Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcda!jvm
From: jvm@hpfcda.HP.COM (Jack McClurg)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Single user vs. shared (was Re: Killer Micros and vectorized code)
Message-ID: <5210002@hpfcda.HP.COM>
Date: 20 Mar 90 17:58:32 GMT
References: <1990Mar18.023523.4034@ultra.com>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 37

>>You will be completely shocked to see how
>>low the processor utilization of single user work stations are.  The
>>small size of the utilization factor completely negates the cost performance
>>edge of the Killer Micro inside it.
>
>No question about it, you waste a lot of resources by keeping them
>isolated and idle.  The point here is that this isn't a technology
>decision, it's a policy decision.  The ability for the individual
>to have 100% of his local computational power available to him
>on demand is a policy widely favored by individuals.  The ability
>to get the most computation per dollar is a policy widely favored
>by central planners.
>
>No one argues that these policies are in any way compatible.  They both
>exist, and each drives a different kind of purchase decision.  Neither
>has anything to do with how you build technology.  Both have much to do
>with you how you buy it, and rather little to do with computer
>architecture, at this late date.
>
>-- Jon

I am about to break net protocol by mentioning a product, but I am sure that
there are other products from different vendors with similar functionality
which could be substituted for my company's product.

HP has a product called Task Broker which addresses the problem mentioned
above.  It can select an apropriate machine to run a task based on which
machine on the network makes the highest bid to run the task.  The mechanism
used to bid is very general and allows the owner of a workstation to have a
dedicated machine during working hours and make the machine available to others
at other times.

I only mention this because of Jon's and Eugene's statements above.  I think
that you can have a very cost effective environment with distributed
workstations.

Jack McClurg