"Keeping an eye on hardware prices is essential if you want to become a certified cluster geek. Remember those gigabit Ethernet switches that cost an arm an a leg, or how about those DDR DIMMs. Today those price seems to be a bit more in reach. Perhaps the extreme in low prices, came when Walmart introduced a $200 PC built from 'value parts' (i.e. very low cost PC hardware). Some quick math says, an eight node cluster could be built for less than $2000 and gigabit Ethernet could be added for another $500 and presto, you have yourself a cluster..."
