Parallel processing system including arrangement for establishing and using sets of processing nodes in debugging environment

• US 5,805,890 A
• Filed: 05/15/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thinking Machines Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Simons, Joshua E., Sistare, Steven J., Jourdenais, Karen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORCORAN, PETER JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/441,234
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 395/703, 395/704, 395/705, 395/706, 395/800, 395/183.13, 395/183.14
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

A debugger for use in connection with a parallel computer including a plurality of processing nodes. The debugger enables the operator to establish a processing node set in response to certain criteria, such as the respective identifications of the processing node and their prior processing under the debugger. The debugger, in response to a processing node set establishment command from the operator, enables each processing node to establish and condition a set membership flag in response to the operator-supplied set membership criteria. The debugger is then responsive to a debugging command from the operator to enable the processing nodes to use their respective set membership flags to condition their execution of the debugging command.

Claims

1. For use in connection with a parallel computer including a plurality of processing nodes, a debugging arrangement for facilitating the debugging of code by an operator comprising:

A. a debug set membership establishment element responsive to a processing node set establishment command from the operator to said parallel computer to establish a processing node set comprising selected ones of said processing nodes in response to operator-supplied set membership criteria; and

B. a debug set operational element responsive to a debugging command from the operator to enable each processing node to condition its execution of the debugging command based on whether it is one of said selected ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set.

2. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which said debug set membership establishment element includes:

A. a plurality of set membership flags each associated with one of said processing nodes, each set membership flag having a set member condition and at least one other condition, and

B. a set membership flag conditioning element for enabling each processing node to condition its set membership flag in response to said operator-supplied set membership criteria.

3. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which ones of said processing nodes which are associated with set membership flags having the set member condition comprise said processing node set.

4. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which each processing node is associated with a processing node identifier value, and said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing node identifier values for processing nodes which are to condition their set membership flags to the set member condition.

5. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 4 in which ones of said processing nodes whose processing node identifier values are not identified in said operator-supplied membership criteria condition their set membership flags to said at least one other condition.

6. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 3 in which said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing condition information for processing by said processing nodes, each said processing node processing said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to the set member condition.

7. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 6 in which each said processing node further processes said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to said at least one other condition.

8. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising a control element for providing said debugging commands to said processing nodes, the ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set processing said debugging commands and providing processed debugging information to said control element in response.

9. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 8 in which ones of processing nodes which are not in said processing node set provide information to said control element which so indicate.

10. A debugging arrangement as defined in claim 8 in which said control element further comprises a processing node vector comprising a plurality of processing node vector flags each associated with one of said processing nodes, said control element conditioning the processing node vector flags associated with said ones of said processing nodes which are in said processing node set.

11. For use in connection with a parallel computer including a plurality of processing nodes, a debugging method for facilitating the debugging by an operator of code processed by a parallel computer comprising a plurality of processing nodes, said debugging method comprising the steps of:

A. in response to a processing node set establishment command from the operator to said parallel computer, establishing a processing node set comprising selected ones of said processing nodes in response to operator-supplied set membership criteria; and

B. in response to a debugging command from the operator, enabling each processing node to condition its execution of the debugging command based on whether it is one of said selected ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set.

12. A debugging method as defined in claim 11 in which said debug set membership establishment step includes the step of enabling each processing node to condition set membership flag associated therewith to one of said set member condition or at least one other condition in response to said operator-supplied set membership criteria.

13. A debugging method as defined in claim 12 in which ones of said processing nodes which are associated with set membership flags having the set member condition comprise said processing node set.

14. A debugging method as defined in claim 12 in which each processing node is associated with a processing node identifier value, and said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing node identifier values for processing nodes which are to condition their set membership flags to the set member condition.

15. A debugging method as defined in claim 14 in which ones of said processing nodes whose processing node identifier values are not identified in said operator-supplied membership criteria condition their set membership flags to said at least one other condition.

16. A debugging method as defined in claim 13 in which said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing condition information for processing by said processing nodes, each said processing node during said debug set membership establishment step being enabled to process said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to the set member condition.

17. A debugging method as defined in claim 16 in which each said processing node during said debug set membership establishment step is enabled to process said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to said at least one other condition.

18. A debugging method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of enabling a control element to provide said debugging commands to said processing nodes, the ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set processing said debugging commands and providing processed debugging information to said control element in response.

19. A debugging method as defined in claim 18 in which ones of processing nodes which are not in said processing node set are enabled to provide information to said control element which so indicate.

20. A debugging method as defined in claim 18 in which said control element is further enabled to condition ones of processing node vector flags associated with respective ones of said processing nodes which are in said processing node set.

21. For use in connection with a parallel computer including a plurality of processing nodes, a debug computer program product for facilitating the debugging of code by an operator comprising:

A. a debug set membership establishment module for enabling said parallel computer, in response to a processing node set establishment command from the operator, to establish a processing node set comprising selected ones of said processing nodes in response to operator-supplied set membership criteria; and

B. a debug set operational module for enabling each processing node, in response to a debugging command from the operator, to condition its execution of the debugging command based on whether it is one of said selected ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set.

22. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 21 in which said debug set membership establishment module includes:

A. a set membership establishment module for enabling each said processing node to establish a set membership flag associated therewith, each set membership flag having a set member condition and at least one other condition, and

B. a set membership flag conditioning module for enabling each processing node to condition its set membership flag in response to said operator-supplied set membership criteria.

23. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 22 in which ones of said processing nodes which are associated with set membership flags having the set member condition comprise said processing node set.

24. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 22 in which each processing node is associated with a processing node identifier value, and said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing node identifier values for processing nodes which are to condition their set membership flags to the set member condition.

25. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 24 in which ones of said processing nodes whose processing node identifier values are not identified in said operator-supplied membership criteria condition their set membership flags to said at least one other condition.

26. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 23 in which said operator-supplied membership criteria includes processing condition information for processing by said processing nodes, said set membership flag conditioning module enabling each said processing node to process said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to the set member condition.

27. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 26 in which said set membership flag conditioning module further enables each said processing node to process said processing condition information to determine whether it is to condition its set membership flag to said at least one other condition.

28. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 21, said parallel computer further comprising a control element, the debug computer program product further including a control module for enabling said control element to provide said debugging commands to said processing nodes, and to receive debugging information from ones of said processing nodes in said processing node set.

29. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 28 in which said control module further enables said control element to receive information from ones of processing nodes which are not in said processing node set.

30. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 28 in which said control module further enables said control element to establish a processing node vector comprising a plurality of processing node vector flags each associated with one of said processing nodes, and condition the processing node vector flags associated with said ones of said processing nodes which are in said processing node set.

31. A debug computer program product as defined in claim 21 in which said debug set membership establishment module and said debug set operational module are encoded on a computer readable medium.