Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for performance analysis using semantic knowledge

• US 6,957,208 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Dennie, Shaun M., Boucher, Michael L., Hinker, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P.
• Application Number:
  US09/699,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• Field of Search: 706/55, 706/45, 706/46
• US Class Current: 706/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with this invention analyze the performance of a program executed in a data processing system. Such methods and systems assign a semantic to the performance of the program, and measure the level of performance of the program based on the semantic. As part of assigning a semantic, such methods and systems indicate a class of processing of which to measure performance, and may define a suctitude associated with the class. Such methods and systems define the class as a processing function that could contribute to the poor performance of the program. As part of measuring the level of performance, such methods and systems measure the suctitude of the indicated class during program execution.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing a performance of a program executed in a data processing system, the method comprising:

assigning a semantic to the performance of the program; and

measuring the performance of the program based on the semantic, wherein the performance is a function of an expected performance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the semantic comprises

indicating a class of processing of which to measure performance;

and

calculating a suctitude associated with the class during program execution.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the suctitude indicates a performance problem associated with the class.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done in a period of time and an expected work done in the period of time.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the suctitude is a function of time.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the suctitude is a function of execution data.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done and expected work done.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a level of the suctitude of the class as a function of time.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying when a level of the suctitude of the class exceeds a threshold.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the class is one of input, matrix multiplication, output, idle processor, stalled processor, sorting, searching, convolution, decryption, and cache misses.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the class of processing is a function of processing that contributes to the poor performance of the program.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein indicating a class comprises indicating a plurality of classes of processing of which to measure performance;

and wherein defining the suctitude comprises defining a suctitude associated with each class.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying an aggregate of suctitude of the plurality of classes as a function of time.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying when a total level of the suctitude of the plurality of classes exceeds a threshold.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

instrumenting the program to allow the measuring of the suctitude for the class.

16. An apparatus for analyzing performance of a program, the system comprising:

a processor configured to perform

assigning a semantic to the performance of the program; and

measuring the performance of the program based on the semantic,

wherein the performance is a function of an expected performance.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein assigning the semantic comprises

indicating a class of processing of which to measure performance;

and

calculating a suctitude associated with the class during program execution.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suctitude indicates a performance problem associated with the class.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done in a period of time and an expected work done in the period of time.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suctitude is a function of time.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suctitude is a function of execution data.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done and expected work done.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a display to display a level of the suctitude of the class as a function of time.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a display to display when a level of the suctitude of the class exceeds a threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the class is one of input, matrix multiplication, output, idle processor, stalled processor, sorting, searching, convolution, decryption, and cache misses.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the class of processing is a function of processing that contributes to the poor performance of the program.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to indicate a plurality of classes of processing of which to measure performance;

and define a suctitude associated with each of the plurality classes.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a display to display the total level of the suctitude of the plurality of classes as a function of time.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a display to display when a total level of the suctitude of the plurality of classes exceeds a threshold.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the program comprises instrumented lines of code to allow the measuring of the suctitude for the class.

31. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method of operating a processor, the method comprising:

assigning a semantic to the performance of the program; and

measuring the performance of the program based on the semantic, wherein the performance is a function of an expected performance.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein assigning a semantic comprises

indicating a class of processing of which to measure performance;

calculating a suctitude associated with the class during program execution.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suctitude indicates a performance problem associated with the class.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done in a period of time and an expected work done in the period of time.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suctitude is a function of time.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suctitude is a function of execution data.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suctitude is a function of work done and expected work done.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a level of the suctitude of the class as a function of time.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying when a level of the suctitude of the class exceeds a threshold.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the class is one of input, matrix multiplication, output, idle processor, stalled processor, sorting, searching, convolution, decryption, and cache misses.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the class of processing is a function of processing that contributes to the poor performance of the program.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein indicating a class comprises indicating a plurality of classes of processing of which to measure performance;

and wherein defining the suctitude comprises defining a suctitude associated with each class.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying an aggregate of the suctitude of the plurality of classes as a function of time.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying when a total level of the suctitude of the plurality of classes exceeds a threshold.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

instrumenting the program to allow the measuring of the suctitude for the class.