Re: [Xen-users] Home Xen hypervisor for master's project

[Todd Deshane <todd.deshane@xxxxxxx>]

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 1:02 AM, Joseph Commisso <commissoje@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 7:21 PM, Todd Deshane <todd.deshane@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>> On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 8:02 PM, Joseph Commisso <commissoje@xxxxxxxxx> 
>> wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Could somebody please help me with a few hardware questions?
>>>
>>> I am building a home Xen server to implement a Xen Cloud for my
>>> master's project comparing SOA.
>>> I will probably use Linux guest OSs, but I may want to use a Windows
>>> guest for home PC use.
>>>
>>
>> Can you go into more detail about what features you plan to implement?
>
> Well, I really do not know too much about Cloud computing, grids
> (Globus), or parallel programming, all of which I would like to touch
> upon or possibly go into more depth.

You might find these useful for background (you or your school will
need an ACM account):
http://techpack.acm.org/cloud/
http://techpack.acm.org/parallel/

> I was thinking of implementing a grid on the cloud, but then I saw
> documentation referring to a cloud on a grid, so when I get there, I
> will work that one out.
> My instructor said to compare what I do against SOA, which will give
> me something to work on there as well.
>
> I am fairly proficient with Linux administration with some abilities
> on other areas, like networking, hardware and some minor software
> programming.
> So, I do not know what I will need to implement at this point. I hope
> to learn as I go and see if I can come up with something useful.
> I want to build this virtual server at home, since the machines that I
> have access to at school are slow and also because school is 50 miles
> away and I have no other classes to attend, so working at home on this
> seems like the way to do it.
>>
>> Also, what type of interfaces do you expect to provide to users? How
>> will they connect? etc.
>
> What I know how to do is use xdmcp for remote sessions.
> If I do set up a grid or cluster, then there may be some interface
> which that uses.
> Again, I hope to be able to find out when I get there.
> I plan on choosing a motherboard/CPU and then building the rest of the
> machine around those.
> I have a coworker who suggested the AMD line and said that due to the
> way the CPU connects to the bus and the rest of the motherboard, that
> three cores is optimal.
> I did not get a chance to talk to him about a hypervisor machine and
> whether that also applied to the three cores.
>
>>
>>> I have been trying to make a decision on the CPU and motherboard to
>>> purchase and really could use some help.
>>>
>>> I have read the wiki post at:
>>> http://wiki.xen.org/xenwiki/VTdHowTo?highlight=(vtd)
>>>
>>> 1) For my purposes, is IOMMU important?
>>> If so, then also, for my purposes, it looks like the ASUS Crosshair IV
>>> Formula may be a good choice.
>>>
>>> ** I would appreciate any input, as to the Crosshair or other, like the 
>>> M4A89TD.
>>>
>>> Now for the CPU and I have really not been able to determine how many
>>> cores is optimal for this server.
>>> I have a knowledgeable coworker who says that three cores is optimal
>>> and I have not been able to find information to support that or
>>> dispute it.
>>>
>>> 2) The Phenom II series seems to be attractive, so I have been
>>> concentrating on those, but can someone also help me with the X3, X4,
>>> or X6 decision?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Joe
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Xen-users mailing list
>>> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>>>
>>
>
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>

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