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Image via WikipediaSome bright sparks hit on the idea of clustering several such customized PS3s, in order to make powerful computer systems. There is even a well written, straightforward guide explaining step-by-step how to do this.
Anyone could install Linux or FreeBSD and set up SSH, NFS and MPI to create a cluster. This is not something many gamers are likely to do, of course.
Seeking to put together a powerful supercomputer for research purposes, the US Air Force upped the ante by putting together 336 PS3s to create a pretty decent supercomputer.
Their reasons for doing this were two-fold:
All was well until March (although the news of this only broke in May). Sony issued a firmware upgrade that removed the OtherOS option, meaning that anyone who upgraded the firmware would lost the ability to reload the (other) OS, should this need to be done. This made applying the latest firmware had to be avoided at all costs by the USAF, since it would have threatened their entire cluster should they apply it.
Presumably, the USAF weren't buying games and Sony were probably afraid that this would set a precedent, and that they could end up losing a lot of money in the long term, if every university, governmental department,
It seemed like game over for OtherOS, and while a class action lawsuit ensued, it was expected that the USAF would look to other means of building a supercomputer. However, 6 months later, news that they've created the largest cell cluster to date - consisting of 1760 PS3s - was a bit of a surprise (at least it was to me).
Hopefully, this latest lawsuit (and it's not the first Sony have faced) will have the desired effect and OtherOS will make a return. If that happens, I might even consider buying a PS3 myself.
Their reasons for doing this were two-fold:
- The cell processor is very powerful 8-core CPU, consumes less power than processors of similar capabilities and its chipset lends itself to clustering because "MPI computations run much faster than on desktop workstation chipsets" while an "8 PS3 (i.e. 64 core) Cell cluster had comparable if not better performance to a 200 Node IBM Blue Gene system" (Gaurav Khanna, University of Massachusetts)
- Cell processors are normally expensive, but Sony produce the PS3 at a loss, with the knowledge that they'll make a profit as customers buy games for their console
All was well until March (although the news of this only broke in May). Sony issued a firmware upgrade that removed the OtherOS option, meaning that anyone who upgraded the firmware would lost the ability to reload the (other) OS, should this need to be done. This made applying the latest firmware had to be avoided at all costs by the USAF, since it would have threatened their entire cluster should they apply it.
Presumably, the USAF weren't buying games and Sony were probably afraid that this would set a precedent, and that they could end up losing a lot of money in the long term, if every university, governmental department,
It seemed like game over for OtherOS, and while a class action lawsuit ensued, it was expected that the USAF would look to other means of building a supercomputer. However, 6 months later, news that they've created the largest cell cluster to date - consisting of 1760 PS3s - was a bit of a surprise (at least it was to me).
Hopefully, this latest lawsuit (and it's not the first Sony have faced) will have the desired effect and OtherOS will make a return. If that happens, I might even consider buying a PS3 myself.
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