Journals Proceedings

Abstract

A cluster has been defined as a group of machines that may be viewed as a single entity for the purposes of control and job assignment. A cluster is a type of parallel or distributed processing system, which consists of a collection of interconnected stand-alone computers co - operatively working together as a single, integrated computing resource. This cluster of computers shares common network characteristics like the same namespace and it is available to other computers on the network as a single resource. These computers are linked together using high-speed network interfaces between themselves and the actual binding together of the all the individual computers in the cluster is performed by the operating system and the software used. The clustering applications also assist administrators to remotely control and monitor the performance of each node and the general environment the clusters that might be a factor for its performance. There are a good number of clustering applications in the market today. Most of the applications are geared towards specific type of clustering while there are those that are versatile enough to be adapted to different types of clustering. Choosing the right clustering application really depends on the business need.