Virtual Shared Memory

What Does Virtual Shared Memory Mean?

Virtual shared memory (VSM) is a technique through which multiple processors within a distributed computing architecture are provided with an abstract shared memory. It is a data processing technique designed to eliminate the additional processor-to-processor communication required within distributed computing, such as when the new value of a global variable changed by a processor must be passed to other processors.

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Techopedia Explains Virtual Shared Memory

VSM is implemented through a programming model, where software creates and manages all of the communication between the processors and the memory. VSM is implemented on a distributed computing environment, but provides the connected processors with the impression that they are in a shared memory environment (a single memory shared between multiple processors). It is primarily implemented to provide a uniform value of the data being processed within the memory to all connected processors.

For example, if a processor is changing/altering the variable X, all other processors working on the same variable will see the new value.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…