Symmetric multiprocessing, or SMP, is a multiprocessor computer architecture where two or more identical processors are connected to a single shared main memory. Most common multiprocessor systems today use an SMP architecture. In case of multi-core processors, the SMP architecture applies to the cores, treating them as separate processors.
SMP systems allow any processor to work on any task no matter where the data for that task are located in memory; with proper operating system support, SMP systems can easily move tasks between processors to balance the workload efficiently.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric_multiprocessing
