(Symmetric MultiProcessing) A multiprocessing architecture in which multiple CPUs, residing in one cabinet, share the same memory. SMP systems provide scalability. As business increases, additional CPUs can be added to absorb the increased transaction volume.
SMP systems range from two to as many as 32 or more processors. However, if one CPU fails, the entire SMP system is down. Clusters of two or more SMP systems can be used to provide high availability (fault resilience). If one SMP system fails, the others continue to operate.
A Pool of Resources
One of the CPUs boots the system and loads the SMP operating system, which brings the other CPUs online. There is only one instance of the operating system and one instance of the application in memory. The operating system uses the CPUs as a pool of processing resources, all executing simultaneously, either processing data or in an idle loop waiting to do something.
Whatever Can Be Overlapped
SMP speeds up whatever processes can be overlapped. For example, in a desktop computer, it would speed up the running of multiple applications simultaneously. If an application is multithreaded, which allows for concurrent operations within the application itself, then SMP will improve the performance of that single application.
Sequent, Pyramid and Encore pioneered SMP on Unix platforms. SMP servers are also available from IBM, HP, NCR, Unisys and others. Many versions of Unix as well as Windows NT/2000, NetWare and OS/2 have been designed for or have been revamped for SMP. Contrast with MPP. See also NUMA.
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| SCOS Misappropriated Printdriver | Miscellaneous->Funnies |
| SaMPleVision Sound | Computing->File Extensions |
| Sales, Marketing, and Promotions | Business->General |
| Sco's Misappropriated Printdrivers | Computing->Software |
| Sean Michaels Pretentions | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Section Management Process | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Sekolah Menengah Perimbun | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Sekolah Menengah Pertama | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Servo Modular Platform | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Sex, Money, Power | Governmental->Politics Miscellaneous->Funnies |
| Shared Memory Parallel | Computing->Hardware |
| Shoemaker Maclean And Pratt | Business->Firms |
| Simultaneous Membership Program | Governmental->Military |
| Simultaneous Multi-Processing | Computing->General |
| Single Multi Processor | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Skiers Must Perish | Community->Sports |
| Slow Migratory Propaganda | Governmental->Politics |
| Small Meat Pizza | Miscellaneous->Food |
| Smoke More Pot | Miscellaneous->Funnies |
| Software Management Plan | Governmental->NASA |
| Solid Matrix Priming | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Solutions Made Pocketable | Business->General |
| Sounds of Mass Production | Business->General |
| Special Milk Program | Community->Educational |
| Specially Marked Package | Miscellaneous->Food |
| Spider Monkey Productions | Business->Firms |
| St.modwen Prop. | Business->London Stock Exchange |
| Standard Motor Products, Inc. | Business->NYSE Symbols |
| State Machine Products | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Statutory Maternity Pay | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Sub-Motor Pool | Governmental->Military |
| Successfully Managing People | Business->General |
| Super Mario Portal | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Support And Maintenance Package | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Symetric Multi Processor | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Symetrical Multi Processing | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Symmetric Multi Processing | Computing->General |
| Symmetric Multi Processor | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Symmetric Multi-Processing | Governmental->NASA |
| Symmetric Multi-Processors | Computing->Hardware |
| Symmetric MultiProcessing | Computing->General |
| Symmetric Multiple Penguins | Miscellaneous->Funnies |
| Symmetric Multiple Processing | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Symmetric Multiprocessing | Computing->Drivers |
| Symmetrical Multi Processor | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
| Synchronous Membership Program | Community->Non-Profit Organizations |
| Synthesis and Modeling Project | Academic & Science->Universities |
| System Marginal Price | Business->General |
| System Modification Program | Computing->General |
| Systems Management Policy | Governmental->NASA |
| The Section Management Plan | Miscellaneous->Unfiled |
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