Thread context switch Vs. process context switch

Question

The main distinction between a thread switch and a process switch is that during a thread switch, the virtual memory space remains the same, while it does not during a process switch. Both types involve handing control over to the operating system kernel to perform the context switch. The process of switching in and out of the OS kernel along with the cost of switching out the registers is the largest fixed cost of performing a context switch.

A more fuzzy cost is that a context switch messes with the processors cacheing mechanisms. Basically, when you context switch, all of the memory addresses that the processor "remembers" in its cache effectively become useless. The one big distinction here is that when you change virtual memory spaces, the processor's Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) or equivalent gets flushed making memory accesses much more expensive for a while. This does not happen during a thread switch.

Process context switching involves switching the memory address space. This includes memory addresses, mappings, page tables, and kernel resources—a relatively expensive operation. On some architectures, it even means flushing various processor caches that aren't sharable across address spaces. For example, x86 has to flush the TLB and some ARM processors have to flush the entirety of the L1 cache!

Thread switching is context switching from one thread to another in the same process (switching from thread to thread across processes is just process switching).Switching processor state (such as the program counter and register contents) is generally very efficient.

First of all, operating system brings outgoing thread in a kernel mode if it is not already there, because thread switch can be performed only between threads, that runs in kernel mode. Then the scheduler is invoked to make a decision about thread to which will be performed switching. After decision is made, kernel saves part of the thread context that is located in CPU (CPU registers) into the dedicated place in memory (frequently on the top of the kernel stack of outgoing thread). Then the kernel performs switch from kernel stack of outgoing thread on to kernel stack of the incoming thread. After that, kernel loads previously stored context of incoming thread from memory into CPU registers. And finally returns control back into user mode, but in user mode of the new thread. In the case when OS has determined that incoming thread runs in another process, kernel performs one additional step: sets new active virtual address space.

The main cost in both scenarios is related to a cache pollution. In most cases, the working set used by the outgoing thread will differ significantly from working set which is used by the incoming thread. As a result, the incoming thread will start its life with avalanche of cache misses, thus flushing old and useless data from the caches and loading the new data from memory. The same is true for TLB (Translation Look Aside Buffer, which is on the CPU). In the case of reset of virtual address space (threads run in different processes) the penalty is even worse, because reset of virtual address space leads to the flushing of the entire TLB, even if new thread actually needs to load only few new entries. As a result, the new thread will start its time quantum with lots TLB misses and frequent page walking. Direct cost of threads switch is also not negligible (from ~250 and up to ~1500-2000 cycles) and depends on the CPU complexity, states of both threads and sets of registers which they actually use.

P.S.: Good post about context switch overhead: http://blog.tsunanet.net/2010/11/how-long-does-it-take-to-make-context.html

• process switching: it is a transition between two memory resident of process in a multiprogramming environment;
• context switching: it is a changing context from an executing program to an interrupt service routine (ISR).

In Thread Context Switching, the virtual memory space remains the same while it is not in the case of Process Context Switch. Also, Process Context Switch is costlier than Thread Context Switch.

Context Switching involves storing the context or state of a process so that it can be reloaded when required and execution can be resumed from the same point as earlier. This is a feature of a multitasking operating system and allows a single CPU to be shared by multiple processes.

1. Thread Switching : Thread switching is a type of context switching from one thread to another thread in the same process. Thread switching is very efficient and much cheaper because it involves switching out only identities and resources such as the program counter, registers and stack pointers. The cost of thread-to-thread switching is about the same as the cost of entering and exiting the kernel.
2. Process Switching : Process switching is a type of context switching where we switch one process with another process. It involves switching of all the process resources with those needed by a new process. This means switching the memory address space. This includes memory addresses, page tables, and kernel resources, caches in the processor.