PVM stands for Parallel Virtual Machine, which is a software framework and environment used for parallel computing. It allows multiple computers or processors to work together to solve complex problems or perform computationally intensive tasks simultaneously.
PVM provides a high-level abstraction layer that enables users to write parallel programs without being concerned with the low-level implementation details of the underlying hardware or network architecture. It offers a set of functions and utilities that facilitate the distribution and coordination of computations across a network of interconnected machines.
At its core, PVM consists of a runtime library that sits between the user application and the host operating systems. The library includes a set of communication primitives and synchronization mechanisms that allow processes running on different machines to exchange data and collaborate effectively.
The PVM runtime also provides dynamic process management, allowing users to create, start, stop, and communicate with processes during runtime. This flexibility enables dynamic load balancing and fault tolerance, as tasks can be distributed and migrated across the network as needed.
Overall, PVM enables efficient and scalable parallel computing by harnessing the computational power of multiple machines or processors. It is widely used in scientific and engineering applications, such as numerical simulations, data analysis, and grid computing.
