PK is live CD distibution of GNU/Linux that allows setting up a cluster of machines for parallel processing using the Message Passing Interface (MPI). The openMPI, LAM-MPI and MPICH implementations are installed and ready to use. You can convert a room full of machines running Windows into a Linux cluster, and when you shut down, your Windows machines are in their original state. Getting the cluster up and running takes about 5 minutes, if the machines have PXE network cards. Clusters from 2 to 200 machines are supported. A cluster created with PK is temporary--if you want to use it another time you must recreate it (another 5 minutes work). It's also single-user. For a multi-user, permanent cluster, you should look at other solutions. PK can server as a gentle, smooth learning curve way to get into HPC clustering.
PK used to be based on the Knoppix distribution, and PK never would have been possible without Knoppix as a starting point. It still uses parts of Knoppix, but it's now more accurately described as live CD that uses the Etch/Unstable branch of Debian GNU/Linux as the base.
Among the new system components in this realease, more security features were added. Compute nodes in a PK cluster are secure from unauthorized access and shutdown, except by pulling their power cords or using their shutdown switches. Compute nodes may be accessed and/or shutdown only from the master node.
Additional ParallelKnoppix 2.8 features:
