NAME
lat_proc - process creation tests
SYNOPSIS
lat_proc [ -P <parallelism> ] [ -W <warmups> ] [ -N <repetitions> ]
procedure|fork|exec|shell
DESCRIPTION
lat_proc creates processes in three different forms, each more
expensive than the last. The purposes is to measure the time that it
takes to create a basic thread of control.
The forms are listed and described below:
Process fork+exit The time it takes to split a process into two
(nearly) identical copies and have one exit. This
is how new processes are created but is not very
useful since both processes are doing the same
thing.
Process fork+execve The time it takes to create a new process and have
that new process run a new program. This is the
inner loop of all shells (command interpreters).
Process fork+/bin/sh -c
The time it takes to create a new process and have
that new process run a new program by asking the
system shell to find that program and run it. This
is how the C library interface called system is
implemented. It is the most general and the most
expensive.
OUTPUT
Output is in microseconds per operation like so:
Process fork+exit: 6054 microseconds
Process fork+execve: 11212 microseconds
Process fork+/bin/sh -c: 44346 microseconds
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Funding for the development of this tool was provided by Sun
Microsystems Computer Corporation.
SEE ALSO
lmbench(8).
AUTHOR
Carl Staelin and Larry McVoy
Comments, suggestions, and bug reports are always welcome.
(c)1994 Larry McVoy $Date$