAM/MPI: http://www.lam-mpi.org/

MPICH: http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/mpi/mpich/

METIS: http://www-users.cs.umn.edu/~karypis/metis/

Intel Compiler: http://www.intel.com/software/products/compilers/flin/

PGI CDK: http://www.pgroup.com

Netperf: http://www.netperf.org