TECHNIQUES FOR ADAPTIVE TRACE LOGGING

• US 20110067008A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Yurek, Tolga, Srivastava, Deepti, Ho, Eugene, Hsu, John, Zane, Beverly, Chan, Wilson, Pruscino, Angelo
• Granted Patent: US 9,529,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

Techniques for adaptive trace logging include, in one embodiment, obtaining input data on trace logging behavior and computing resources used by trace logging. Based on the obtained input data, an adaptive trace logging module automatically takes action at runtime to reduce the amount of computing resources consumed by tracing logging. For example, the action taken may include decreasing a trace logging level of an executing software program to reduce the number of trace logging messages added to a trace log. In another embodiment, the techniques include detecting a condition of an executing software program that warrants a change to a trace logging level of the executing program. The adaptive trace logging module automatically changes the trace logging level of the executing program as-needed for the detected condition. For example, the adaptive trace logging module may increase the trace logging level of an executing program upon detecting a deadlock or other abnormal condition of the executing program. By automatically increasing the trace logging level upon detecting an abnormal condition, additional trace logging messages may be written to a trace log aiding diagnosis and troubleshooting of the condition.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive trace logging, comprising:

obtaining data that represents at least one of the following,

a number of trace log messages added to a trace log in a period of time,

an amount of storage space available on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a trace log,

a latency of an operation comprising writing a trace log message to a trace log, and

a size of a trace log;

based at least in part on said data, determining whether to perform an action to reduce an amount of one or more computing resources consumed by trace logging; and

performing said action, wherein performing said action includes performing at least one of,

changing a trace logging level, or

writing a trace log message to a volatile computer-readable storage medium instead of writing the log message to a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing said action comprises changing a trace logging level.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises decreasing a trace logging level.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a software program executing on a computing device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of some but not all of a plurality of software program modules that comprise a software program executing on a computing device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a plurality of software programs executing on a computing device.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a software program executing on a plurality of computing devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein writing a trace log message to a volatile computer-readable storage medium comprises writing a trace log message to a circular queue buffer resident in a memory of a computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to perform an action to reduce an amount of one or more computing resources consumed by trace logging comprises determining whether at least one of the following threshold data values is exceeded:

a threshold number of trace log messages added to a trace log in a period of time,

a threshold amount of storage space available on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a trace log,

a threshold latency of an operation comprising writing a trace log message to a trace log, and

a threshold size of a trace log.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to obtaining said data, adjusting one or more of the threshold data values based at least in part on said data.

11. A method for adaptive trace logging, comprising:

detecting a condition of an executing software program;

determining the condition warrants a change to a trace logging level of the executing software program; and

changing the trace logging level of the executing software program;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises increasing the trace logging level of the executing software program.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the executing software program is executing on a single computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the executing software program is executing on a plurality of computing devices.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a condition of an executing software program comprises detecting a deadlock condition of the executing software program.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for adaptive trace logging, the instructions, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising the steps of:

obtaining data that represents at least one of the following,

a number of trace log messages added to a trace log in a period of time,

an amount of storage space available on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a trace log,

a latency of an operation comprising writing a trace log message to a trace log, and

a size of a trace log;

based at least in part on said data, determining whether to perform an action to reduce an amount of one or more computing resources consumed by trace logging; and

performing said action, wherein performing said action includes performing at least one of,

changing a trace logging level, or

writing a trace log message to a volatile computer-readable storage medium instead of writing the log message to a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein performing said action comprises changing a trace logging level.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises decreasing a trace logging level.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a software program executing on a computing device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of some but not all of a plurality of software program modules that comprise a software program executing on a computing device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a plurality of software programs executing on a computing device.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein changing a trace logging level comprises changing a trace logging level of a software program executing on a plurality of computing devices.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein writing a trace log message to a volatile computer-readable storage medium comprises writing a trace log message to a circular queue buffer resident in a memory of a computing device.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining whether to perform an action to reduce an amount of one or more computing resources consumed by trace logging comprises determining whether at least one of the following threshold data values is exceeded:

a threshold number of trace log messages added to a trace log in a period of time,

a threshold amount of storage space available on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a trace log,

a threshold latency of an operation comprising writing a trace log message to a trace log, and

a threshold size of a trace log.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, the method further comprising:

in response to obtaining said data, adjusting one or more of the threshold data values based at least in part on said data.

26. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic embodied in one or more computer-readable storage media for;

obtaining data that represents at least one of the following,

a number of trace log messages added to a trace log in a period of time,

an amount of storage space available on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a trace log,

a latency of an operation comprising writing a trace log message to a trace log, and

a size of a trace log;

based at least in part on said data, determining whether to perform an action to reduce an amount of one or more computing resources consumed by trace logging; and

performing said action, wherein performing said action includes performing at least one of,

changing a trace logging level, or

writing a trace log message to a volatile computer-readable storage medium instead of writing the log message to a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.