symmetric multiprocessing
     
         (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)