symmetric multiprocessing
<parallel> (SMP) Two or more similar processors connected via a
high-bandwidth link and managed by one operating system, where each processor
has equal access to I/O devices. This is in contrast to the "compute server"
kind of parallel processor where a front-end processor handles all I/O to disks,
terminals and local area network etc.
The processors are treated more or less equally, with application programs able
to run on any or perhaps all processors in the system, interchangeably, at the
operating system's discretion. Simple MP usually involves assigning each
processor to a fixed task (such as managing the file system), reserving the
single main CPU for general tasks.
OS/2 currently supports so-called HMP (Hybrid Multiprocessing), which provides
some elements of symmetric multiprocessing, using add-on IBM software called
MP/2. OS/2 SMP was planned for release in late 1993.
(1995-03-19)
Nearby terms:
symmetric « symmetric key cryptography « Symmetric
LISP «
symmetric multiprocessing » symmetric
multiprocessor » Symphony » SYMPL
|
