kann@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Kirk M. Anne) (11/07/90)
We are looking at upgrading our cluster at the University of Rochester and we have some questions for sites which have a Local Area VAXcluster. We are trying to compare the advantages and disadvantages to building a cluster versus a large (6410+) central processor. We are looking to replace or add to a cluster of a 8650 and 2 11/750's. We would like to know: How many nodes do you have? What is the performance hit on the central disk server? Can you still use the central disk server as a batch processor? How is the system maintenance? Is it easier or harder than a central processor? What problems have you encountered in setting up and maintaining the LAVc? How do you license software on the LAVc? What packages? How do you handle access to the machines in the LAVc? Do you use them as workstations also? What is the network load produced by the LAVc? Do you need a private network to keep the performance up to par? Has anybody worked with the InfoServer? Does it make it easier to install software? What is the application performance hit moving to a distributed processor from the central processor? Do databases or disk intensive programs suffer? For those of you who respond, thank you in advance. I will post a summary of the results that I receive back in two or three weeks. Kirk Anne University of Rochester VMS Consultant User Services Taylor Hall 44 Rochester, NY 14627 (716) 275-2811