Lots of desktops into a VM cluster. How???

[canadian_divx]

Wow i haven't been on here for years. Great to see its still alive.

Now that i am back working in tech instead of seeing the world i have a spare project to do at work while im bored. LOL

I have about 40 Dell desktop computers. that are just sitting on the shelf. I want to learn.
I would like to take all of these systems and load something like ESXI on them to make one power full virtual system.

All of these systems are intel core 2 duo at 3.2ghz and 3gb ram.

Is there a way to do this? maybe not with vmware but something similar? I would like to create a cluster from scratch, learn and know how.
we are a windows house for this company but back end ive been growing my Linux skills.

Any ideas? Any thoughts?

 

[LordOfLA]

Take a look at DragonflyBSD it's whole reason for existance is massive scale clustered processing

 

[canadian_divx]

any good guides for idiots on BSD?

 

[LordOfLA]

google

Edit: also freebsd handbook

 

[canadian_divx]

Curious on what the proper termonolgy to use would be.

My goal is a base of say 50 systems to start, proof of concept. these 50 systems would have some sort of Client OS that would make its system resources available to the cluster or cloud.

all of these 50 systems would then be able to come together virtually, I assume have one host box or a 5 for redundancy (1 out of 10). This so called host system would then allow me to set up virtual machines using VM ware or Virtual box to create a bunch of VM's

Idea being if i needed more CPU power in this cluster i would just load up another machine or a few with this little client OS.

I would like to not have to load a full OS on these boxes because i see that as being a huge overhead.


Is this just a cluster? or called an internal cloud?

 

[LordOfLA]

Citrix Systems » Citrix XenServer: Efficient Server Virtualization Software

Edit also:

http://www.ubuntu.com/business/cloud/overview

 

[seandenniel]

I assume have one host box or a 5 for redundancy (1 out of 10). This so called host system would then allow me to set up virtual machines using VM ware or Virtual box to create a bunch of VM's