Transformation function insertion for dynamically displayed tracer data

• US 9,256,969 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Krajec, Russell S., Gounares, Alexander G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, David H
• Application Number:
  US13/757,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A visualization system for a tracer may include a processing pipeline that may generate tracing data, preprocess the data, and visualize the data. The preprocessing step may include a mechanism to process user-defined expressions or other executable code. The executable code may perform various functions including mathematical, statistical, aggregation with other data, and others. The preprocessor may perform malware analysis, test the functionality, then implement the executable code. A user may be presented with an editor or other text based user interface component to enter and edit the executable code. The executable code may be saved and later recalled as a selectable transformation for use with other data streams.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for using a force directed graph to visualize how messages are passed between computational components, and for using the force directed graph as an input to control a tracer in order to permit trace data to be prepared for display by applying predefined or user-defined transformations to elements of the force directed graph, the computer-implemented method being performed by one or more processors executing computer executable instructions for the computer-implemented method, and the computer-implemented method comprising:

executing an application in a compute environment and gathering with a tracer message passing data derived from messages passed between compute elements of the compute environment, the message passing data comprising periodic updates transmitted at a predefined interval;

collecting the message passing data and storing the collected message passing data in a database;

analyzing at least some of the stored message passing data and preparing from the analyzed message passing data a force directed graph comprised of nodes which represent the compute elements of the compute environment, and edges between at least some of the nodes, with the edges representing the periodic updates for the messages as the messages are passed between the nodes at the predefined interval as the application is executed;

displaying said force directed graph data on a display device to visualize how the periodic updates for the messages occur as the messages are passed between the compute elements at the predefined interval during execution of the application;

inputting at an interface of the display one or more transformation definitions for one or more elements of the force directed graph during one or more of the periodic updates visualized for the force directed graph, at least some of said transformation definitions comprising executable code that performs operations on said one or more elements of the force directed graph; and

displaying said force directed graph as modified by executing said transformation definitions.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising performing a malware analysis of the executable code for said transformation definitions before executing the executable code for the transformation definitions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, said user interface comprising a set of execution settings.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising storing said one or more transformation definitions.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, said user interface further comprising a retrieval mechanism to select said stored one or more transformation definitions from a stored set of transformation definitions.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying said force directed graph comprises animating the force directed graph to show the periodic updates at the predefined interval as the force directed graph is visualized.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said malware analysis comprises checking said executable code against a whitelist.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said malware analysis comprises checking said executable code against a blacklist.

9. A computing system for controlling a computing environment in a manner which permits using a force directed graph to visualize how messages are passed between computational components, and for using the force directed graph as an input to control a tracer in order to permit trace data to be prepared for display by applying predefined or user-defined transformations to elements of the force directed graph, the computing system comprising:

a compute environment comprising one or more processors for executing an application and gathering with a tracer message passing data derived from messages passed between compute elements of the compute environment, the message passing data comprising periodic updates transmitted at a predefined interval;

a collector which collects the message passing data and stores the collected message passing data in a database;

a client device comprising a display;

an analyzer comprising one or more processors for executing a visualizer that that is configured to;

analyze at least some of the stored message passing data and prepare from the analyzed message passing data a force directed graph comprised of nodes which represent the compute elements of the compute environment, and edges between at least some of the nodes, with the edges representing the periodic updates for the messages as the messages are passed between the nodes at the predefined interval as the application is executed, the directed graph being prepared for presentation at the display to visualize how the periodic updates for the messages occur as the messages are passed between the compute elements at the predefined interval during execution of the application; and

a user interface at said display comprising an input for inputting at the interface one or more transformation definitions for one or more elements of the force directed graph during one or more of the periodic updates visualized for the force directed graph, at least some of said transformation definitions comprising executable code that performs operations on said one or more elements of the force directed graph.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein said user interface comprises an editor that edits said executable code for said at least some transformation definitions.

11. A computing system for using a force directed graph to visualize how messages are passed between computational components, and for using the force directed graph as an input to control a tracer in order to permit trace data to be prepared for display by applying predefined or user-defined transformations to elements of the force directed graph, the computing system comprising:

a memory containing computer executable instructions for a computer-implemented method;

a display device;

one or more processors which, when executing the executable instructions for the computer implemented method, cause the computing system to perform the following;

execute an application in a compute environment and gather with a tracer message passing data derived from messages passed between compute elements of the compute environment, the message passing data comprising periodic updates transmitted at a predefined interval;

collect the message passing data and store the collected message passing data in a database;

analyze at least some of the stored message passing data and prepare from the analyzed message passing data a force directed graph comprised of nodes which represent the compute elements of the compute environment, and edges between at least some of the nodes, with the edges representing the periodic updates for the messages as the messages are passed between the nodes at the predefined interval as the application is executed;

display said force directed graph data on the display device to visualize how the periodic updates for the messages occur as the messages are passed between the compute elements at the predefined interval during execution of the application;

input at an interface of the display one or more transformation definitions for one or more elements of the force directed graph during one or more of the periodic updates visualized for the force directed graph, at least some of said transformation definitions comprising executable code that performs operations on said one or more elements of the force directed graph; and

display said force directed graph as modified by executing said transformation definitions.

12. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instruction for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following:

perform a malware analysis of the executable code for said transformation definitions before executing the executable code for the transformation definitions.

13. The computing system of claim 11, wherein said user interface comprises a set of execution settings.

14. The computing system of claim 13 wherein the computer-executable instruction for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following:

store said one or more transformation definitions.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein said user interface further comprises a retrieval mechanism to select said stored one or more transformation definitions from a stored set of transformation definitions.

16. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instruction for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following:

animate the force directed graph to show the periodic updates at the predefined interval as the force directed graph is visualized.

17. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instruction for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following:

check said executable code against a whitelist.

18. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instruction for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following:

check said executable code against a blacklist.