Dynamic classification of sections of software

• US 20020072830A1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hunt, Galen C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/443 Optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5066 Algorithms for mapping a plurality of inter-dependent sub-tasks onto a plurality of physical CPUs mappping at compile time, see G06F8/451
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Dynamic classification of sections of software using a profile-based optimization system optimizes management of the sections of software. Software executes under expected usage conditions. After execution, a set of usage profiles describes the dynamic properties of sections of the software. Each usage profile includes information identifying a section of software. Each usage profile maps to an outcome meant to optimize management of the sections of the software during later execution. During such later execution, a usage background describes the dynamic properties of a section of the software. The usage background includes information identifying the section of software. By matching the usage background to a usage profile in the set of usage profiles, the section is dynamically classified during later execution. Based on this dynamic classification, the section maps to the outcome meant to optimize management of the sections of software.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for classifying a section of software by matching a usage background of the section to a usage profile, wherein the software comprises plural sections, and wherein a dynamic structure tracks the usage of the plural sections, the method comprising:

executing the software under expected conditions, thereby generating a usage profile, wherein executing comprises;

identifying a first section with a first section identifier; and

creating a usage profile based upon the first section identifier and the state of the dynamic structure;

mapping the usage profile to an outcome to produce a section map; and

re-executing the software, wherein re-executing comprises;

identifying a second section with a second section identifier;

creating a usage background of the second section based upon the second section identifier and the state of the dynamic structure;

matching the usage background to a usage profile in the section map; and

following the mapped outcome for the matched profile.

2. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during the step of executing, repeating the steps of identifying and creating for each new first section, thereby generating plural usage profiles;

during the step of mapping, mapping the plural usage profiles to plural outcomes to produce additions to the section map; and

during the step of re-executing, repeating the steps of identifying, creating, matching, and following for each new second section.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during the step of executing, repeating the steps of identifying and creating, thereby generating a second usage profile;

comparing the second usage profile to the usage profile; and

if the second usage profile is not similar to the usage profile, mapping the second usage profile to an outcome to produce an addition to the section map.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-executing the software under expected conditions, thereby generating a second usage profile;

comparing the second usage profile to the usage profile; and

if the second usage profile is not similar to the usage profile, mapping the second usage profile to an outcome to produce an addition to the section map.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural sections belong to plural groups, and wherein the first and second section identifiers are group identifiers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second section identifiers are individual identifiers provided by a system service of the computer system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second section identifiers are individual identifiers provided by an instrumentation system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein for a section in use the dynamic structure records a section identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural sections, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded section identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first section identifier and the first sequence of recorded section identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded section identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second section identifier and the second sequence of recorded section identifiers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a section comprises plural functions, wherein for a function in use the dynamic structure records a function identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural functions of the plural sections, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded functions in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first section identifier and the first sequence of recorded function identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded functions in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second section identifier and the second sequence of recorded function identifiers.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a section comprises plural functions, wherein for a function in use the dynamic structure records a function identifier and a section identifier of the section of which the function is a part, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural sections, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded section identifiers and function identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first section identifier and the first sequence of recorded section identifiers and function identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded section identifiers and function identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second section identifier and the second sequence of recorded section identifiers and function identifiers.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 11.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second call chains comprise for each use of a function the function identifier and the section identifier of the section of which the function is a part.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second call chains comprise for the first use of a section the section identifier and the function identifier of the function in use during the first use.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein a function identifier comprises a return address for a function.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamic structure is a system stack of the computer system.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamic structure is a stack provided by an instrumentation system.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein a section comprises plural functions, wherein the dynamic structure is a system stack of the computer system, wherein for a function in use the system stack records a function identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural functions, and wherein a second stack provided by an instrumentation system for a section in use records a section identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural sections.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 18.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

setting a level of precision;

traversing the dynamic structure up to the level of precision; and

forming a usage profile based upon the first section identifier and the state of the traversed portion of the dynamic structure;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

traversing the dynamic structure up to the level of precision; and

forming a usage background based upon the second section identifier and the state of the traversed portion of the dynamic structure.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the dynamic structure is a stack, wherein the level of precision is a depth in the stack, wherein the step of traversing comprises following the stack to the set depth, and wherein the usage profile and usage background comprise call chains based upon the state of the traversed portion of the stack.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of matching comprises:

finding the usage profile that is most similar to the usage background; and

selecting the mapped outcome for the most similar usage profile.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural sections are program segments, wherein an outcome in the section map is a memory placement, and wherein the step of following the mapped outcome comprises allocating memory for a program segment in the memory placement that is mapped to the matched usage profile.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the memory placement is a lifetime prediction bucket for garbage collection of memory.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the memory placement is a memory heap for management of plural memory heaps.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural sections are program segments, wherein an outcome in the section map is a lifetime estimate for load balancing, and wherein the step of following the mapped outcome comprises:

selecting a resource based on the lifetime estimate that is mapped to the matched usage profile; and

allocating memory for the program segment in the selected resource.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural sections are cache pages of data, wherein an outcome in the section map is a placement in a cache, and wherein the step of following the mapped outcome comprises writing a page of cache data to the cache based on the placement that is mapped to the matched usage profile.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural sections are application components, wherein an outcome in the section map is a location in a distributed computing environment, and wherein the step of following the mapped outcome comprises instantiating a component at the location that is mapped to the matched usage profile.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 29.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of profiling comprises

during the step of executing, repeating the steps of identifying and creating for each new first unit, thereby generating plural usage profiles;

during the step of mapping, mapping the plural usage profiles to plural locations to produce additions to the unit map; and

during the step of re-executing, repeating the steps of identifying, creating, matching, and instantiating for each new second unit.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of profiling comprises

during the step of executing, repeating the steps of identifying and creating, thereby generating a second usage profile;

comparing the second usage profile to the usage profile; and

if the second usage profile is not similar to the usage profile, mapping the second usage profile to a location to produce an addition to the unit map.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of profiling comprises

re-executing the application program under expected conditions, thereby generating a second usage profile;

comparing the second usage profile to the usage profile; and

if the second usage profile is not similar to the usage profile, mapping the second usage profile to a location to produce an addition to the unit map.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit belongs to a class, and wherein the first and second unit identifier are class identifiers.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the first and second unit identifiers are individual identifiers provided by a system service of the computer system.

36. The method of claim 29 wherein the first and second unit identifiers are individual identifiers provided by an instrumentation system.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein for an instantiated unit the dynamic structure records a unit identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural units, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded unit identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first unit identifier and the first sequence of recorded unit identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded unit identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second unit identifier and the second sequence of recorded unit identifiers.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit is created by an activation function called by another unit, and wherein the usage profile and usage background comprise the unit identifier of a calling unit.

39. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit is created by an activation function called by another unit, wherein the dynamic structure stores a title of the activation function, and wherein usage profile and usage background are based upon the title of the activation function.

40. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit is created by an activation function called by another unit, and wherein the usage profile and usage background comprise the unit identifier of a calling unit and a title of the called activation function.

41. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit comprises plural functions, wherein for a function in use the dynamic structure records a function identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural functions of the plural units, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded functions in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first unit identifier and the first sequence of recorded function identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded functions in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second unit identifier and the second sequence of recorded function identifiers.

42. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit comprises plural functions, wherein for a function in use the dynamic structure records a function identifier and a unit identifier of the unit of which the function is a part, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural units, wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

noting a first sequence of recorded unit identifiers and function identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a first call chain with the first unit identifier and the first sequence of recorded unit identifiers and function identifiers;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

noting a second sequence of recorded unit identifiers and function identifiers in the dynamic structure; and

creating a second call chain with the second unit identifier and the second sequence of recorded unit identifiers and function identifiers.

43. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 42.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the first and second call chains comprise for each use of a function the function identifier and the unit identifier of the unit of which the function is a part.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the first and second call chains comprise for the first use of a unit the unit identifier and the function identifier of the function in use during the first use.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein a function identifier comprises a return address for a function.

47. The method of claim 29 wherein the dynamic structure is the call stack of the computer system.

48. The method of claim 29 wherein the dynamic structure is a stack provided by an instrumentation system.

49. The method of claim 29 wherein a unit comprises plural functions, wherein the dynamic structure is a call stack of the computer system, wherein for a function in use the call stack records a function identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural functions, and wherein a second stack provided by an instrumentation system for an instantiated unit records a unit identifier, thereby tracking the sequence of usage of the plural units.

50. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 49.

51. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of creating a usage profile comprises:

setting a level of precision;

traversing the dynamic structure up to the level of precision; and

forming a usage profile based upon the first unit identifier and the state of the traversed portion of the dynamic structure;

and wherein the step of creating a usage background comprises;

traversing the dynamic structure up to the level of precision; and

forming a usage profile based upon the second unit identifier and the state of the traversed portion of the dynamic structure.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the dynamic structure is a stack, wherein the level of precision is a depth in the stack, wherein the step of traversing comprises following the stack to the set depth, and wherein the usage profile and usage background comprise call chains based upon the state of the traversed portion of the stack.

53. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of matching comprises:

finding the usage profile that is most similar to the usage background; and

selecting the location that is mapped to the most similar usage profile.

29. A method in a computer system for classifying a unit of an application program by matching a usage background of the unit to a usage profile, wherein the application comprises plural units, and wherein a dynamic structure tracks the usage of the plural units, the method comprising:

executing the application program in a profiling scenario, thereby generating a usage profile, wherein executing comprises;

identifying a first unit with a first unit identifier; and

creating a usage profile based upon the first unit identifier and the state of the dynamic structure;

mapping the usage profile to a location in the distributed computing environment to produce unit map; and

re-executing the application program, wherein executing comprises;

identifying a second unit with a second unit identifier;

creating a usage background of the second unit based upon the second unit identifier and the state of the dynamic structure;

matching the usage background to a usage profile in the unit map; and

instantiating the second unit at the location that is mapped to the matched profile.