Setting up a server for scientific computing

[philm0]

Hello everyone,

I have a cluster computing that I am going to be setting up for scientific computing. I have never done this before and I was wondering, on a server what kind of operating system would be approiate to place on the cluster? As in, would a desktop or server operating system be better for scientific computing?

I know that I am going to be placing ubuntu 14.04 but I am unsure if it should be the desktop or server version.

 

[jedishrfu]

Well Ubuntu server will give you some additional components in support of server-based computing that the desktop won't have and vice versa:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/3108...en-the-server-version-and-the-desktop-version

Are you considering Julia (www.julialang.org) for the environment? or more of a C/C++/MPI based computing?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Message_Passing_Interface

 

[philm0]

It is definitely going to be C++ programming using MPI

 

[jedishrfu]

Okay, then perhaps this will help:

http://www.linux-mag.com/id/5759/

 

[philm0]

Great, thank you I will be looking through this.

But for scientific computing, due the benefits of the sever edition outweigh that of the desktop?

 

[Routaran]

Not really. The repositories are the same and server just makes all the desktop packages optional. Just adding the missing packages will turn server into desktop.

Go with server because it's more lean, a few more resources will be available for your applications.

 

[imort]

I know that I am going to be placing ubuntu 14.04 but I am unsure if it should be the desktop or server version.

Hey
You can try to use a Scientific Linux distribution. It already has much of specific tools installed and preconfigured.
You also can install any distribution you like (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS) and install all the software you need manually.

Desktop or server version is entirely up to you but if you didn't fee yourself comfortable with console then you probably will need a desktop version.