1. In a parallel computing environment comprising a network of SMP nodes each having at least one processor, a parallel-aware co-scheduling method for improving the performance and scalability of a dedicated parallel job having synchronizing collective operations, comprising: coordinating interfering system and daemon activities on a node and across nodes to promote intra-node and inter-node overlap of said interfering system and daemon activities as well as intra-node and inter-node overlap of said synchronizing collective operations.