A multi-core processor contains two or more independent processing units called cores that are integrated onto a single chip. Each core has its own private cache, while larger caches are shared. Common interconnect network topologies to link the cores include buses, rings, and meshes. Multiple cores allow different operating systems and applications to run simultaneously on separate cores, such as a general-purpose CPU, GPU, DSP, and high-performance core running different operating systems and workloads in parallel for improved performance.

1. Multicore processing
Structure:
A multi-core processor is a processing system composed of two or more independent cores (or
CPUs). The cores are typically integrated onto a single integrated circuit die (known as a chip
multiprocessor or CMP), or they may be integrated onto multiple dies in a single chip package.
With private caches. Large shared L2 or L3 caches. Complex interconnection network this is
also called symmetric multicore processor. The design has lesser complexity easy to design,
debug and verify. Common network topologies to interconnect cores include: bus, ring, 2-
dimensional mesh, and crossbar.
Working:
The following figure notionally shows how these 14 applications could be allocated to four
different operating systems
 Which in turn are allocated to four different cores, in a heterogeneous.
 Quad-core processor. From left to right.
 The cores include a general-purpose central processing unit core running Windows.
 A graphical processing unit (GPU) core running graphics-intensive applications on
Linux.
 A digital signal processing (DSP) core running a real-time operating system (RTOS).
 A high-performance core also running an RTOS.

2. Multiple cores have been around just long enough for tools to have been developed to handle
issues that multiple cores create. The point is to be aware that when you are working with
multiple cores, it’s like spreading the work of a single program over several processors. With
multiple cores, the processes going on under the (one) hood are much more complicated than
when working with a single processor.

3. The cores run in parallel (like on a uniprocessor)