US 5,682,328 A · Centralized computer event data logging system

Abstract

Event logging using a single board computer control card configurable onto a backplane containing target processor(s) being monitored. A high resolution clock on the control card time stamps events. Memory on the control card provides a central buffer to store event data, and stores a control program effecting functionality of the card A network interface a facilitates communication with host computer(s) for post processing of event data and to control, communicate with and access the control card. A control program effects event data collection and organization/storage of events in control card memory. The control program coordinates retrieval of events from an event interface area of memory on slave target processors prior to processing by the control card. The control program coordinates offloading of event data from the control card to host computer(s) for post processing by known software visualization tools. Target software is instrumented with calls to a macro which in turn calls the logging function to effect recording of events. The event records are temporarily stored in an event interface portion of memory on the control card or in a buffer on the target processor(s).

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus monitoring events relating to timing inter-relationships in a target program running on at least one target processor on a common bus, comprising:

a control card installed on said common bus via a bus interface, said control card including,
a control processor to run a control program,
a time stamp clock accessible to said control processor and accessible over said common bus to provide a time stamp for said events,
a network interface accessible to said control processor to effect communication between said control processor and a host computer running a software visualization tool for processing said event information, and
control card memory comprising a first memory portion storing said control program therein to effect functionality of said control card, said control card memory comprising a second memory portion for storing event information received directly from said target processors and a third memory portion for storing event information for transfer to said host computer,
an event collection mechanism on said at least one target processor, said event collection mechanism collecting event information relating to said target program and operating in at least one of two modes including a first mode wherein said event information is stored in a control card memory buffer of said second memory portion on said control card, and a second mode wherein said event information is stored in a target processor memory buffer on said target processor.

3 more elements

A method for monitoring events relating to timing inter-relationships in a target program running on at least one target processor on a common bus, said method comprising the steps of:

installing a control card on said common bus, said control card including a control processor to run a control program, a time stamp clock accessible to said control processor to provide a time stamp for said events, a network interface accessible to said control processor, and control card memory comprising a first memory portion storing said control program therein to effect functionality of said control card, said control card memory comprising a second memory portion for storing event information received directly from said target processors and a third memory portion for storing event information for transfer;
instrumenting said target program with calls to an event collection mechanism to effect event logging requests;
collecting event information using said event collection mechanism on said at least one target processor, said event collection mechanism collecting event information relating to said target program in one of a first mode and a second mode;
storing said event information in said first mode in a control card memory buffer of said second memory portion on said control card and in a second mode storing said event information in a target processor memory buffer on said target processor;
and
transferring said event information to a host over said network interface for processing said event information using a software visualization tool running on said host.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Centralized computer event data logging system

Life of this patent

Centralized computer event data logging system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24