ParallelKnoppix (PK) is a fast and easy way to create a HPC cluster for parallel computing. It takes less that 10 minutes to go from a cold start to having a running cluster. Using virtualization tools, you can create a real PK cluster from any flavor of Linux, or from other popular operating systems. You don't even need to burn a CD.

PK is a remaster of the Knoppix live CD flavor of GNU Linux. It allows setting up a cluster of computers for parallel processing using MPI. It is designed to be easy to use, but it is also suitable for serious work. The openMPI, LAM-MPI and MPICH implementations are installed and ready to use. PK includes extensive examples using MPITB for Gnu Octave.

Clusters from 2 to 200 machines are supported. A cluster created with PK is temporary - nothing is installed to any of the computers in the cluster. It's also single-user. For a multi-user, permanent cluster, you should look at other solutions, such as ROCKS. PK can serve as a gentle, smooth learning curve way to get into HPC clustering.

ParallelKnoppix is developed principally at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.