Synchronization mechanism for providing multiple readers and writers access to performance information of an extensible computer system
First Claim
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1. A synchronization arrangement for use by reader and writer entities executing on a computer having a memory, the synchronization arrangement comprising:
- an information resource located in the memory of the computer, the information resource having a plurality of entries and being accessible by the reader and writer entities;
a first counter operatively coupled to the writer entities for having atomic increments performed thereon, the first counter configured to allocate a specific entry of the information resource to a given writer entity in response to the performance of an atomic increment by the given writer entity, the resource entries temporarily storing messages sequentially posted by the writer entities;
means for limiting allocation of the entries of the information resource to the writer entities except through the first counter; and
a reassembly queue for temporarily storing messages sequentially retrieved from the resource by the reader entities,wherein only one writer entity, at any given time, is allocated a specific entry of the information resource.
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Abstract
A synchronization arrangement provides writer and reader entities access to an information resource, such as a trace buffer, located in a registry of a computer. The arrangement comprises a counter upon which atomic increments are performed to allocate entries of the trace buffer for temporarily storing trace message fragments provided by the writer entities. The arrangement also comprises reassembly queues for temporarily storing the message fragments sequentially retrieved from the trace buffer by the reader entities.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A synchronization arrangement for use by reader and writer entities executing on a computer having a memory, the synchronization arrangement comprising:
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an information resource located in the memory of the computer, the information resource having a plurality of entries and being accessible by the reader and writer entities; a first counter operatively coupled to the writer entities for having atomic increments performed thereon, the first counter configured to allocate a specific entry of the information resource to a given writer entity in response to the performance of an atomic increment by the given writer entity, the resource entries temporarily storing messages sequentially posted by the writer entities; means for limiting allocation of the entries of the information resource to the writer entities except through the first counter; and a reassembly queue for temporarily storing messages sequentially retrieved from the resource by the reader entities, wherein only one writer entity, at any given time, is allocated a specific entry of the information resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17)
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9. A method for providing reader and writer entities access to a trace buffer located in a memory of a computer to reliably exchange complete trace messages, the method comprising the steps of:
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allocating entries of the trace buffer to the writer entities using a counter responsive to atomic increments thereon, the trace buffer entries temporarily storing trace messages sequentially provided by the writer entities; temporarily storing the trace messages sequentially retrieved from the trace buffer by the reader entities using a reassembly queue; and detecting incomplete trace messages retrieved from the trace buffer using a time-out mechanism comprising a predetermined threshold established by contents of the counter, wherein a trace message is incomplete if it is not completely retrieved by a reader entity before the contents of the counter exceed the predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification