A plug computer is basically a computer in a 3"x5"x2" box with a wall plug on the back.

Now, a company called Marvell has released the SheevaPlug, a plug computer with:
~1.2 GHz Processor
~512MB DRAM
~512MB flash memory
~Gigabit ethernet
~USB port
~Mini-USB port
~SDIO slot

It runs on Linux.

Now, I was wondering if it would be possible to run BOINC on it. Since the developer version only costs $99, and the price is rumored to drop further, you could create a powerful, cheap farm easily.

More Details:
Marvell: SheevaPlug Development Kit
Marvell: Plug Computing
Buy SheevaPlug Development Kit Here
CNET article
Geek.com article
Plug Computer - Wikipedia

I'd be willing to buy one

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

Since the developer version only costs $99, and the price is rumored to drop further, you could create a powerful, cheap farm easily.

Not really.
The system has very little processing power. You would have to buy lots of the units just to match one basic PC's processing ability, let alone one that runs CUDA as well.

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Grant
Darwin NT

Since the developer version only costs $99, and the price is rumored to drop further, you could create a powerful, cheap farm easily.

Not really.
The system has very little processing power. You would have to buy lots of the units just to match one basic PC's processing ability, let alone one that runs CUDA as well.

Actually, it would run, but you would require about 12 to 14 of them to equal the processing power of a quad 3.5GHz computer. So it would not be that cheap.

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BOINC WIKI

It is rumored that the price could drop as low as $49
But still, 12 of them at that price would cost $600.
However, these things would also make good home servers, and why not run BOINC with the spare ~1GHz that is available most of the time?

And can anyone give an estimated RAC for a single 1.2GHz cpu running 100% of the time?

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

But still, 12 of them at that price would cost $600.
However, these things would also make good home servers, and why not run BOINC with the spare ~1GHz that is available most of the time?

And can anyone give an estimated RAC for a single 1.2GHz cpu running 100% of the time?

Even at $50 it's still not good value.
My personal wild guess, even with good code optimisation, would be about 200-300. These days you can get $500 Quad Core systems which can have an RAC of 4,500+.

These low powered systems are well suited for their design goal- small media/file server, router/firewall applications.
But when it comes to crunching numbers, their ability is almost non existant. File servers etc don't require much in the way of math processing ability. And high performance ALU/FPUs really crank up the power consumption.

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Grant
Darwin NT

I am thinking that it is using either intel Atom or VIA C7. I thought I read ARM coming out with 1+ GHz processor, but I do not think it is out yet and AMD is working on something similar to Atom, I do not think it is out yet.

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I had a 1 gHz laptop that could only manage a RAC of about 70 (stock apps.) So figure somewhere betwwn 80 and 100.

Assuming it could run optimized (???) maybe a RAC of 150 to 180 max.

For $99 that equates to (most optimistic) $0.55 / RAC credit

At $49 that would be $0.27 / RAC credit.

My quad, built for around $600, can maintain a SETI Optimized RAC of around 3800.

Approx $0.16/credit.

To match my standard clocked Q6600, you’d need at least 20 of them at no more than $30 each.

Also, I haven’t done the math, but at a guess, 20 of them would eat a lot more electricity that one quad, generate much more heat and, of course, think of the administration headaches in looking after 20 machines. I’ve trouble enough with one. ;o)

While this sort of computer could likely have many uses, as a BOINC cruncher I’d be pretty dubious.

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Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.

Albert Einstein

I had a 1 gHz laptop that could only manage a RAC of about 70 (stock apps.) So figure somewhere betwwn 80 and 100.

Assuming it could run optimized (???) maybe a RAC of 150 to 180 max.

Hmmm, just rambling around their website, they indicate the processor is ARM compatible. Which I interpret as "poor math" and far from Intel compatible. So you can't even hope for that high a RAC. It'd be more like trying to run BOINC on your PDA. :-)

For $99 that equates to (most optimistic) $0.55 / RAC credit

At $49 that would be $0.27 / RAC credit.

My quad, built for around $600, can maintain a SETI Optimized RAC of around 3800.

Approx $0.16/credit.

To match my standard clocked Q6600, you’d need at least 20 of them at no more than $30 each.

Also, I haven’t done the math, but at a guess, 20 of them would eat a lot more electricity that one quad, generate much more heat and, of course, think of the administration headaches in looking after 20 machines. I’ve trouble enough with one. ;o)

Again, from their website, they indicate the Plug computer draws 5 watts pretty much for it's top draw. So, 20 of them would be 100 watts, which is still quite a bit less than a "normal" Q6600 based system.

While this sort of computer could likely have many uses, as a BOINC cruncher I’d be pretty dubious.

That I'd have to agree with. :-)

I had a 1 gHz laptop that could only manage a RAC of about 70 (stock apps.) So figure somewhere betwwn 80 and 100.

Assuming it could run optimized (???) maybe a RAC of 150 to 180 max.

Hmmm, just rambling around their website, they indicate the processor is ARM compatible. Which I interpret as "poor math" and far from Intel compatible. So you can't even hope for that high a RAC. It'd be more like trying to run BOINC on your PDA. :-)

For $99 that equates to (most optimistic) $0.55 / RAC credit

At $49 that would be $0.27 / RAC credit.

My quad, built for around $600, can maintain a SETI Optimized RAC of around 3800.

Approx $0.16/credit.

To match my standard clocked Q6600, you’d need at least 20 of them at no more than $30 each.

Also, I haven’t done the math, but at a guess, 20 of them would eat a lot more electricity that one quad, generate much more heat and, of course, think of the administration headaches in looking after 20 machines. I’ve trouble enough with one. ;o)

Again, from their website, they indicate the Plug computer draws 5 watts pretty much for it's top draw. So, 20 of them would be 100 watts, which is still quite a bit less than a "normal" Q6600 based system.

While this sort of computer could likely have many uses, as a BOINC cruncher I’d be pretty dubious.

That I'd have to agree with. :-)

Yeah, I hadn’t dug as deeply as you have. Just doing some back-of-the envelope musing. But we seem to have reached similar conclusions from different angles.

And even I know that there is more to crunching efficiency than just processor speed. Cache memory and RAM speed come to mind. And, just as important, the overhead of having a separate OS and BOINC manager per computer. (20 of them spread out over 20 plug-ins is going to eat up a lot more crunching capability that one each per 4 core quad, I would think).

And none of that even looks at the advantages of CUDA. (Which, yes, I have been pondering on, but not until you guys have all figured out how to make it easy first. LOL.)

[edit] As for the power draw of 5 watts. Maybe, for low level uses like monitoring the hydroponics (420!) lab or keeping tabs on the goldfish aquarium but for crunching in even the RAC 80 range? Colour me a little skeptical, but I'd like to see some independent kill-a-watt figures first. :oP

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Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.

Albert Einstein

It is rumored that the price could drop as low as $49
But still, 12 of them at that price would cost $600.
However, these things would also make good home servers, and why not run BOINC with the spare ~1GHz that is available most of the time?

And can anyone give an estimated RAC for a single 1.2GHz cpu running 100% of the time?

The problem is they are VERY low power CPUs. Although the clock speed is fairly high, they take several clock cycles to execute most instructions, and their Math co-pros are rather puny.

A PIII running @ 1ghz can produce a RAC of about 120, WITH optimised apps. I doubt that an ARM of any speed will match that, the low power VIA chips certainly wont.

I'm not saying it couldn't crunch, but the output would be VERY dissapointing. I'd still put my Q6600 up against about 50 of them, bet it cost less and would draw less power. The wiring would be a LOT tidier too ;-)

Ian

I am thinking that it is using either intel Atom or VIA C7. I thought I read ARM coming out with 1+ GHz processor, but I do not think it is out yet and AMD is working on something similar to Atom, I do not think it is out yet.

Actually, they use Marvell's own processor, the Marvell Sheeva

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

My atom netbook clocked @ 1.6ghz, 2gb ram will do (when running with HT on) 2 ~45 credit wu in about 6.5hrs. So 90 credits per 6.5hrs, works out to 320-360 per 24hour period. This is using the AK opti app

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My atom netbook clocked @ 1.6ghz, 2gb ram will do (when running with HT on) 2 ~45 credit wu in about 6.5hrs. So 90 credits per 6.5hrs, works out to 320-360 per 24hour period. This is using the AK opti app

Yes, that's what I get from mine:
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_host_detail.php?hostid=4560522
a Medion Akoya (rebadged MSI Wind) which runs s@h 24/7 except for the
two 15-minute walks to/from Uni each day. I also disable s@h when
I'm at CERN so I can get through a full day's meetings on the battery.

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Ok, so I think that we're in agreement that a farm of these would not be viable.
But if I were to use one as a home server, how would I put BOINC on it just to use the extra ~1GHz?

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

It sounds cool. Makes me nostalgic for the Mac Cube. Anybody remember those? I always thought it would be cool if someone could make a PC version of the Cube.

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I am actually considering to buy at least one to see how it works, and if it works well, when i will consider getting a complete farm / cluster with such plugs.

Con:
-Not very fast

Pro:
-Cheap per unit
-VERY little power usage
-VERY small

The two last ones is the key factors here. :)

I will defenetly keep everybody updated ;)

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Actually, I now have one of these, in the form of a Pogoplug. (One of the beta units)
I have telnet access, and it runs linux :)
Now it's just a question of installing BOINC

It's so strange having it next to my old P3.

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

Btw, how would I install BOINC? New linux user here.
The pogoplug appears to just has the plain linux kernel, so no easy apt-get will work here
I was thinking to use a regular computer to download BOINC, and put it on a flash drive, then plug it in to the pogoplug...

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)

Btw, how would I install BOINC? New linux user here.
The pogoplug appears to just has the plain linux kernel, so no easy apt-get will work here
I was thinking to use a regular computer to download BOINC, and put it on a flash drive, then plug it in to the pogoplug...

OK...

First question:

What does

uname -a

give?


Any idea if it is based on a cut down distro or is it some custom setup?

You can try one of the XXXX.sh downloads from the Boinc download page and run from the directory BOINC for whatever user you have on that device.

What is the CPU?


Good luck,
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Sorry, It's been a looooong time...
I have 3 PCs, a HTPC, and the Pogoplug all battling for a spot on my 4-port router...

So anyways
uname -a
gives
Linux Pogoplug 2.6.22.18 #4 Wed Jan 28 16:15:28 PST 2009 armv5tejl unknown

I get this warning when I log in:
warning: cannot change to home directory

hopefully it doesn't matter.

I was thinking this might work for the install
wget http://boincdl.ssl.berkeley.edu/dl/boinc_6.4.5_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh
sh boinc_6.4.5_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh
I didn't do all of the directory changing because as stated earlier there is no home directory.

Btw, the processor is a 1.2 GHz Marvell Sheeva

I would try this, but Pogoplug's developer docs are misleading when it comes to the storage volumes. I have one of their beta units, and their instructions are for the production units which are slightly different. I just don't want to screw anything up. I'm just waiting for an email back...

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I'm a Prefectionist ;)