Custom Configured
KlustOS uses the Linux Kernel with patches for clustering support and uses an underlying operating system format which is, in general, the same across all builds. However KlustOS is provided configured specifically for the application it is to be used on and for the hardware it is to be deployed on. This improves the systems performance and provides a powerful, efficient platform for your application.
KlustOS is based on Gentoo Linux and as such the programs are compiled for the hardware they are to run on. For deployment of software Gentoo's Portage package management system is used and provides a simple means of rolling out new software across the cluster with two simple commands. Integrating in house software is also simplified through easy integration to the Portage KlustOS system.
Clusters for Processing Performance
The master node in the cluster provides an image for the processing nodes to boot from. Processing nodes keep the runtime necessities in RAM and mount shared working directories over the network as a network share.
Advantages of the KlustOS methodology:
- By running diskless nodes for intensive processing applications increased power efficiency and density of hardware is possible, reducing the total cost of ownership.
- Diskless nodes reduce unnecessary disk usage by eliminating replication of basics operating system data. Operating systems may consist of 2 or more Gigabytes of data (when installed to a HDD in an uncompressed format).
- KlustOS provides monitoring and management utilities for the systems, simplifying the system administrators duties. Little monitoring is required and for small clusters KlustOS is designed to run without human intervention.
More information about processor intensive applicationa and examples are given in KlustOS Features.
Clusters for Replication and Redundancy
In replication and redundancy the emphasis is on data security and availability. The main purposes are:
- Maximising uptime
- Data security through replication
- Load Balancing - for both speed and system resource management
These are all handled by KlustOS with powerful tested open source programs providing the services.