Beowulf and Linux: an integrated project course

This paper describes an experimental, integrated project course. The theme of the course is the Beowulf computing cluster, a parallel computing system emphasizing inexpensive hardware and software. Beowulf clusters are thoroughly described in references [1] through [5], and elsewhere. The integrated project involves assembling the cluster hardware, installing and configuring the operating system, networking, and application software, and conducting parallel-programming activities on the completed system.The course syllabus is highly adaptable and flexible. The relative emphases of topics can be tailored to suit curricular aims, student interests, and resource availabilities. As a first-time course offering, the syllabus emphasized the Linux operating system and basics of local area networks. Lab activities focused on assembling and configuring the hardware and software. Besides the hardware setup, projects included initial operating system installations, kernel configurations and compilations, and configuration and use of networking features such as the NFS filesystem. For the final lab activity, trivial parallel programs were successfully compiled and executed to demonstrate "proof of principle". Subsequent sessions of the course will be streamlined to put more emphasis on the parallel programming component. A basic, "beginner's" design for a system is described in some detail. The hardware consisted of retired lab computers and required less than $100 additional expense for cabling and incidental materials. All software was free, open-source material.