Vector and array processors are similar, with slight differences. A scalar processor handles one piece of information at a time. Vector and array processing is used in high-traffic servers, while scalar computing is common in home computers. Processors have different socket types for compatibility.
Vector and array processing are essentially the same because, with slight and rare differences, a vector processor and an array processor are the same type of processor. A processor, or central processing unit (CPU), is a computer chip that handles most of the information and functions processed through a computer. A vector processor is in contrast to the simpler scalar processor, which only handles one piece of information at a time.
In discussions of vector and array processing, the two terms are used interchangeably, but are technically slightly different. An array consists of indexed collections of information called indexes, the plural form of the word “index.” While an array may, in rare cases, have only one collection of indexes, a vector is technically indicative of an array with at least two indexes. Carriers are sometimes referred to as “blocks” of computer data.
Vector and array processing technology is not usually used in home or office computers. This technology is most often found in high-traffic servers. Servers are racks of storage units designed to host and allow access to information by different users on different computers located on a computer network.
Scalar computing technology operates on different principles than array and vector processing technology and is the most common type of computing hardware used in the average computer. A superscalar processor is a processor that works like a scalar processor, but has many different units within the CPU that handle and process data simultaneously. The high-performance superscalar processor type also features scheduling that allows data processing to be efficiently assigned to available scalar units within the CPU. Most modern home computer processors are superscalar.
Inside a computer, a processor looks like a small, shiny square about the size of a portable wet wipe wrap, fitted into a plastic part called a socket. The socket is built into a computer’s motherboard or motherboard chip and locks the processor into place. It’s usually found underneath a piece of cooling hardware called a heat sink assembly, a mostly metallic device that may include a fan, which can be found attached to the motherboard via a sturdy clip and bracket. Each processor type has its own socket type compatibility, so a processor that does vector and array processing would definitely not be compatible with a scalar processor socket. A vector-type processor probably wouldn’t fit in the processor socket of another vector processor, even if it was made by the same manufacturer.
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