Abstract
In this paper, we propose a new setup tool for a PC cluster system called DCAST. DCAST can setup a PC cluster system in an intermingled environment of diskless and diskfull nodes. The unique function of DCAST is the mechanism to design the network of diskfull nodes and diskless nodes. The network is automatically optimized to avoid loads from concentrating on a single diskfull node when the diskless nodes are booted. To verify the utility of this function, we measured the file read access speed and the processing time of applications for cluster, and verified fault-tolerance of the diskless nodes. The results showed that the file read access speed improved by approximately 30%, the processing time improved by approximately 5%, and the number of system failures decreased when the concentration of loads to a single diskfull node was avoided. Therefore, DCAST is useful for constructing large-scale PC clusters.
