[Beowulf] MS HPC... Oh dear...

[Jim Lux]

At 06:20 PM 6/11/2006, SIM DOG wrote:
>G'day all
>
>Sorry if this turns out to be a dupe post but MS has just released their 
>HPC clustering kit.
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/ccs/overview.mspx
>
>While I've tried to approach this with an open mind... it didn't last 
>long. I'll refer anyone to ClusterMonkey's article about why Linux is a 
>better platform for clustering.
>
>Maybe the equiv MS site should be called ClusterMoney? =)


We had an interesting discussion about MS's clustering ideas a few months 
back on the list (Nov 2005).

Being the big boy on the block, MS has to have a presence everywhere, if 
only to support some decision maker who's running down the list of check 
boxes (Hmm.. Security, Check. Shared Drives, Check. Database server, Check. 
Cluster computing, Check.).  Doesn't have to work as well as other 
solutions, just has to exist.

And, if you have an ALL Microsoft shop, AND you have tasks that Microsoft's 
solution works for, then why not use it.  Who knows, someone might come up 
with clever stuff to use their implementation in an effective way.

I'll just be waiting for the .NET Framework 2.x "cluster computing 
namespace" with all the message passing primitives.




>Whatever you do, don't read this article as the level of marketing-speak 
>and Ra Ra may well impede synapses firing...

Such articles are fairly common in the weekly trade rags.. While I haven't 
actually seen one, I wouldn't be surprised to see something like:

Gizmotron Widgets today announced the model 1303 entertainment adjunct, 
based on Gizmotron's patented "side to side orbital motion" swing ( US 
Patent 6368227 ). Fred Harris, Gizmotron's CTO, announced that by using 
their recent proprietary research methods into the principle that moving 
objects tend to remain in motion and stationary ones require a force to 
start moving, they have developed a new twist on an age-old children's 
pastime. Seeking their first round of funding, Bob Smith, CEO, said "We're 
really excited about this, and as soon as we work out the legal issues 
surrounding swinging rights management for our content providers, we'll be 
licensing our technology to several top-tier manufacturers."





James Lux, P.E.
Spacecraft Radio Frequency Subsystems Group
Flight Communications Systems Section
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mail Stop 161-213
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena CA 91109
tel: (818)354-2075
fax: (818)393-6875