Parallel processing splits large tasks into smaller subtasks processed concurrently. Symmetric multiprocessing and multicore processing are examples of single device parallel processing. Distributed computing, computer clustering, and massively parallel computers link multiple devices for parallel processing. Multiprocessors are common in scientific and business applications, while clusters and massively parallel computers are used for advanced problems. Grid computing uses a wide variety of computers with different capabilities. Supercomputers are often massively parallel computers used for complex calculations in areas such as astrophysics and global climate modeling.
Parallel processing is a type of computer processing in which large processing tasks are split into smaller subtasks which are then processed concurrently or in parallel, rather than sequentially. This technology is used extensively in modern computing, especially for advanced problems such as those covered in the natural sciences. Examples of parallel processing technology within a single device include symmetric multiprocessing and multicore processing. Multiple computers can also be linked together to work in parallel through methods such as distributed computing, computer clustering, and massively parallel computers.
A symmetric multiprocessor is a computer with a single common main memory and an operating system instance attached to multiple identical processors. The processors have equal capabilities and are connected to a common memory, so tasks can easily be assigned or reassigned as needed to balance the workload between them. In multicore computing, each processor contains at least two central processing units (CPUs), called cores, which are responsible for reading and executing instructions. Essentially, a multicore processor is actually multiple processors in a single integrated component. This allows for faster and more efficient communication between processing cores, compared to multiprocessor computers where each CPU is a separate component.
Multiprocessor computers are widely used in scientific and business applications. It is less common in personal computer systems, which are usually single-processor designs, although multiprocessors have become more common in the consumer market. Computer software must be designed specifically for multiprocessor computers to take full advantage of the benefits it can provide, and this type of software often has performance issues on a single processor computer as a result. Similarly, programs written with a single processor in mind usually get only limited benefit from multiprocessing because they aren’t designed to take advantage of it.
Distributed parallel computing technology uses multiple otherwise independent computers working in parallel on different parts of a problem, linked together via the Internet or an internal network so that they can communicate with each other. This type of parallel processing technology can be used with computers that are physically distant from each other, although this is not necessarily always the case. Together, the connected computers form what is called a computational grid.
Computational grids can be very large and potentially incorporate thousands of computers that could be scattered around the world. These computers might also be working on unrelated problems at the same time, with tasks being processed by the grid distributed among the computers based on how much free processing capacity each has at the time. Grid computing differs from most other modern parallel computing systems because a single grid often includes a wide variety of computers with different capabilities, rather than a group of identical units.
Computer clusters are a form of parallel computing technology in which multiple connected computers, usually with identical capabilities, work closely together as a single unit. Unlike symmetric multiprocessing, which uses multiple processors that share a common memory and operating system, each individual unit in a cluster is a complete self-contained computer. These are usually located in the same geographical location and connected to a local area network. Some computers are built specifically for use in clusters of computers, but clusters can also be formed by linking computers originally designed to operate autonomously.
Massively parallel computers have some similarities to cluster computers, because they are also composed of multiple computers joined together, but are much larger and usually contain hundreds or thousands of nodes. They also have their own specialized components that connect the individual computers that make them up, while clusters of computers are joined together by standard hardware, often referred to as building blocks. The most advanced massively parallel computers can be truly colossal, containing tens of thousands of individual computers occupying thousands of square feet of space, all working together. Most of the world’s advanced supercomputers, used for complex calculations in areas such as astrophysics and global climate modeling, are of this type.
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