[Bldg-sim] EnergyPlus on multi-cpu systems, Standard E+ Machiine

[JRR]

Hi;

One of the simplest ways to speed production runs is to get several 
identical computers, install identical
copies of the desired software and perform "saw tooth" runs. In this 
strategy the user moves down one
machine about every 5 minutes starting another run. After all of the 
machines are running go back to the
first machine and wait for the results.As soon as the first machine is 
finished, load it and go again.

Quite a while ago I had a flexy manufacturing class as part of my 
master's degree program. The factory
simulation runs took a long time -- this was just as 486s were fading 
and Pentium CPUs were taking off.
the runs took ~ 40 minutes so I got 8 machines in the computer lab early 
in the morning on a Saturday. I
finished the projects in one morning. My classmates were crushing it all 
week.

We are interested in establishing a "standard configuration"  PC for 
efforts to speed up Energy Plus runs.
We are NOT interested in Equest, or TRACE, at this time.  We may have 
some interest in Retscreen, Window 5.
The system will be based on an Intel OEM motherboard, Intel CPU, and 
something that is not Vista.
Windows XP PRO is available to small OEMs through January 30 in the US. 
SuSE Linux looks like a
good alternative. I have looked at the NVIDIA  Tesla board that plugs 
into a PCIe x16 slot. That's
available retail at $1600 from Tigerdirect.com.   I don't want to create 
a $10,000 PC however.
What is the feeling on the mailing list concerning speed vs cost ??  Is 
a $2,000 PC OK?  $2,500 ??

One other feature we are looking at is providing Internet based training 
for Energy Plus, and Technical
Support. Establishing a standard machine or say two levels of standard 
machine, operating system, tools,
would greatly help the user community.


John R Ross III  PE
Westwind Corporation
Vienna, VA  22182-1958
energy.wwind at cox.net