Computer Cluster: Basic Concepts, Benefits, and Attributes

This article discusses the basic concepts, benefits, and attributes of computer clusters. It explains how they improve performance, scalability, and resource consolidation. The article also covers load balancing and high-availability clusters.

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Computer Cluster
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Abstract
The evolution of networks is more or less tied to the history of early computer clusters, as
one of the core motivation for the advancement of a network was to connect computing
resources, making a de facto computer cluster. As the goal to get the better reliability and more
computing power by orchestrating a number minimal cost business off-the-shelf computers has
given the increase to a variety of structures and setting. A computer cluster developed because of
the converging of various trends in computing comprising the availability of power processors
and resources, rapid systems, high performance distributing computing and high-speed networks.
They have an extensive range of applicability and deployment, extending from independent
venture clusters with a few nodes to some of the supercomputers with high speed globally, like
IBM's Sequoia.

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Computer Cluster Basic Concepts
A computer cluster is a set of tightly or loosely linked computers that operate together as a
solitary logic unit, in many aspects (Hashem, et al 2015). However, computer clusters are more
expensive to implement and maintain. These computing devices are linked together by LAN
(local area network). A computer cluster is contingent on a centralized management method
which makes the hubs accessible as orchestrated shared servers. In addition, a computer cluster
might be a straightforward two-hub system which just links two computing devices or
supercomputer which are very fast. In spite of the fact that a cluster might comprise of only a
couple of computer linked by a simple network, the architecture of the cluster might likewise be
utilized to accomplish high-performance levels.
Benefits of Computer Cluster
There are a couple of benefits that can be directly associated with a computer cluster. The
architecture of cluster improves the performance, however, the installation depends on numerous
factors. The capability of the system to continue operating despite having a malfunctioning node
allows high performance and scalability, resource consolidation, and centralized management,
and low-frequency maintenance (Yuan, 2015). The advantages comprise providing parallel data
processing, enabling data recovery and high processing capacity. Regarding scalability, cluster
offers this in their capacity to add nodes on horizontally. This implies more computers might be
added to the cluster, to enhance its performance, fault tolerance and redundancy. It is viewed as
an inexpensive solution for high performing cluster contrasted with scaling up a solitary node in
the cluster. Execution of larger computational loads can be enabled by this property.

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Attributes of Computer Cluster
Load balancing cluster designs in where cluster-node shares computational workload to
offer an overall better performance. For instance, a web server cluster may allocate various
queries to various nodes, hence optimization of the overall response. High-availability clusters
that are also referred as called failover clusters, or (HA clusters) enhance the availability of the
cluster method. Their operations are by having repetitive nodes, which are then used to offer
services in case the system fails. The implementation of any attempt to utilize redundancy of
cluster elements to remove failure is done by HA cluster
Conclusion
In conclusion, among the problems in the using of a processor cluster is the price of
running it that may sometimes be as expensive as the price of managing N independent
machineries, when the cluster contain N nodes. In several cases, this offers a benefit
to common memory designs with lower management budgets. This has as well
made simulated machines common, owing to the simplicity of management. Even though
most processor clusters are stable fixtures, efforts at flashy mob computing have been
accomplished to form short-lived cluster for particular computations. Nevertheless,
larger volunteer computing schemes like BOINC-based schemes have more followers.
Clusters are generally deployed to enhance availability and performance over that of a
solitary computer, while normally being cost-effective than a single computer compared with
availability or speed.

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References
Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., & Khan, S. U. (2015). The
rise of “big data” on cloud computing: Review and open research issues. Information
Systems, 47, 98-115.
Yuan, J., Gao, F., Ho, Q., Dai, W., Wei, J., Zheng, X., ... & Ma, W. Y. (2015, May).
Lightlda: Big topic models on modest computer clusters. In Proceedings of the 24th
International Conference on World Wide Web (pp. 1351-1361). International World
Wide Web Conferences Steering Committee.