System and method for automated tuning of program execution tracing

A method for automated tuning of program execution tracing, the method comprising:

• receiving from a user an initial collection of trace points to be included in the program execution tracing;
• defining a maximum allowable level for a performance penalty of the program execution tracing;
• monitoring on one or more processors, via an auto-tuning process, the performance penalty of the program execution tracing while operating the program execution tracing in accordance with the trace points;
• removing, via the auto-tuning process, one or more trace points within the program execution tracing to maintain the monitored performance penalty below the maximum allowable level;
• displaying a graphical representation of the one or more removed trace points;
• receiving from the user a selection from the graphical representation, wherein the selection comprises a subset of the one or more removed trace points;
• and
• restoring the selected subset of the one or more removed trace points to the trace points within the program execution tracing.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions which when executed on a processor perform a method for reducing a performance penalty incurred by a program being traced, the method-comprising:

• receiving from a user an initial collection of trace points;
• defining a maximum allowable level for the performance penalty incurred by the program;
• tracing, on one or more processors, the program in accordance with the initial collection of trace points;
• assessing, via an auto-tuning process, the performance penalty incurred by the program due to the tracing;
• adjusting, via the auto-tuning process, the initial collection of trace points to maintain the assessed performance penalty below the maximum allowable level, wherein the adjusting comprises removing one or more trace points;
• displaying a visual display, wherein the visual display comprises a graphical representation of the one or more removed trace points;
• receiving from the user a selection from the visual display, wherein the selection comprises one or more of the removed trace points;
• restoring the one or more selected trace points to the adjusted initial collection of trace points to create a second collection of trace points;
• and
• tracing, on the one or more processors, the program in accordance with the second collection of trace points.

A method for tracing comprising:

• specifying an initial trace profile listing a first list of runtime events to be traced during execution of a program;
• monitoring on one or more processors, via an auto-tuning process, a performance criteria during the execution of the program while tracing said first list of runtime events;
• determining, via the auto-tuning process, a subset of said first list of runtime events the tracing of which produces the largest impact on said performance criteria to produce a second list of one or more runtime events to not be traced;
• removing, via the auto-tuning process, said second list of runtime events from said first list of runtime events;
• receiving, in response to the removing, a user-selected subset of the second list of runtime events;
• and
• restoring the user-selected subset of the second list of runtime events to the first list of runtime events.