Asymmetric multiprocessing

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ASMP stands for Asymmetric Multiprocessing. It was the style of multiprocessing first supported in DEC's VMS V.3 as well as a number of older systems including TOPS-10 and OS-360.

Whereas a symmetric multiprocessor treats all of the processing elements in the system identically, an ASMP system assigns certain tasks only to certain processors. In particular, only one processor may be responsible for fielding all of the interrupts in the system or perhaps even performing all of the I/O in the system. This makes the design of the I/O system much simpler, although it tends to limit the ultimate performance of the system.

Video graphics cards which are subordinate to a CPU in modern computers can be considered a form of asymmetric multiprocessing.

Asymmetric multiprocessing

See also