Final answer:
The statement that a cluster is easier than SMP to manage and configure is false. Each has unique management and configuration challenges, with SMP involving shared resource management and clusters requiring networking between independent nodes.
Step-by-step explanation:
It's a common misconception that a cluster is easier to manage and configure than an SMP (Symmetric Multiprocessing) system. The statement is false; clusters and SMPs have their own complexities and use cases which make their management and configuration unique to their architectures. In an SMP, multiple processors share the same memory and operating system instance, which simplifies memory management and allows for direct communication between processors. However, managing and configuring an SMP system's hardware can be complex, as it requires ensuring uniform access to shared resources.
On the other hand, a cluster is a group of independent systems or nodes that work together to perform collective tasks. Clusters can be more complex to configure since each node has its own operating system and memory, and requires network configuration to communicate with other nodes. Yet, clusters offer greater scalability and fault tolerance, which might outweigh the complexity of management in some cases.