Method and apparatus for determining the performance of data processing device with the unsynchronized clocks

• US 20020022945A1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: de La Puente, Angel Abello, Garijo, Elisa Martin, Takayasu, Hiroshi, Sanchez, Gonzalo Martinez, Amemiya, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/835 Timestamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

Method and apparatus to enable measurement of response times, for example at one-second resolution or better, in a system where a starting location and ending location of processing are different. A timing data that signals a start of data processing is entered into a logging device and recorded in a system log file with a time stamp placed according to a system clock of the logging device. Output data from a CIS interface or TV interface that signals the end of processing is sent to the logging device and recorded in the system log file 20 with a time stamp placed according to the system clock of the logging device. The processing time is calculated with reference to the time stamps in the log data in the system log file associated with the processing.

Claims

1. A method for determining the performance of a data processing system wherein processing is started by a first data processing device and finished by a second data processing device which may have separate clocks that are not synchronized, the method comprising the steps of:

by a logging device, receiving a first notification when processing is started by the first data processing device;

generating process start time data using a clock of the logging device, wherein the process start time data includes time of receipt by the logging device of the first notification;

by the logging device, receiving a second notification when the processing is finished by the second data processing device;

generating process end time data using the clock of the logging device, wherein the process end time data includes time of receipt by the logging device of the second notification; and

calculating processing time by comparing the process start time data and the process end time data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification includes input data entered when processing is started by the first data processing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second notification includes the input data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the process start time data and the process end time data are associated with each other using the input data.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of recording the first notification on a recording medium.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

recording the process start time data on a recording medium; and

recording the process stop time data on the recording medium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification includes information from a second logging device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification includes information captured from a network when processing is started by the first data processing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the process start time data and the process end time data are associated with each other using the information captured from the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second notification includes information captured from a network when processing is finished by the second data processing device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the process start time data and the process end time data are associated with each other using the information captured from the network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification and the second notification are transmitted using Transmission Control Protocol.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification and the second notification are transmitted using User Datagram Protocol.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the logging device further includes logic for calculating processing time by comparing the process start time data and the process end time data.

14. A data processing system comprising:

a first data processing device that starts processing;

a second data processing device for finishing processing; and

a logging device;

wherein the logging device comprises

logic for receiving a first notification when processing

is started by the first data processing device;

logic for generating process start time data using a clock of the logging device,

wherein the process start time data includes time of receipt by the logging device of the first notification;

logic for receiving a second notification when processing is finished by the second data processing device; and

logic for generating process end time data using the clock of the logging device,

wherein the process end time data includes time of receipt by the logging device of the second notification.

16. A data logging system, comprising:

logic for receiving a first notification when processing is started by a first data processing device;

logic for generating process start time data using a clock of the logging system,

wherein the process start time data includes time of receipt by the logging system of the first notification;

logic for receiving a second notification when processing is finished by a second data processing device; and

logic for generating process end time data using the clock of the logging system,

wherein the process end time data includes time of receipt by the logging system of the second notification.

17. Programmable media containing programmable software for measuring the performance of a data processing system wherein processing is started by a first data processing device and finished by a second data processing device which may have separate clocks that are not synchronized, the programmable software comprising the steps of:

receiving a first notification when processing is started by the first data processing device;

generating process start time data using a logging lock, wherein the process start time data includes time of receipt of the first notification;

receiving a second notification when the processing is finished by the second data processing device;

generating process end time data using the logging clock, wherein the process end time data includes time of receipt of the second notification; and

calculating processing time by comparing the process start time data and the process end time data.