What’s the easiest and most flexible grid computing solution for a windows-based home network?
I have four computers, and I hope that each team is able to borrow CPU cycles when others are inactive. For example, if a new edition of my son’s video on a computer and two computers are idle, it would be nice if your computer in May and, on request, via the processing power of idle computers. It should be invisible to the end user requires no additional hardware, and work with any Windows program.
You wouldn’t be able to do that.
If you’re looking to borrow memory/speed from another CPU then you might want to look into some hardcore networking stuff.
The closest thing to what you’re asking is to implement a application server-based network.
Example: At a corporation everyone uses a program to pull information from. Instead of having the application on every computer the company has in on one server that everyone pulls info from.
As far as network architecture you might want to just get a router. But you may have lots of variables like all the computers are spread throughout your house except two. Well instead of drilling holes and spreading ethernet around you could go wireless with two and hard-wire two.
You’ve got options as for as architecture but sorry about the processor/resource question.
Unless you’re getting involved in 3D rendering or After Effects motion graphics – I think the relative narrow bandwidth of the network would bottleneck – and the potential speed gains negated. I think you’re prerequisite of “working” with any windows program really is impossible.
Unless you have gigabit or faster, I wouldn’t even bother.
Normal Windows versions do not support this. You need Windows 2000 Advanced Server or Windows 2003 Enterprise Server to run either server clustering or network load balancing. Server clustering means that all the computers act as one individual computer but take over when another fails. Network load balancing is similar but instead of acting as standby, the least busiest computer responds to the request. If you were to choose, network load balancing probably is the closest one to your needs. Otherwise I’m not aware of any software or hardware additions you may use other than special Linux or Unix distributions.