Extended input/output measurement facilities

• US 20040230706A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yudenfriend, Harry M., Wyman, Leslie W., Riedy, Dale F. Jr., Carlson, Scott M., Lu, Tan, Dyck, Greg A., Rooney, William J., Trotter, John S., Oakes, Kenneth J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,000,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3041 where the computing system component is an input/output interface interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/105 where the programme performs an input/output emulation function
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/124 where hardware is a sequential transfer control unit, e.g. microprocessor, peripheral processor or state-machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30003 Arrangements for executing specific machine instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0073 Special arrangements for feedback channel

Abstract

Input/output (I/O) measurement facilities are provided. An extended I/O measurement block facility is provided that enables measurement blocks to be stored in discontiguous areas of main storage and to be accessed directly via addresses. In a further aspect, an extended I/O measurement word facility is provided that facilitates the obtaining of measurement data for single I/O operations.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said method comprising:

obtaining measurement data for an I/O operation directly from a measurement unit, wherein the measurement unit comprises measurement data exclusive to the I/O operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a request for the measurement data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the initiating is in response to completion of the I/O operation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the initiating comprises issuing an instruction to obtain the measurement data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the obtaining comprises:

retrieving the measurement data from a control block associated with the I/O operation; and

placing the measurement data in the measurement unit, which is returned via the instruction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the I/O operation is associated with a subchannel of the computing environment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the control block is of the subchannel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the I/O operation comprises a last completed I/O operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said measurement unit comprises one or more fields, and wherein a field of said measurement unit is defined for a resolution that is more granular than a resolution of approximately 128 microseconds.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the measurement unit is defined for a resolution that is approximately one-half microsecond.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes device busy time data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes initial command response time data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data for the I/O operation need not be derived from data of the measurement unit.

14. A method of accessing measurement blocks of a computing environment, said method comprising:

using a measurement block address to directly access a measurement block associated with an input/output (I/O) component of the computing environment, wherein the measurement block is accessed absent use of a measurement block origin and measurement block index.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising assigning the measurement block address to the I/O component.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the measurement block comprises measurement data associated with the I/O component.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the measurement data includes a device busy time measurement associated with the I/O component.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the measurement data includes an initial command response time measurement associated with the I/O component.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the I/O component comprises a subchannel.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the measurement block is stored in real memory in a discontiguous location to one or more other measurement blocks in real memory.

21. A method of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said method comprising:

providing for one or more input/output (I/O) components of an I/O path of a control unit of the computing environment individual time measurement data specific to the one or more I/O components.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise the control unit, and the individual time measurement data comprises control unit busy time data.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the control unit busy time data comprises an accumulation of time that the control unit is busy for the I/O path from the time an initial selection sequence for a command receives a control unit busy indication until a control unit end condition is recognized on the I/O path.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a switch, and the individual time measurement data comprises switch busy count data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the switch busy count data comprises a summation of one or more switch busy counts received for the I/O path.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a device, and the individual time measurement data comprises an initial command response time.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the initial command response time comprises an accumulation of initial command response time for at least one of start and resume functions successfully initiated on the I/O path.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the initial command response time for a function comprises a time interval beginning from when a first command of a channel program is sent to a device until a device indicates it has accepted the command.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the I/O path comprises a channel path.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the individual time measurement data is stored in a secondary queue measurement block.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing additional measurement data, said additional measurement data comprising a summation of channel wait time for an I/O subsystem of the computing environment.

32. A system of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said system comprising:

a measurement unit comprising measurement data; and

means for obtaining measurement data for an I/O operation directly from the measurement unit, wherein the measurement unit comprises measurement data exclusive to the I/O operation.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising means for initiating a request for the measurement data.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein initiating is in response to completion of the I/O operation.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for initiating comprises means for issuing an instruction to obtain the measurement data.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the obtaining comprises:

retrieving the measurement data from a control block associated with the I/O operation; and

placing the measurement data in the measurement unit, which is returned via the instruction.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the I/O operation is associated with a subchannel of the computing environment.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the control block is of the subchannel.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the I/O operation comprises a last completed I/O operation.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein said measurement unit comprises one or more fields, and wherein a field of said measurement unit is defined for a resolution that is more granular than a resolution of approximately 128 microseconds.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the measurement data includes device busy time data.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein the measurement data includes initial command response time data.

43. The system of claim 32, wherein the measurement data for the I/O operation need not be derived from data of the measurement unit.

44. A system of accessing measurement blocks of a computing environment, said system comprising:

a measurement block associated with an input/output (I/O) component of the computing environment; and

means for using a measurement block address to directly access the measurement block, wherein the measurement block is accessed absent use of a measurement block origin and measurement block index.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the measurement block comprises measurement data associated with the I/O component.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the measurement block is stored in real memory in a discontiguous location to one or more other measurement blocks in real memory.

47. A system of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said system comprising:

one or more input/output (I/O) components of an I/O path of a control unit of the computing environment; and

means for providing individual time measurement data specific to the one or more I/O components.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise the control unit, and the individual time measurement data comprises control unit busy time data.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a switch, and the individual time measurement data comprises switch busy count data.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a device, and the individual time measurement data comprises an initial command response time.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the individual time measurement data is stored in a secondary queue measurement block.

52. The system of claim 47, further comprising means for providing additional measurement data, said additional measurement data comprising a summation of channel wait time for an I/O subsystem of the computing environment.

53. A system of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said system comprising:

a measurement unit to directly provide measurement data for an I/O operation, wherein the measurement unit comprises measurement data exclusive to the I/O operation.

54. A system of facilitating access to measurement data of a computing environment, said system comprising:

a computing unit to provide for one or more input/output (I/O) components of an I/O path of a control unit of the computing environment individual time measurement data specific to the one or more I/O components.

55. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to facilitate access to measurement data of a computing environment, the computer readable program code logic comprising;

logic to obtain measurement data for an I/O operation directly from a measurement unit, wherein the measurement unit comprises measurement data exclusive to the I/O operation.

56. The article of manufacture of claim 55, further comprising logic to initiate a request for the measurement data.

57. The article of manufacture of claim 56, wherein the logic to initiate is in response to completion of the I/O operation.

58. The article of manufacture of claim 56, wherein the logic to initiate comprises logic to issue an instruction to obtain the measurement data.

59. The article of manufacture of claim 58, wherein the instruction to obtain comprises:

logic to retrieve the measurement data from a control block associated with the I/O operation; and

logic to place the measurement data in the measurement unit, which is returned via the instruction.

60. The article of manufacture of claim 59, wherein the I/O operation is associated with a subchannel of the computing environment.

61. The article of manufacture of claim 60, wherein the control block is of the subchannel.

62. The article of manufacture of claim 55, wherein the I/O operation comprises a last completed I/O operation.

63. The article of manufacture of claim 55, wherein said measurement unit comprises one or more fields, and wherein a field of said measurement unit is defined for a resolution that is more granular than a resolution of approximately 128 microseconds.

64. The article of manufacture of claim 55, wherein the measurement data includes device busy time data.

65. The article of manufacture of claim 55, wherein the measurement data includes initial command response time data.

66. The article of manufacture of claim 55, wherein the measurement data for the I/O operation need not be derived from data of the measurement unit.

67. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to access measurement blocks of a computing environment, the computer readable program code logic comprising;

logic to use a measurement block address to directly access a measurement block associated with an input/output (I/O) component of the computing environment, wherein the measurement block is accessed absent use of a measurement block origin and measurement block index.

68. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein the measurement block comprises measurement data associated with the I/O component.

69. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein the measurement block is stored in real memory in a discontiguous location to one or more other measurement blocks of real memory.

70. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to facilitate access to measurement data of a computing environment, the computer readable program code logic comprising;

logic to provide for one or more input/output (I/O) components of an I/O path of a control unit of the computing environment individual time measurement data specific to the one or more I/O components.

71. The article of manufacture of claim 70, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise the control unit, and the individual time measurement data comprises control unit busy time data.

72. The article of manufacture of claim 70, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a switch, and the individual time measurement data comprises switch busy count data.

73. The article of manufacture of claim 70, wherein the one or more I/O components comprise a device, and the individual time measurement data comprises an initial command response time.

74. The article of manufacture of claim 70, wherein the individual time measurement data is stored in a secondary queue measurement block.

75. The article of manufacture of claim 70, further comprising logic to provide additional measurement data, said additional measurement data comprising a summation of channel wait time for an I/O subsystem of the computing environment.