Thanks for the ideas..
I'll probably try doing the 'ps' calls once, and keeping/using the results for each check of the ftp processes in that loop.
As for keeping the results in a file, I can probably get the subagent to do that, just hand out the results of the last loop, rather than call the script again when its already running.

I've been looking around and just come across PPerl and Persistent Perl. Does anyone use/know of these? Can I install them anywhere?

C.