Parallel Processing
Parallel processing can be described as a class of techniques which enables the system
to achieve simultaneous data-processing tasks to increase the computational speed of a
computer system.
A parallel processing system can carry out simultaneous data-processing to achieve
faster execution time. For instance, while an instruction is being processed in the ALU
component of the CPU, the next instruction can be read from memory.
The primary purpose of parallel processing is to enhance the computer processing
capability and increase its throughput, i.e. the amount of processing that can be
accomplished during a given interval of time.
A parallel processing system can be achieved by having a multiplicity of functional units
that perform identical or different operations simultaneously. The data can be
distributed among various multiple functional units.
The following diagram shows one possible way of separating the execution unit into
eight functional units operating in parallel.
The operation performed in each functional unit is indicated in each block if the
diagram:
