ABSTRACT
How many processors does your PC use? If you answered one, you are wrong. Today’s PC is a multiprocessing wonder on a small scale. The keyboard chip has its own processor as do many video cards and most SCSI controllers. These form a loosely coupled, asymmetrical multiprocessing (AMP) system, but the symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) systems are what typically come to mind when multiprocessing is mentioned in casual conversation. SMP uses multiple, identical processors typically tied together with a shared memory subsystem. The processors are used interchangeably, distributing the workload, and thereby providing better overall performance compared to a single processor.
