FTIMER(1)                                                            FTIMER(1)


NAME
     ftimer - report realtime itimer status

SYNOPSIS
     ftimer

DESCRIPTION
     ftimer provides the cpu number of the processor handling the fast clock
     used by the real time itimer facility.  It also reports any outstanding
     real time itimer timeouts.

     The fast clock is inactive until it is first used, then remains active
     from that time onward.  The fast clock typically becomes active when a
     realtime process (i.e., those running with a non-degrading priority, see
     npri(1)) executes setitimer(2), or less frequently when some special
     kernel driver needs the fast clock enabled for a high resolution interval
     timer and executes an internal kernel routine.

     A user can control which processor handles the fast clock interrupts by
     using the mpadmin(1) command or the sysmp(2) programmatic syscall.

     Note, however, that ftimer(1) has no real relevance for Challenge/Onyx
     platforms, as "fast clock" interrupts are handled by all processors, not
     just by a single processor.  For Challenge/Onyx the distinction between
     "fast clock" itimers and "normal" itimers is made on the basis of what
     time resolution is available, not on the basis of which physical hardware
     clock ("fast" or "normal") implements the itimer.  As with the other
     platforms, realtime processes can get access to high resolution itimers,
     and non-realtime processes can only use "normal" resolution itimers (see
     setitimer(2) and timers(5)).

SEE ALSO
     npri(1), getitimer(2), setitimer(2), realtime(5), timers(5), mpadmin(1).


                                                                        Page 1