calling functions at the same time

[Cameron Laird]

In article <c6unuq$d0f$1 at solaris.cc.vt.edu>,
Bart Nessux  <bart_nessux at hotmail.com> wrote:
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>I need to ping 4 hosts at exactly the same time from the  same machine (I
>plan to timestamp the pings) to test and measure network conditions over
>different routes to different hosts. Putting all the ping hosts in a list
>and looping through it is not a fair or balanced way to do this because of
>the time differences. 
>
>
>
>> It turns 
>> out "simultaneously" has a plethora of meanings, and you're the
>> only one in a position to get others to understand which you
>> have in mind.
>
>I mean it to mean: at the *exact* same time... concurrently. Like runners
>starting a race together.
>
>> 
>> It'll also help to know whether you mean "function" as specific
>> to the Python language, or more abstractly, as a unit of useful
>> accomplishment.
>
>Specific to Python.

Good description!  We're definitely getting somewhere.

How serious are you about this??  More specifically, do
you have in mind a conventional desktop host, or are you
investing in specialized hardware and firmware?  On a 
conventional rig, your network traffic will be sequenced;
a single networking interface, say, can't emit four signals
simultaneously, but *must* do first one packet, then the
next, then ...  Are you OK with that?

What does "ping" mean to you?  Do you have in mind the
command-line executable, or are you planning to shape your
own ICMP traffic?
-- 

Cameron Laird <claird at phaseit.net>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net