Multicore and Multiprocessor Architectures: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

Question 1

What is the primary distinction between symmetric and asymmetric multiprocessing (SMP and AMP)?

Accepted Answer

SMP employs a shared memory space, while AMP utilizes separate memory spaces.

Answer

SMP involves multiple processors, whereas AMP leverages a single processor.

Answer

SMP is tailored for high-performance computing, while AMP caters to low-power devices.

Answer

AMP supports diverse instruction sets, unlike SMP.

Question 2

What is the key difference between UMA and NUMA memory architectures?

Accepted Answer

UMA utilizes a single shared memory, while NUMA employs multiple distributed memory modules.

Answer

NUMA offers a more efficient cache hierarchy compared to UMA.

Answer

UMA exhibits greater scalability than NUMA.

Answer

UMA is primarily designed for high-performance computing, whereas NUMA targets general-purpose computing.

Question 3

Identify an example of a shared memory programming model.

Accepted Answer

OpenMP

Answer

MPI

Answer

CUDA

Answer

Hadoop

Question 4

What is the main advantage of using multicore and multiprocessor architectures in computing systems?

Accepted Answer

Increased performance and scalability due to multiple cores or processors working together

Answer

Reduced energy consumption

Answer

Simplified software development

Answer

Lower cost compared to single-core systems

Question 5

What is the fundamental distinction between symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) and non-uniform memory access (NUMA) systems?

Accepted Answer

SMP systems utilize a shared memory space, while NUMA systems employ multiple memory spaces

Answer

SMP systems feature a single processor, while NUMA systems incorporate multiple processors

Answer

SMP systems outperform NUMA systems in terms of speed

Answer

SMP systems exhibit greater scalability compared to NUMA systems

Question 6

What is the primary function of a memory controller in the context of a multicore architecture?

Accepted Answer

Regulating access to shared memory among multiple cores

Answer

Caching frequently accessed data

Answer

Ensuring the integrity of data

Answer

Optimizing performance by minimizing latency

Question 7

Which of the following is a key advantage of multicore architectures compared to single-core architectures?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced execution speed

Answer

Reduced energy consumption

Answer

Lower production costs

Answer

Improved reliability

Question 8

What parallel processing approach is implemented in a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system?

Accepted Answer

Shared memory

Answer

Message passing

Answer

Data parallelism

Answer

Task parallelism

Question 9

What is the primary function of a bus in a multiprocessor architecture?

Accepted Answer

Connecting processors to memory and I/O devices

Answer

Ensuring cache coherence

Answer

Synchronizing processor execution

Answer

Handling interrupt requests

Question 10

What differentiates a cluster of workstations (COW) from a multiprocessor system?

Accepted Answer

COWs have loosely coupled processors, unlike multiprocessors with tightly coupled processors.

Answer

COWs share a common memory space, whereas multiprocessors have separate memory spaces.

Answer

COWs are designed for general-purpose applications, while multiprocessors are for high-performance computing.

Answer

COWs are less scalable than multiprocessors.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of multicore architectures in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Elevated memory latency due to shared memory access

Answer

Enhanced performance owing to parallel processing

Answer

Improved energy efficiency by optimizing resource utilization

Answer

Reduced heat generation due to efficient power management

Question 12

Within a multiprocessor architecture, what is the primary purpose of a memory controller?

Accepted Answer

Managing access to shared memory resources

Answer

Caching frequently accessed data to enhance performance

Answer

Synchronizing thread execution to prevent conflicts

Answer

Converting data between different formats for compatibility

Question 13

In multicore architectures, which technique is NOT commonly employed to improve data locality?

Accepted Answer

Software transactional memory: Providing a mechanism for concurrent access to shared data

Answer

Cache partitioning: Dividing the cache into sections for specific processors

Answer

Data prefetching: Anticipating and fetching data before it is needed

Answer

Thread pinning: Binding threads to specific processors

Question 14

In a multicore system, what is the primary function of a load-store queue?

Accepted Answer

Reordering memory access requests to optimize performance

Answer

Maintaining cache coherence by tracking data modifications

Answer

Managing thread scheduling to ensure efficient resource utilization

Answer

Providing fault tolerance by handling memory failures

Question 15

What is the primary objective of parallelizing a program for a multicore architecture?

Accepted Answer

Reducing the execution time by distributing tasks across multiple processing units

Answer

Simplifying the code by breaking it down into smaller, manageable modules

Answer

Improving the accuracy of the program by utilizing redundant computations

Answer

Enhancing the security of the program by employing multiple layers of protection

Question 16

In the development of multithreaded applications, which challenge is commonly encountered?

Accepted Answer

Deadlocks, situations where multiple threads wait indefinitely for each other to release resources

Answer

High power consumption, leading to concerns about energy efficiency

Answer

Insufficient parallelism, resulting in underutilization of the available processing power

Answer

Limited memory resources, posing constraints on the amount of data that can be stored

Question 17

In a multiprocessor system, what is the purpose of a shared memory model?

Accepted Answer

Providing a consistent view of memory to all processors, ensuring that they have access to the same data

Answer

Improving data locality by placing frequently accessed data in close proximity to the processors

Answer

Optimizing cache performance by reducing cache misses and improving cache hit rates

Question 18

In a multicore architecture, each core is equipped with its own:

Accepted Answer

Exclusive set of registers

Answer

Independent operating system

Answer

Shared memory

Answer

Centralized control unit

Question 19

Which primary advantage do multiprocessor architectures offer over their single-processor counterparts?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced potential for parallel processing

Answer

Lower energy consumption

Answer

Reduced hardware costs

Answer

Improved data security

Question 20

When designing a multicore architecture, a critical challenge lies in addressing:

Accepted Answer

Maintaining cache coherence

Answer

Ensuring sufficient memory bandwidth

Answer

Managing power consumption

Answer

Optimizing thread scheduling

Question 21

In a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) architecture, the defining characteristic is:

Accepted Answer

Equal access to shared memory by all processors

Answer

Division of memory into private and shared sections

Answer

Designation of a single master processor

Answer

Restriction on direct processor-to-processor communication

Question 22

One potential drawback associated with multicore architectures is:

Accepted Answer

Increased power consumption

Answer

Improved reliability

Answer

Enhanced security

Answer

Reduced hardware costs

Question 23

When designing a multicore architecture tailored to a specific application, a crucial factor to consider is:

Accepted Answer

The application's concurrency and parallelism requirements

Answer

Available memory bandwidth

Answer

Budgetary constraints

Answer

Power consumption