Overclocking is the practice of running the clock rate of a processor faster than what the system was designed. This limit is typically determined by the maximum temperature ratings with appropriate safety margins. While overclocking can speed up the processor, it will also generate more heat. In many cases extra cooling and thermal management is necessary when overclocking a processor. While this may sound dangerous to the processor, overclocking is a common practice. With proper thermal management and accurate temperature monitoring, overclocking can be done safely.