It is possable to run all CDH services on a single host so mixing "Master" services and "Slave" services is possable. So yes you can build a cluster with just 2 nodes. You will likely have a bit or resource contention.  If you are just looking to test out Hadoop and CDH this kind of enviroment it just fine but it is not recomeneded for production use.   Another option would be to build VMs and deploy in a virtual enviroment allowing for better control of resources and resource contention.   You can use most of the features in Cloudera Manager for free with Cloudera Express.   What region are you in? We could have a local representative contact you.   Thanks Josh ... View more