probes::basefork(3)         SmokePing         probes::basefork(3)



NAME
       probes::basefork - Yet Another Base Class for implementing
       SmokePing Probes

OVERVIEW
       Like probes::basevars, but supports the probe-specific
       property `forks' to determine how many processes should be
       run concurrently.

SYNOPSYS
        *** Probes ***

        + MyForkingProbe
        # run this many concurrent processes
        forks = 10

        + MyOtherForkingProbe
        # we don't want any concurrent processes at all for some reason.
        forks = 1


DESCRIPTION
       Not all pinger programs support testing multiple hosts in
       a single go like fping(1). If the measurement takes long
       enough, there may be not enough time perform all the tests
       in the time available. For example, if the test takes 30
       seconds, measuring ten hosts already fills up the
       SmokePing default five minute step.

       Thus, it may be necessary to do some of the tests concur-
       rently. This module defines the ping method that forks the
       requested number of concurrent processes and calls the
       pingone method that derived classes must provide.

       The pingone method is called with one argument: a hash
       containing the target that is to be measured. The contents
       of the hash are described in probes::basevars(3pm).

       The number of concurrent processes is determined by the
       probe-specific variable `forks' and is 5 by default. If
       there are more targets than this value, another round of
       forks is done after the first processes are finished. This
       continues until all the targets have been tested.

AUTHOR
       Niko Tyni <ntyni@iki.fi>

BUGS
       Doesn't signal failures in child processes, partly because
       SmokePing hasn't any logging features after daemonization.

SEE ALSO
       probes::basevars(3pm), probes::EchoPing(3pm)



2002-03-22                     1.8            probes::basefork(3)
