Activity Graph for Parallel Programs in Distributed System Environment

• US 20110179160A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hou, Zhitao, Zhang, Haidong, Liu, Guowei
• Application Number:
  US12/691,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20110179160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3404 for parallel or distributed programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• 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 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

In a distributed system environment, a system profiling log can be used at a central server to collect and analyze log data. The log data can be used to gauge performance of software applications. In particular, the log data includes different activities (i.e., tasks) that are executed to implement the software applications. Correlation of the different activities versus a timeline is an important parameter in the system profiling log. For example, where the correlation of the different activities is represented in colored graphs at a user interface, a user may easily pinpoint a bottleneck. The bottleneck at the one or more activities may encourage the user to adopt system improvement in the distributed system environment.

Claims

1. A method for system profiling log implemented in a computing device by a processor configured to execute instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the computing device to perform acts comprising:

requesting the system profiling log in a central server by a user;

receiving instructions from the central server by at least one agent, wherein the at least one agent is located in one or more computing devices;

monitoring and collecting log data by the at least one agent, wherein the log data includes one or more activities that are executed to implement a software application in the one or more computing devices;

communicating the log data to the central server by the at least one agent; and

integrating and converting the log data into colored graphical representations by the central server, wherein the colored graphical representations include timeline for the one or more activities that are executed in the one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system profiling log is used in a distributed system environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving instructions include setting up a testing environment for the system profiling log.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the testing environment coordinates functions of the one or more computing devices with regard to execution of the system profiling log.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the monitoring and the collecting of the log data is implemented according to the instructions received by the at least one agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating the log data to the central server includes sending of real-time log data and the log data that has been previously stored.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the integrating of the log data includes correlating the one or more activities that are executed in the one or more computing devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting the log data into colored graphical representations includes a particular color for a particular activity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the colored graphical representations provide locations of a bottleneck in the one or more activities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the colored graphical representations provide details of the one or more activity using zoom-in or zoom-out feature of a user interface.

11. A computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement a method comprising:

requesting a system profiling log in a central server by a user;

monitoring and collecting log data for the system profiling log, wherein the log data includes one or more activities that are executed to implement a software application in one or more computing devices;

communicating the log data to the central server; and

integrating and converting the log data into colored graphical representations by the central server, wherein the colored graphical representations include timeline for the one or more activities that are executed to implement the software application.

12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the system profiling log is used to gauge performance of parallel programs in a distributed system environment.

13. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the monitoring and the collecting of the log data includes real-time analysis of the log data at a particular node in a distributed system environment.

14. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the integrating and the converting of the log data includes analysis of at least a portion of the one or more activities in the one or more computing devices.

15. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the colored graphical representations provide easy viewing of a system behavior to the user.

16. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the system behavior includes correlation of the one or more activities in a distributed system environment.

17. A distributed system environment comprising:

a central server component that initiates a system profiling log, wherein the system profiling log integrates and converts log data into colored graphical representations; and

one or more computing devices that monitor and collect the log data, the log data includes one or more activities in one or more software applications, wherein the log data is communicated by the one or more computing devices to the central server component.

18. The distributed system environment of claim 17, wherein the central server component provides details of the log data to a user by zooming in or zooming out on a particular colored graph.

19. The distributed system environment of claim 17, wherein the log data includes the one or more activities in a parallel program that is executed in the one or more computing devices.

20. The distributed system environment of claim 17, wherein the system profiling log include data load queries on the one or more computing devices.