This document discusses parallel processing concepts including: 1. Parallel computing involves simultaneously using multiple processing elements to solve problems faster than a single processor. Common parallel platforms include shared-memory and message-passing architectures. 2. Key considerations for parallel platforms include the control structure for specifying parallel tasks, communication models, and physical organization including interconnection networks. 3. Scalable design principles for parallel systems include avoiding single points of failure, pushing work away from the core, and designing for maintenance and automation. Common parallel architectures include N-wide superscalar, which can dispatch N instructions per cycle, and multi-core which places multiple cores on a single processor socket.