Tracking converage results in a batch simulation farm network

• US 20030135354A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Roesner, Wolfgang, Williams, Derek Edward, Gabele, Carol Ivash
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A method and system for providing centralized access to count event information from testing of a hardware simulation model within a batch simulation farm which includes simulation clients and an instrumentation server. Count event data for said hardware simulation model is received by the instrumentation server from one or more simulation clients. A first and a second counter report are generated for the hardware simulation model, in which the first and second counter reports are derived from the count event data received by the instrumentation server. The first counter report is compared to the second counter report, and responsive to this comparison, a counter difference report is generated within the instrumentation server that conveys count event trends associated with the simulation model under different simulation testcases.

Claims

1. A method for providing centralized access to count event information from testing of a hardware simulation model within a batch simulation farm of simulation clients and an instrumentation server, said method comprising:

receiving count event data for said hardware simulation model within said instrumentation server from one or more simulation clients;

generating a first and a second counter report for said hardware simulation model, wherein said first and second counter reports are derived from said count event data received by said instrumentation server;

comparing said first counter report to said second counter report; and

responsive to said comparison, generating a counter difference report within said instrumentation server that conveys count event trends associated with said simulation model under different simulation testcases.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a testcase with respect to said hardware simulation model within said one or more simulation clients;

receiving an aggregate count event packet from said one or more simulation clients, wherein said aggregate count event packet includes count event data recorded during said testcase; and

within said instrumentation server, storing said count event data within count data storage files.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first and second counter reports are generated in response to user queries processed with respect to said count data storage files.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said first and second counter reports are converted directly from said counter data storage files.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second counter reports each include a simulator cycle count field that indicates the number of simulator cycles over which count event data is recorded during testcase execution on said hardware simulation model, said comparing said first counter report to said second counter report further comprising computing a count normalization factor between count event data contained within said first and second counter reports utilizing the simulator cycle count field values contained in said first and second counter reports.

6. A system for providing centralized access to count event information from testing of a hardware simulation model within a batch simulation farm of simulation clients and an instrumentation server, said system comprising:

processing means for receiving count event data for said hardware simulation model within said instrumentation server from one or more simulation clients;

processing means for generating a first and a second counter report for said hardware simulation model, wherein said first and second counter reports are derived from said count event data received by said instrumentation server;

processing means for comparing said first counter report to said second counter report; and

processing means responsive to said comparison for generating a counter difference report within said instrumentation server that conveys count event trends associated with said simulation model under different simulation testcases.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

processing means for executing a testcase with respect to said hardware simulation model within said one or more simulation clients;

processing means for receiving an aggregate count event packet from said one or more simulation clients, wherein said aggregate count event packet includes count event data recorded during said testcase; and

processing means within said instrumentation server for storing said count event data within count data storage files.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first and second counter reports are generated in response to user queries processed with respect to said count data storage files.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said first and second counter reports are converted directly from said counter data storage files.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said first and second counter reports each include a simulator cycle count field that indicates the number of simulator cycles over which count event data is recorded during testcase execution on said hardware simulation model, said processing means for comparing said first counter report to said second counter report further comprising processing means for computing a count normalization factor between count event data contained within said first and second counter reports utilizing the simulator cycle count field values contained in said first and second counter reports.

11. A computer program product for providing centralized access to count event information from testing of a hardware simulation model within a batch simulation farm of simulation clients and an instrumentation server, said computer program product comprising:

program instruction means for receiving count event data for said hardware simulation model within said instrumentation server from one or more simulation clients;

program instruction means for generating a first and a second counter report for said hardware simulation model, wherein said first and second counter reports are derived from said count event data received by said instrumentation server;

program instruction means for comparing said first counter report to said second counter report; and

program instruction means responsive to said comparison for generating a counter difference report within said instrumentation server that conveys count event trends associated with said simulation model under different simulation testcases.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program instruction means for executing a testcase with respect to said hardware simulation model within said one or more simulation clients;

program instruction means for receiving an aggregate count event packet from said one or more simulation clients, wherein said aggregate count event packet includes count event data recorded during said testcase; and

program instruction means within said instrumentation server for storing said count event data within count data storage files.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said first and second counter reports are generated in response to user queries processed with respect to said count data storage files.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said first and second counter reports are converted directly from said counter data storage files.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said first and second counter reports each include a simulator cycle count field that indicates the number of simulator cycles over which count event data is recorded during testcase execution on said hardware simulation model, said program instruction means for comparing said first counter report to said second counter report further comprising program instruction means for computing a count normalization factor between count event data contained within said first and second counter reports utilizing the simulator cycle count field values contained in said first and second counter reports.