PicoCluster

[Crispin]

Hi all,

I am intrigued by the partnership with PicoCluster and what this might enable for end-users in our homes.

Does anyone have any ideas/plans on what clustering PINE64s might enable? Or does it simply make one's PINE64 unit more powerful/fast, as opposed to adding more features?

[Madroxprime]

Clustering(like a beowulf cluster) sets an array of computers to work on processes in parallel. It works by having a master node that handles handing out processes to the slave nodes over a network connection through a message passing interface, kinda using the network like a bus.
It's super useful for projects that are limited by a need for CPU cycles but not so good for games or a lot of casual usage since the network passing process messages would be a little laggy for games.
So it lets work that would take a long time, get done faster.

There's also load balancing clusters which work by kinda playing traffic cop with users trying to access data, directing them to other servers when there are too many users for any one server to handle the load comfortably.

What makes this super useful with the Pine is that the power draw is so much lower, that the financial upkeep can be significantly less.

[Crispin]

Clustering(like a beowulf cluster) sets an array of computers to work on processes in parallel.

[snip]

What makes this super useful with the Pine is that the power draw is so much lower, that the financial upkeep can be significantly less.

Nice one - thanks, Madroxprime! I probably don't do anything hugely CPU-intensive with the possible exception of gradually encoding my DVD collection into MKV format to store on a Plex Server. I use Handbrake for this currently, so I guess I now start looking for a 'cluster aware' equivalent software, would that be right?

[Madroxprime]

Yeah, something that's set up for parallel processing on that level. Or this guy seems to have an idea https://tim.purewhite.id.au/2010/09/hand...g-cluster/ .

[PicoCluster]

That handbrake encoding cluster is pretty cool.

Clustering small machines like this is a new concept to most people, but they are intrigued by it. As the concept gains traction and the clusters become more common, many more uses will start to pop up.

Thanks for your thoughts.