Shell over a Cluster (SHOC): Towards Achieving Single System Image via the Shell

With dramatic improvements in cost-performance, the use of clusters of personal computers is fast becoming widespread. For ease of use and management, a Single System Image (SSI) is highly desirable. There are several approaches that one can take to achieve SSI. In this paper, we discuss the achievement of SSI via the use of the user login shell. To this end, we describeshoc (Shell over a Cluster) – an implementation of the standard Linux-GNU bash shell that permits the user to utilize a cluster as a single resource. In addition, shoc provides for transparent pre-emptive load balancing without requiring the user to rewrite, recompile or even relink of existing applications. Running at user-level, shoc does not require any kernel modification and currently runs on any Linux cluster fulfilling a minimal set of requirements. We will also present results on the performance of shoc and show that the load balancing feature gives rise to better overall cluster utilization as well as improv...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2002
• Where: CLUSTER
• Authors: C. M. Tan, C. P. Tan, Weng-Fai Wong
• Keywords: Better Overall Cluster, CLUSTER 2002, Distributed And Parallel Computing, Linux-GNU Bash Shell, User Login Shell