Building an Inexpensive Parallel Computer

PCs linked through a network are used for parallel computing. These systems are often called 'Beowulf clusters'. The definition of a 'Beowulf cluster' is very blurred. It is applied to systems which use PCs in a student lab or in a department, typically when they are idle at nighttime, but also to systems of connected PC dedicated to run parallel applications. The common factor is building a parallel computer using inexpensive, standard hardware for nodes and network, as they can be bought in every computer shop. This concept of using a large number of cheap, mass-produced components is contrary to the classical high-performance computing approach, which relies on expensive and highly specialised components. In addition to convenient prices for hardware and software (most software components are available in the public domain) Beowulf clusters are more flexible regarding their applicability and adaptation to improvements of the technology.