What Versions of Linux are Supported

What Type of Linux Machine is Supported by ECN?

This article details what type of Linux system is supported by ECN and the services offered to such supported machines.

ECN Support Services

ECN currently supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (RHEL5).  All new machine installs are done with RHEL5.4 or later as of Fall 2009.  An ECN supported Linux machine will come deployed with:

• The GNOME Desktop  Environment
• KDE (K Desktop Environment)
• OpenMotif / mwm
• twm

The installed version of the package depends on the Red Hat release running on the machine.

An ECN supported Linux machine can take advantage of a number of the services offered under ECN support.  This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Backups (for a nominal fee)
• Ability to mount ECN file servers
• Engineering and programming software, such as Matlab, Comsol, and Tecplot
• General use software, such as Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office
• Perl and Python
• C, C++, and FORTRAN compilers
• Printing

If you are unsure if ECN supports software or features required for your coursework or research, please contact linux@ecn.

Supported Hardware and System Configurations

Linux runs on nearly any bit of PC hardware.  Unfortunately, ECN cannot support just anything -- there isn't enough manpower to handle some possible configurations.

As a general rule, anything meeting the following minimums can be supported:

• Pentium IV (or better) processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 80 GB hard drive
• 10/100 Ethernet NIC

Machines that do not meet the above requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  Generally, Red Hat can support hardware that is up to four years old.  Anything older, while possibly supported by Red Hat, isn't necessarily supported by ECN.  In particular, some less-than-mainstream hardware (strange video boards, ancient pre-PentiumPro processors, etc.) may not be supported.  When in doubt, email linux@ecn.

ECN supports 32-bit and 64-bit architectures for both Intel and AMD processors.  If you have another processor that you would like to use, please contact software@ecn before ordering.  It is recommended that unless there is an absolute need for a 32-bit architecture, for example due to program incompatibility, that the 64-bit processor is used.  If you are not sure if the programs you need are supported by a 64-bit processor, please contact linux@ecn.

ECN recommends the following configuration for maximum performance:

• 64-bit dual core (or better) processor
• 4 GB RAM
• 320 GB hard drive
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet NIC
• 128 MB ATI* or Nvidia graphics card with dual monitor support.

Just as extremely old hardware may not be supported by ECN, brand new hardware also may not be supported by ECN, even if supported by Red Hat.  This is common in video boards, where the drivers are not fully developed or released with the hardware, and have not yet been packaged and tested for the ECN support model.

Again, if you have doubts as to whether or not your machine's desired specs will be supported by the operating system, please email linux@ecn before making a purchase.

*If you would like to use an ATI card, please make sure your card is not in "Legacy" status on ATI's website.  If you must use the card, please let the Linux group know when you are coordinating the install of your system to ensure the appropriate drivers are installed.

ECN supports most common system peripherals on supported Linux machines.  Features such as USB keyboard and mouse, dual monitor video card, LCD / flat panel monitors, etc., especially of reasonable age, will most likely be supported.  When in any doubt, contact either software@ecn or linux@ecn before ordering hardware or purchasing a new system.

Please note:  Currently the Logitech webcams purchased under the Dean's Initiative of 2008 to 2009 are not compatible with ECN supported Linux machines.  NO solution has yet been found.

Supported Server Configuration

For those looking to set up server systems, large multiprocessor machines (both Intel- and Athlon-based) with several gigabytes of memory are supported.  Linux running on an Intel or Athlon processor outperforms Sun configurations for large-scale computations on a dollar-per-operation basis.  There is no decisive answer as to whether or not it handles heavy file serving better than a Sun system.  Dell's RAID option is also well supported, providing expandable storage into the low terabyte range.  Be warned - backing up your new multi-terabyte RAID array may prove problematical and/or expensive. For purchasing advice on server systems, please contact ECN staff before ordering.

Cluster Computing Support

ECN supports high-capacity cluster computing.  Beowulf-style clusters are supported with MPI via MPICH2 for the gcc, intel, and pgi compilers.  Currently, Torque with Maui is the current batch system used to schedule jobs.  Future support for clusters may include private networking or firewalling for cluster nodes, more complete job scheduler support, the MOSIX transparent job migration of the system, and diskless cluster clients.  ECN does not support high-availability clustering due to lack of appropriate space and environment.

Other Support Information

Unfortunately, ECN does not currently support Linux on laptops.

ECN does not support loading more than one operating system onto a single machine.  If more than one operating system is needed, please consult with your site specialist on using a virtual machine solution provided by ECN, such as Sun's VirtualBox, which can be added to any RHEL5 machine.

Please note:  This article and the services described apply to ECN supported Linux machines.  If you have an unsupported machine and would like more information about ECN services, please search our Knowledge Base or contact your site specialist.