custom cluster cabinets (was Re: 1U P4 Systems)

[Bari Ari]

W Bauske wrote:

> Bari Ari wrote:
> 
>> There is no reason that a 16 node cluster should take up anymore space
>> than a 2U and a 64 node box should fit under a desk. Single P-III and K7
>> nodes have been built as small as 3.5" x 5" x 1.25" with a 20GB 2.5" HD,
>> 256MB SDRAM and 10/100 Ethernet ... SiS 635s make it easy.
>> 
> 
> 
> That pretty much excludes your solution for a P4 cluster doesn't it?
> 
> Wes
>

I did a quick compute of the P4 thermal design and it would be possible 
to put 8 P4s into a 1U if you could use the entire surface area of the 
top of the enclosure as a heat sink along with forced air cooling in the 
order of 400 - 800 LFM with a maximum ambient inlet air temp of 30 deg 
C. You could mount all the P4's on the top of the mainboard contacting 
the top of the CPU case via a low resistance thermal joint compound. The 
top cover would need low profile extruded fins (maybe .5" h spaced 3/8" 
apart to increase the cooling surface area) and then force air through a 
1/2" gap (top of heatsink fins to bottom of the enclosure stacked on top 
with 1" actual air/fin space) between the stacks of enclosures . You 
would lose about 1/2 of the enclosures internal height so you'd have to 
use 2.5" hard drives and mount memory DIMMS at angles or perpendicular 
to the mainboard. So a 1U enclosure like this would only have a .75" 
internal height plus a .5" heatsink (as a top cover) and allowing .5" 
gap between enclosures. This would still allow for the standard 1.75" 
per 1U requirement and you'd have a neat hair dryer at the same time.

Bari