NC State engineer crafts academic cluster with PlayStation 3s

While universities have been cranking out supercomputers and research clusters for some time, an associate professor at NC State is utilizing IBM's highly-touted Cell processor in a slightly different form to craft his own farm. Similar to the Xbox Linux cluster from years past, this concoction consists of eight PlayStation 3 consoles networked together and powered via Linux in order to handle ridiculous amounts of number crunching. Dubbed the "world's first" PS3-based academic cluster, the creation boasts the ability to utilize "64 logical processors," and is set to be used to handle various research tasks when sly CSC students aren't firing up a round of Ridge Racer 7 after hours. Nevertheless, Dr. Frank Mueller noted that the biggest limitation in its current state is the "512MB RAM constraint," but did insinuate that he might try retrofitting additional memory if future tasks deemed it necessary. Still, we can't help but wonder how many spots the Pack could jump in the RIAA's Most Wanted list if this thing became a dedicated torrent server.

[Via TWW]

[Blaine @ Mar 10th 2007 6:08PM]

Yeah, PS3's are real hard to find...

[waffles @ Mar 10th 2007 6:23PM]

why did he opt for the 60gb hard drive ones? wifi?

[Pingspike @ Mar 10th 2007 6:29PM]

typo: Concocting - concoction. i.e. creating - creation etc.
Was wondering when a (notable) cell cluster would turn up in one guise or another.

[PreGHz @ Mar 10th 2007 7:12PM]

How is it a typo?

"This concoction", not, "he was concocting."

[Spiderfish @ Mar 10th 2007 6:32PM]

Silence is better than unmeaning words.
Pythagoras

[PR3DAT0R6sic6 @ Mar 10th 2007 8:07PM]

"512MB RAM constraint" doesn't he mean 250MB RAM constraint.

[Jope @ Mar 10th 2007 8:20PM]

Some guys have been thinking about this for a while here in Spain. Check out http://www.ps3grid.net/

More info, I guess, after march 23rd... 8-)

[allen Gragg @ Mar 10th 2007 8:20PM]

Big things happenin at State. Headed to the ACC finals tomorrow vs. Carollina. Go Pack!!

[PR3DAT0R6sic6 @ Mar 10th 2007 8:53PM]

Sorry about the 250MB typo.
btw where did you get the idea that the GPU is able to share its VRAM with the system ram because that is just not true.

[myscrnnm @ Mar 11th 2007 3:37AM]

"btw where did you get the idea that the GPU is able to share its VRAM with the system ram because that is just not true."

No, he/she's right. The Cell processor can access the RSX's 256MB of GDDR3, and vice versa.

[wako @ Mar 11th 2007 12:10AM]

Sony must be happy...


10 PlayStation3s that were bought by one person that wasnt returned because it failed to sell on ebay. First time for everything I guess :)

[Wyatt_Z @ Mar 11th 2007 12:42AM]

How do prices compare to building a conventional supercomputer with comparable power?

[Matt @ Mar 11th 2007 12:48AM]

He's saying, "The consoles shown here account for approximately one half of the PlayStation 3 units sold in the United States."

:D

[Andir3.0 @ Mar 11th 2007 7:29AM]

Yes, it's true, the Cell can access the RSX memory, but at a dramatically less bandwidth than vice versa. It's sorta like how today's AMD64 systems work. The CPU controls the memory and the RSX can request access to it and get acccess at about 12Gbs. The Cell however doesn't have as fast of a channel to the RSX memory because of the RSX architecture. (Kind of like how the PC Processor doesn't have access to the GPU memory) It works fine for games since the CPU will most likely not have to read from the video memory anyway, but the RSX can read/write to system memory if needed at the same speed as the 360 (actually, 2GB/s faster if you don't account for DMA hits)

The bandwidth is as follows:
RSX 22.4GBs Video Memory
||
15GBs (RSX to Cell) / 20GBs (Cell to RSX)
||
Cell 25.6GBs System Memory

So, the RSX can read/write at a maximum of 15GBs through the Cell, but it would limit the Cell b/w to 10.6GBs usable. Although the Cell has the bandwidth in reverse, the RSX disallows the Cell full use of it's memory, which is what I recall last time I read into it.

The 360 is setup like a T, with the GPU and CPU at the ends of the top bar of the T, a memory controller in the middle and the memory at the bottom. Both the GPU and CPU are connected to it with a 10.8GBs buss (or 10.4, I can't remember) The memory controller is then connected to the memory at 22.4GBs (split between the GPU/CPU [10.8 + 10.8]).

The Cell can read/write twice as fast (as well as the RSX) to each of their own memory as the 360 can. The advantage the 360 has over the PS3 lies in the fact that the memory can be used by either as demands change, but the PS3 is limited in how much memory the Cell can use effectively. But if you followed the speeds listed above, the Cell can read/write data much faster from it's limited memory.

If I remember correctly (it's been a while) your standard PC has less than 10GBs bandwidth from CPU to memory as well. I think last I read it's around 8GBs.

Anyway, much more info than you wanted to know :P

[Chedabob @ Mar 11th 2007 8:24AM]

Wow, this guy is some mega hacker, you know, installing linux on the ps3 with the built-in tool, then installing some distributed computing software.

Come on Engadget, post something that actually took some effort. You know, like running Linux on a device that doesn't happen to have an easy to use installer (like 360, or *sniggers* Wii).

[Tony Rayo @ Mar 11th 2007 9:04AM]

"Come on Engadget, post something that actually took some effort. You know, like running Linux on a device that doesn't happen to have an easy to use installer (like 360, or *sniggers* Wii)."

You know someone has already made a 360 linux-ready distro and there is supposedly an easy to use installer in the works. Doesn't work on unmodified systems, but if you or anyone else is interested, I'm sure www.xbox-scene.com has the info (it was on their front page, if it's not by now check the archives and/or the forums).

- Tony R.

[Tony Rayo @ Mar 11th 2007 9:00AM]

I admire anyone that can get a cluster of anythings up and running (esp. when they weren't meant for that purpose in mind) but this is a bit of a waste of resources and time since IBM has been working with labs/colleges/etc, using the cell platform placed on a motherboard. I haven't been following this field, but I know the first boards already had dual cell technology, aka the PPC/SPUs/etc and I'm sure allow for MUCH more ram.

Kudos again, but if you really want to get some number crunching done instead of a "just go and try it" project, then it'd be better to contact IBM. I'm sure universities get a discount rate as well.

- Tony R.

[kevjohn @ Mar 15th 2007 6:28PM]

I don't think that anything that gets this much publicity and interest can be considered a "waste of resources and time".

[Tony Rayo @ Mar 16th 2007 1:55AM]

So by that logic, the Paris Hilton sex tape(s?) are worth all of the attention they got/get? Like I said though, it's cool that it was done, but there are better ways to make use of cell and you wouldn't have any RAM issues.

- Tony R.

[shreeganesh Ramanan @ Mar 11th 2007 7:37PM]

UIUC has been working with PS3s too http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/news/articles.php?id=2007Feb5-231

[Rob Speed @ Mar 11th 2007 9:28PM]

Imagine a Beowulf cluster of... oh. Wait. Never mind.

[damd @ Mar 12th 2007 11:17AM]

whats up with the word concoct?!!!

[mogbert @ Mar 14th 2007 6:47PM]

I could be wrong, but don't the cell processors in the PS3 only have seven working cores? Wouldn't that be "56" cores? Where is the "64" coming from? Are they counting using the graphics chip also? Do DSP of sound cards count as logical processors?

I am curious about the performance of this verses a standard cluster.