4.5 Processing big data

• Big data


  Requires colossal amounts of computing power
• Clusters


  • Assembled from thousands of identical nodes mounted into racks
  • Each node consists of one or more CPUs, RAM and a computer network connection
  • Nodes can have their own hard disks, but many do not, instead storing data on fast disk drives accessed across a computer network
• Clusters are usually assembled from more modestly powered computers, called nodes, instead of a single, ultra-fast supercomputer