Automated method and system for collecting and reporting API performance profiles

• US 9,027,000 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Guerrera, Nicholas, Mariani, Rico, Fanning, Michael C., Gray, Jan Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T
• Application Number:
  US13/004,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 717124-135
• US Class Current: 717/125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3652 in-circuit-emulation [ICE] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

A method to measure the performance of an Application Programming Interface (API) includes selecting a target API and tracking memory allocation for the functional calls of the selected API to generate a list of functions called by the API. The individual functions are then called within the API in isolation and timing and memory allocation data for each are collected and recorded. The recorded results are then bucketized according to a log base 2 method and made accessible by API users to indicate the performance of specific APIs.

Claims

1. A method to measure performance of an Application Programming Interface (API), the method comprising:

selecting a target Application Programming Interface (API) from a list of APIs to measure;

intercepting, collectively by one or more computer processors, calls to the target API and collecting timing and memory allocation data;

recording, collectively by the one or more computer processors, the timing and memory allocation data for the target API, the recorded data placed into storage;

determining, for each of a plurality of functions, a plurality of first values, each first value corresponding to a respective bucket of a plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data;

determining, for each of the plurality of functions, a plurality of second values, each second value corresponding to a respective bucket of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data; and

merging, collectively by the one or more computer processors, measured results comprising the plurality of functions and the plurality of buckets, and wherein the measured results further comprise a visual indication that indicates, for each of the plurality of functions, the first value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data and the second value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a database of results and making the database available to users of API performance data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a results table via a graphical user interface using histograms.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

testing, collectively by the one or more computer processors, to see if the recorded data in storage exceeds a threshold amount;

when the threshold amount is not exceeded, selecting another API from the list to be the target API and repeating the intercepting, recording and merging steps;

when the threshold amount is exceeded, submitting the recorded data in storage to a central service location for aggregation; and

aggregating the submitted data with API measurement data in storage at the central storage location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the target API comprises using a random number generator to select the target API.

6. A computer-readable storage device having computer-executable instructions that, when executed collectively by one or more processors, implement a method of acquiring performance data for an Application Programming Interface (API), the method comprising:

selecting a target Application Programming Interface (API) from a list of APIs to measure;

intercepting calls to the target API and collecting timing and memory allocation data;

recording the timing and memory allocation data for the target API, the recorded data placed into storage;

determining, for each of a plurality of functions, a plurality of first values, each first value corresponding to a respective bucket of a plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data;

determining, for each of the plurality of functions, a plurality of second values, each second value corresponding to a respective bucket of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data; and

merging, collectively by the one or more computer processors, measured results comprising the plurality of functions and the plurality of buckets, and wherein the measured results further comprise a visual indication that indicates, for each of the plurality of functions, the first value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data and the second value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data.

7. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a database of results and making the database available to users of API performance data.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a results table via a graphical user interface using histograms.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

testing to see if the recorded data in storage exceeds a threshold amount;

when the threshold amount is not exceeded, selecting another API from the list to be the target API and repeating the intercepting, recording and merging steps;

when the threshold amount is exceeded, submitting the recorded data in storage to a central service location for aggregation; and

aggregating the submitted data with API measurement data in storage at the central storage location.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein selecting the target API comprises using a random number generator to select the target API.

11. A computing system for acquiring performance data for an Application Programming Interface (API), the computing system comprising:

a processing device comprising one or more processors;

memory having stored therein instructions that, when executed by the processing device, implement a method comprising;

selecting a target Application Programming Interface (API) from a list of APIs to measure;

intercepting calls to the target API and collecting timing and memory allocation data;

recording the timing and memory allocation data for the target API, the recorded data placed into storage;

determining, for each of a plurality of functions, a plurality of first values, each first value corresponding to a respective bucket of a plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data;

determining, for each of the plurality of functions, a plurality of second values, each second value corresponding to a respective bucket of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data; and

merging, collectively by the one or more computer processors, measured results comprising the plurality of functions and the plurality of buckets, and wherein the measured results further comprise a visual indication that indicates, for each of the plurality of functions, the first value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the memory allocation data and the second value corresponding to each of the plurality of buckets and associated with the timing data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

testing to see if the recorded data in storage exceeds a threshold amount;

when the threshold amount is not exceeded, selecting another API from the list to be the target API and repeating the intercepting, recording and merging steps;

when the threshold amount is exceeded, submitting the recorded data in storage to a central service location for aggregation; and

aggregating the submitted data with API measurement data in storage at the central storage location.