[Bioclusters] Journalist request: linux cluster user feedback

[Bernadette Toner]

Hi Alan -

Thanks for your response. Your name and affiliation will be kept
confidential. The results will be posted on the biocluster list, plus I'll
mail out a hard copy of the issue to you when it comes out.

Best -

Bernadette

......................................
Bernadette Toner
Editor, BioInform
GenomeWeb LLC
212-651-5636
btoner@genomeweb.com
www.bioinform.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: bioclusters-admin@bioinformatics.org
> [mailto:bioclusters-admin@bioinformatics.org]On Behalf Of Alan Hart
> Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 3:43 AM
> To: 'bioclusters@bioinformatics.org'
> Subject: RE: [Bioclusters] Journalist request: linux cluster user
> feedback
>
>
> As below ...
> Let me know if you want any more detail.
> Alan Hart
> UNIX Manager
> Oxford GlycoSciences
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Bernadette Toner [SMTP:btoner@genomeweb.com]
> > Sent:	19 September 2002 17:44
> > To:	bioclusters@bioinformatics.org
> > Subject:	[Bioclusters] Journalist request: linux cluster user
> > feedback
> >
> >
> > Hi everybody -
> >
> > I'm conducting an informal survey on user trends for
> bioinformatics Linux
> > clusters for BioInform newsletter and I'm looking for as
> much input as
> > possible.
> >
> > The set of questions below has already been sent out to
> around 40 people
> > who
> > use Linux clusters for bioinformatics. If anyone on this
> list has a few
> > minutes to add their two cents, that would be really
> helpful. Feel free to
> > forward this e-mail to anyone else you know of who may be
> interested in
> > participating.
> >
> > I'll post the results to this list once the article comes
> out - probably
> > in
> > about two weeks.
> >
> > Here's the questions (please respond directly to
> btoner@genomeweb.com):
> >
> > - How long have you had your Linux cluster running?
> >
> 	1 year
>
> > - How many nodes was your cluster originally? How many
> nodes is it now? Do
> > you have plans to add more in the future?
> >
> 	10 now 20 expect to go 100+ in 2003
>
> > - Did you build your cluster yourself or use an independent
> consultant or
> > hardware vendor (If so, please specify who)?
> >
> 	Total self build (based on previous experience in the
> Oil Industry)
>
> > - What type of processors make up your cluster?
> >
> 	Intel 1.2 GHz's
>
> > - What type of distributed resource management software
> (ie, LSF, PBS, Sun
> > Grid Engine) do you use?
> >
> 	Mosix Kernel level load sharing with Sun Grid queuing
> resource on
> top
>
> > - What bioinformatics/life science applications do you run
> on the cluster?
> > Has this changed at all in the time you've had it running?
> >
> 	Sometimes daily changes !  Blast, fgenes, clustalw,
> emboss, fasta,
> iprscan and lots more ...
>
> > - Do you use a parallel Blast application? If so, which one
> (ie, BeoBlast,
> > NBlast, Blackstone PowerBlast, TurboBlast, Paracel Blast)?
> >
> 	Nope.
>
> > - Is the price/performance of your Linux cluster better or
> worse than you
> > expected it to be? Please elaborate, if possible.
> >
> 	Good although my opinion is take more man hours to
> support than an
> equivalent UNIX (e.g. solaris) cluster
>
> > - Is the total cost of ownership of your Linux cluster
> (including air
> > conditioning/cooling, sys-admin costs, downtime, footprint,
> etc.) better
> > or
> > worse than you expected it to be? Please elaborate, if possible.
> >
> 	Good.
>
> > - Overall, what are the biggest advantages to using a Linux
> cluster in
> > bioinformatics? What are the biggest drawbacks?
> >
> 	Opensource flexible build, low cost, easy to modify, good price
> performance, lots of open source BioInf. code, dual boot NT &
> linux for more
> flexibility, there is nothing else out there like "mosix" !
>
> > - What future improvements would be on your wish list for
> Linux cluster
> > technology for bioinformatics applications?
> >
> 	More snmp c.f. mosix does CPU level load sharing, often
> apps. are
> memory bound.
> 	More processors per nodes or kernel level snmp
>
> > All responses will be treated as confidential. If you're
> willing and have
> > the time to discuss any of these questions further, please
> let me know
> > what
> > day and time would be most convenient for a follow-up discussion.
> >
> 	Not willing to discuss but interested in other responses.
> 	OGS config is confidential please.
>
> > Thanks in advance to all -
> >
> > Bernadette Toner
> >
> > ......................................
> > Bernadette Toner
> > Editor, BioInform
> > GenomeWeb LLC
> > 212-651-5636
> > btoner@genomeweb.com
> > www.bioinform.com
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Bioclusters maillist  -  Bioclusters@bioinformatics.org
> > https://bioinformatics.org/mailman/listinfo/bioclusters
>
>
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