dgram-balancing.py

import os
import time
import itertools
import socket
import tempfile

name = tempfile.mktemp('.sock')
sr, ss = socket.socketpair(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)

pids = []
for i in range(4):
    pid = os.fork()

    if pid:
        print "Forked:", pid
        pids.append(pid)
    else:
        break

if pid:
    print "Producing ..."
    for i in range(100):
        ss.send("item-%s" % i)
    for i in range(4):
        ss.send('sentinel')
    print "Produced. Waiting for workers now ..."

    for pid in pids:
        os.waitpid(pid, 0)
else:
    mypid = os.getpid()
    counter = 0
    while 1:
        if sr.recvfrom(1024)[0] == 'sentinel':
            break
        counter += 1
        time.sleep(0.05) # simulate work
    print mypid, '->', counter