US 6,651,243 B1 · Method and system for periodic trace sampling for real-time generation of segments of call stack trees

Abstract

A method and system for profiling a program using periodic trace sampling is provided. During the execution of the program, sample-based profiling of the executing program is performed—for a predetermined period, a profiler performs trace processing for the program, after which the profiler pauses and does not perform trace processing for a predetermined period. The periods controlling the profiler may be selected by a user, and the periods may be measured by temporal or non-temporal metrics. The profiler cycles through these periods, during which selected events are processed to generate a profile of the execution flows within the program. For each sample period, a tree data structure is generated in which nodes of the tree data structure represent the routines of the program that execute during the sample period, as may be indicated by entry and exit events caused by the execution of the routines. When the execution of the program is complete, the tree data structures from each sample period are merged into a resulting tree data structure.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A method in a data processing system for profiling a gram executing in the data processing system, the method comprising:

performing sample-based profiling of the executing program;
for each sample period, generating a tree data structure in which nodes of the tree data structure represent routines of the program that execute during the sample period;
and
in response to a determination of completion of the execution of the program, merging tree data structures from each sample period into a resulting tree data structure.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/418,379Filed 14 Oct 1999 · continuation in part

Priority

12 Dec 1997

Granted

18 Nov 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 11/3419
For performance assessment: by assessing time
G06F 11/3466
Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of…:…
G06F 2201/835
Indexing scheme relating to error detection, to error correction, and to monitoring: timestamp
G06F 2201/86
Indexing scheme relating to error detection, to error correction, and to monitoring: event-based monitoring

Family

Application08/989,725Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Dec 1997

Application09/052,329Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Mar 1998

Application09/177,031Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Oct 1998

Application09/343,439Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Jun 1999

Application09/343,438Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Jun 1999

US 6,553,564 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,513,155 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,311,325 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,002,872 AParent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,055,492 AParent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,651,243 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method and system for periodic trace sampling for real-time generation of segments of call stack trees

Life of this patent

Method and system for periodic trace sampling for real-time generation of segments of call stack trees

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37