Multithreading (computer architecture)
Hardware technique enabling multiple threads on a single CPU core.
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Its efficiency varies by workload; Intel claims up to 30% improvement with Hyper-Threading Technology, while a synthetic loop of dependent floating-point operations can gain 100% speed when parallelized.[1]
Quick Facts
- Intel improvement claim
- up to 30% with Hyper-Threading Technology
- Synthetic program speed gain
- 100% when run in parallel
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Merging data from two processes can cost two or more orders of magnitude more than single-thread processing due to inter-process communication and synchronization overheads.[2] Parallel-programming references such as "Parallel Programming" (Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005) address multithreading techniques.[2][3] A synthetic program performing a loop of non-optimized dependent floating-point operations shows a 100% speed improvement when run in parallel.[1] Overall efficiency of multithreading is not uniform; it depends on the specific workload and implementation.[1]
Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology is described in a technical user's guide and is claimed by Intel to provide up to 30% improvement in overall efficiency.[1]
What the cited sources add
"Computer Organization and Design" (5th ed.) was published by Elsevier in 2014.[4] "Parallel Programming" was published by Pearson/Prentice Hall in 2005.[3] "Operating System Concepts" was published by John Wiley & Sons on March 7, 2008.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Multithreading (computer architecture)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, Technical User's Guide", p. 13 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Multithreading (computer architecture)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Silberschatz, "Operating System Concepts", Wiley, 29 July 2008; "Computer Organization and Design MIPS Edition: The Hardware/Software Interface (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Architecture and Design)", Morgan Kaufmann, 2013; "Parallel Programming: Techniques and Applications Using Networked Workstations and Parallel Computers", Pearson, 2005 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 9780131405639 ("Parallel programming"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 9780124077263 ("Computer organization and design : the hardware, software interface - 5. ed."). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 9780470128725 ("Operating System Concepts"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Multithreading (computer architecture) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Multithreading (computer architecture) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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