Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
A Symmetric Multi Processing (SMP) platform consists of a single Teradata Database node. An SMP system has multiple CPUs that work together. All applications run under a single operating system on the node.
The AMPs and PEs on an SMP system communicate through the BYNET software that handles the message queuing and flow control.
Massively parallel processing (MPP)
A Massively Parallel Processing (MPP) implementation of the Teradata Database consists of multiple SMP nodes that work together. The nodes are connected through the BYNET, a combination of hardware and software that allows the vprocs (PEs and AMPs) to communicate with each other.
The Teradata Database is a linearly expandable database system because as additional nodes and vprocs are added, the system capacity scales in a linear fashion.
