VMware Virtual SMP (Symmetric Multi-Processing)

VMware Virtual SMP is a utility that allows a single virtual machine to use two or more processors simultaneously. The utility is part of a virtualization suite called VMware Infrastructure 3. The term virtual SMP or VSMP refers to a method of SMP (Symmetric Multi-Processing) in which two or more virtual processors are mapped inside a single virtual machine or partition.

Virtual SMP requires VMware ESX Server. Key features include:

• Ability to run resource-intensive applications in virtual machines
• Creation of realistic environments for software testing and deployment
• Use of up to four physical processors by a single virtual machine
• Synchronous scheduling of non-idle virtual processors
• Built-in controls to minimize system overhead
• Automatic shifting of tasks among available processors to balance workload

VMware, a subsidiary of EMC Corporation, is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and provides virtualization software for x86-compatible computers.