id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	priority	milestone	component	version	resolution	keywords	cc	field_blocks	field_dependson	field_seealso
427	Tickless/event-driven kernel	Martin Decky	Martin Decky	"The kernels of many operating systems have already switched or are planning to switch to tickless operation (i.e. avoiding strictly periodic timer interrupts and scheduling timers on-demand).

The benefits are lower overhead, better power-saving possibilities (even without any specific power management features) and a more natural design of the timers without a fixed timer period. The most significant drawback is naturally more complex timer bookkeeping, but as empirical evidence shows it is manageable.

**Clarification:** The term ""tickless"" is usually understood as a means to avoid periodic timer interrupts in idle states. However, an ""event-driven"" kernel design can actually go even further and avoid all periodic timer interrupts. See the following references in the context of Linux:

* http://linuxplumbersconf.org/ocw/proposals/103
* http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/eeus13_mckenney.pdf
* http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/BareMetalLPC.2013.09.22a_0.pdf"	enhancement	new	minor		helenos/kernel/generic	mainline