Raspberry Pi 40-Node Computer Cluster #piday #raspberrypi @Raspberry_Pi
We’ve posted about this awesome project before but here is a little more info on how the case works.
In the practical sense, this is a supercomputer which has been scaled down to the point where the entire system is about as fast as a nice desktop system. Most of the resources available to individual nodes have been proportionally scaled. I believe this will make it an ideal testbed for distributed software.
My goals for this project were as follows:
Build a model supercomputer, which structurally mimics a modern supercomputer.
All hardware required for the cluster to operate is housed in a case no larger than a full tower.
Parts that are likely to fail should be easy to replace.
It should be space-efficient, energy-efficient, economically-efficient, and well-constructed.
Ideally, it should be visually pleasing.
I feel I have met these goals with my design.
Here are the specifications of the final system:
40 cores Broadcom BCM2835 @700 MHz
20 GB total distributed RAM
5 TB disk storage – upgradeable to 12 TB
~440 GB flash storage
Internal 10/100 network connects individual nodes
Internal wireless N network can be configured as an access point or bridge.
External ports: four 10/100 LAN and one gigabit LAN (internal network), 1 router uplink
Case has a mostly toolless design, facilitating easy hot-swapping of parts
Outer dimenions: 9.9″ x 15.5″ x 21.8″.
Approximate system cost of $3,000. (The first one cost slightly more.)
Why Build It?
I needed a computing cluster that I could use for testing distributed software. Since I don’t have free access to a traditional supercomputer, I decided to build my own. Originally, I planned to create it as part of my MSCE thesis, but ended up with a different project for that. As a consequence, I pursued this as a personal project instead.
Since I was making a significant investment in this, I wanted it to be something I would be proud to show people for the next several years.
Design and Build Process
I made the choice early in the planning process for this project that no more than one expensive piece of specialty equipment should be required for its construction. This maximizes the chance that any given maker will have access to the required equipment. As I’m a member of Dallas Makerspace, I have access to CNC laser cutter through my membership, which I used extensively during the build process. A laser cutter with at least an 18″x24″ bed would be required for recreating this cluster case.
Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: MicroPython v1.24.0 is here, a Halloween Wrap-up and Much More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey