Monitietokoneisuus

Monitietokoneisuus, or parallel computing, is a type of computation in which many calculations or the execution of processes are carried out simultaneously. Large problems can often be divided into smaller ones, which can then be solved concurrently by multiple processors. This is a way to make programs run faster and to solve larger problems than is possible with a single computer.

There are several different forms of parallel computing. Flynn's taxonomy classifies parallel architectures into four categories: Single Instruction, Single Data (SISD); Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD); Multiple Instruction, Single Data (MISD); and Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data (MIMD). SISD is the traditional uniprocessor model. SIMD is used in vector processors and some graphics processing units. MIMD is the most common form of parallel computing, used in multi-core processors and distributed systems.

The development of parallel computing has been driven by the increasing demand for computational power in fields such as scientific simulation, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. Parallel computing systems range from small multi-core processors found in personal computers to large supercomputers and clusters of computers spread across the globe.

Challenges in parallel computing include the difficulty of parallelizing algorithms, the need for specialized software and hardware, and the complexity of managing and synchronizing multiple processors. Despite these challenges, parallel computing remains a crucial technology for tackling complex computational problems.