[Beowulf] Re: GPU boards and cluster servers.

[Prentice Bisbal]

Joe Landman wrote:
> Prentice Bisbal wrote:
> 
> [...]
> 
>> Getting back to hardware, I've always been impressed with the robustness
>> of HP Proliant hardware
> 
> Of course, the dirty little (not so) secret of tier 1 systems are that
> they are all built by the same 2-3 contract manufacturers, from the same
> parts troughs ......
> 
> .... there is an economic reason for this.

I'm sure. The bike business is the same way. For the most part (there
are exceptions), a handful of bike factories make all the bikes for the
different bike companies, the country of manufacture determines the cost
of manufacturing and price:

Japan: Highest quality and price
Taiwan: Middle quality and price
China: Lowest quality and price

Usually the highest-end models are made in-house, so this doesn't apply
the them.

Even at the same factory, each vendor can specify the quality of
manufacture (quality of materials/components, tolerances, and
thoroughness of Q/A testing), and pay accordingly.

I'm sure even in the computer world a similar rule applies. $ = cheap
components, $$= better components, etc.

-- 
Prentice