What exactly is Parallel computing about.?

[52ndStreet]

My question is, what exactly is Parallel computing about.? Is it faster, and more precise computing, or something else.?

 

[White 6]

My question is, what exactly is Parallel computing about.? Is it faster, and more precise computing, or something else.?

Parallel computing - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[shockedcanadian]

My question is, what exactly is Parallel computing about.? Is it faster, and more precise computing, or something else.?

On a network or in the operating of the processor?

I hope I have my terms correct but as I understand it parallel computing on a network or even on the internet would be the the sharing of processing power resources or hard drive storage striping of data (for speed as bits of a chunk of data are striped across drives at the same time which speed up the transfer speed of information) if I remember correctly. This was how some were mining for bitcoin in the past though I'm not sure if it is feasible anymore .

In the use of processing power locally, parallel computing would just mean multiple processors working at the same time on a function which decreases the time of completion significantly.

 

[MarathonMike]

On a network or in the operating of the processor?

I hope I have my terms correct but as I understand it parallel computing on a network or even on the internet would be the the sharing of processing power resources or hard drive storage striping of data (for speed as bits of a chunk of data are striped across drives at the same time which speed up the transfer speed of information) if I remember correctly. This was how some were mining for bitcoin in the past though I'm not sure if it is feasible anymore .

In the use of processing power locally, parallel computing would just mean multiple processors working at the same time on a function which decreases the time of completion significantly.

"Parallel computing on a network" sounds more like distributed computing. But yes parallel computing involves several processors within a single computer executing code simultaneously. This allows much faster completion of complex problems broken into components that each processor can solve independently.

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

My question is, what exactly is Parallel computing about.? Is it faster, and more precise computing, or something else.?

Easily explained with analogies.

You have a large set of packs of cards, each pack is ordered when packed at the factory, say you have 100 packs.

You are asked to shuffle each pack.

You take the first pack and shuffle it and put it back, then you take the next pack and do the same and you keep doing it until all the packs are shuffled.

Another way though is to have ten people doing the work, you each grab a pack and shuffle it and put it back and grab another.

All the work is finished in 1/10 of the time and that's what parallel processing is, that really is what it means.

 

[52ndStreet]

Thank you all. Sounds correct. 52nd Street.

 

[Nobody911]

My question is, what exactly is Parallel computing about.? Is it faster, and more precise computing, or something else.?

Parallel computing is a type of computation where multiple calculations or processes are carried out simultaneously, leveraging multiple processors or computers.

This approach contrasts with serial computing, where tasks are performed one after another. Parallel computing is particularly beneficial for solving large, complex problems, such as simulations, data analysis, and machine learning, which can be divided into smaller, independent tasks.

An analogy for parallel computing can be likened to a team of chefs working in a kitchen. Imagine preparing a large feast: instead of one chef cooking each dish sequentially, multiple chefs can work on different dishes at the same time. One chef might prepare the salad, another could be grilling meat, while another bakes a cake. By dividing the workload, the team can complete the meal much faster than if only one chef were cooking everything alone.

In essence, parallel computing maximizes efficiency and reduces processing time by distributing tasks across multiple processors—just like a team of chefs collaborates to expedite meal preparation. This method is increasingly critical in fields like scientific research, financial modeling, and artificial intelligence, where rapid data processing is essential.