[rescue] Dual Processors and applications

[Mike Johnson]

Brian Dunbar [Brian.Dunbar at plexus.com] wrote:
> Scenario:
> A dual processor Unix box (sun or hp).  An application (CAD tool) that was
> not specifically optimized for dual processors.  Will the app take
advantage
> of the dual processors?

App, no.  OS, yes.  If the app is a single, monolithic process, and it
doesn't fork of any children, then there's no way it can use both CPUs.
The OS can certainly switch the app to the CPU that's least busy
(depending on how the OS schedules), but the app can't use both CPUs at
the same time.  However, since there's all sorts of other things going
on on a Unix system at the time, some benefit will be seen.

Now, if this app spawns multiple processes, the processes will be spread
across the CPUs.

Really, it depends on the particular app.

Mike
--
"Let the power of Ponch compel you!  Let the power of Ponch compel you!"
   -- Zorak on Space Ghost

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