1. A method, comprising: pausing operation of at least one processor within a multiprocessor system upon encountering at least one of: (i) a checkpoint instruction in a program executing in said at least one processor, and (ii) an expiration of a predetermined execution period; saving data from a local memory of said at least one processor to a main memory of said multiprocessor system; transferring said saved data from said main memory to a local memory of another processor in said multiprocessor system; and resuming program execution in said other processor.