All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is parallel computing?
Answer: Simultaneous use of multiple processors to solve problems faster. Divides tasks across multiple CPUs for faster execution.
Flashcard 2: What is distributed computing?
Answer: Computing using multiple networked computers to complete tasks. Spreads computation across separate machines connected via network.
Flashcard 3: What is a node in distributed computing?
Answer: A single device in a distributed system. Individual computer or device participating in the distributed network.
Flashcard 4: What is load balancing in parallel computing?
Answer: Even distribution of work across processors to optimize performance. Prevents any single processor from being overwhelmed while others idle.
Flashcard 5: What is fault tolerance in distributed systems?
Answer: Ability to continue operation despite failures. System maintains functionality when individual components fail.
Flashcard 6: What does the term 'throughput' mean?
Answer: Amount of work performed by a system in a given time period. Measures data processed or tasks completed per unit time.
Flashcard 7: What is a grid computing system?
Answer: Network of computers working together to perform large tasks. Geographically distributed computers share computational workload efficiently.
Flashcard 8: What does latency refer to in computing?
Answer: Time delay in data processing or communication. Measures time between request initiation and response completion.
Flashcard 9: What is a supercomputer?
Answer: Extremely fast computer for complex calculations. Specialized machine designed for high-performance scientific computations.
Flashcard 10: What role does middleware play in distributed systems?
Answer: Software layer that enables communication between components. Abstracts hardware differences to simplify distributed application development.
Flashcard 11: Identify one disadvantage of parallel computing.
Answer: Increased complexity in programming. Coordinating multiple processors requires sophisticated programming techniques.
Flashcard 12: What is the purpose of a hypervisor?
Answer: Software that creates and manages virtual machines. Enables multiple operating systems to run on single physical machine.
Flashcard 13: Identify one use case for distributed computing.
Answer: Cloud computing services. Remote servers provide scalable computing resources on demand.
Flashcard 14: What is the 'speedup' formula in parallel computing?
Answer: S=TpTs, where Ts is serial time, Tp is parallel time. Measures performance improvement from using multiple processors.
Flashcard 15: What is concurrency in computing?
Answer: Multiple computations are executed during overlapping time periods. Tasks progress simultaneously but may not execute at identical moments.
Flashcard 16: What is a bottleneck in computing?
Answer: A point of congestion that limits performance. Slowest component determines overall system performance speed.
Flashcard 17: What is a race condition?
Answer: Flawed execution outcome due to unsynchronized data access. Multiple processes competing for resources produce unpredictable results.
Flashcard 18: What is message passing in distributed systems?
Answer: Communication method between processes via messages. Processes exchange information without sharing memory directly.
Flashcard 19: What is Moore's Law?
Answer: Observation that transistor counts double approximately every two years. Predicts exponential growth in computing power over time.
Flashcard 20: What does 'heterogeneous computing' refer to?
Answer: Use of different types of processors for computing tasks. Combines CPUs, GPUs, and specialized processors for optimal performance.
Flashcard 21: What is synchronization in computing?
Answer: Coordination of events to operate in unison. Ensures processes execute in correct order for consistent results.
Flashcard 22: What is a distributed database?
Answer: Database in which data is stored across multiple locations. Information spans multiple sites for redundancy and accessibility.
Flashcard 23: What is a multicore processor?
Answer: A single computing component with two or more independent cores. Multiple processing units on single chip enable parallel execution.
Flashcard 24: What is load sharing in distributed systems?
Answer: Distributing tasks across multiple systems to balance workload. Prevents system overload by distributing work among available resources.
Flashcard 25: What is the purpose of a task scheduler?
Answer: To allocate resources to tasks in a computing environment. Determines execution order and resource allocation for optimal performance.
Flashcard 26: What is a homogeneous computing environment?
Answer: Computing environment where all processors are of the same type. All processors share identical architecture and instruction sets.
Flashcard 27: What is a supercomputer?
Answer: Extremely fast computer for complex calculations. Specialized machine designed for high-performance scientific computations.
Flashcard 28: What is concurrency in computing?
Answer: Multiple computations are executed during overlapping time periods. Tasks progress simultaneously but may not execute at identical moments.
Flashcard 29: What is load sharing in distributed systems?
Answer: Distributing tasks across multiple systems to balance workload. Prevents system overload by distributing work among available resources.
Flashcard 30: What does scalability mean in parallel computing?
Answer: Ability to handle increasing workloads by adding resources. System grows efficiently as demand increases without performance loss.