cellular multiprocessing
<architecture, parallel> (CMP) The partitioning of
{processors} into separate computing environments running
different {operating systems}.
The term cellular multiprocessing appears to have been coined
by {Unisys}, who are developing a system where computers
communicate as clustered machines through a high speed {bus},
rather than through communication {protocols} such as
{TCP/IP}.
The Unisys system is based on {Intel} processors, initially
the {Pentium II Xeon} and moving on to the 64-bit {Merced}
processors later in 1999. It will be scalable from four up to
32 processors, which can be clustered or partitioned in
various ways. For example a sixteen processor system could be
configured as four {Windows NT} systems (each functioning as a
four-processor {symmetric multiprocessing} system), or an
8-way NT and 8-way {Unix} system.
Supported operating systems will be {Windows NT}, {SCO}'s
{Unixware} 7.0, Unisys' {SVR4} {Unix} and possibly the OS2200
and MCP-AS {mainframe} operating systems (with the assistance
of Unisys' own dedicated {chipset}).
(http://marketplace.unisys.com/ent/cmp.html).
(1998-09-09)