Advancing and rewinding a replayed program execution

A data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• a storage system;
• first logic, coupled to the storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack, wherein the first logic when executed is operable to interface to the heap memory and the static memory;
• second logic which when executed is operable to perform:
• detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• third logic which when executed is operable to perform:
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• in response to the request, loading the particular state point from the storage system and applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point, wherein the particular state point is later in time than a current point of execution of the unit under test;
• setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular state point, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• applying all changes associated with the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• a storage system;
• first logic, coupled to the storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack, wherein the first logic when executed is operable to interface to the heap memory and the static memory;
• second logic which when executed is operable to perform:
• detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• third logic which when executed is operable to perform:
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• in response to the request, loading the particular state point from the storage system and applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• at a particular point in execution of the unit under test, receiving data about a write exception to a particular page;
• determining whether the storage system includes data about the write exception;
• determining that a replay synchronization error has occurred when the storage system does not include data about the write exception, and response thereto:
• setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular point in execution, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• applying, to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test, all changes associated with the next state point stored in the storage system after the second state point;
• repeating the applying step until reaching another state point that is closest in time to the particular point in execution.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

• interfacing to a storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack;
• detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• in response to the request, loading the particular state point from the storage system and applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• causing the unit under test to write-protect all pages of the heap memory and the static memory;
• installing in the unit under test a first exception handler responsive to a first write exception of the heap memory and a second exception handler responsive to a second exception of the static memory, wherein the exception handlers are configured to respond to a particular write exception of a particular page by storing a second page that is a copy of the particular page, making the particular page writable, and restoring execution of the unit under test;
• comparing the second page to the particular page;
• creating and storing the one or more changes based on the comparing.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

• interfacing to a storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack;
• detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• in response to the request, loading the particular state point from the storage system and applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point, wherein the particular state point is later in time than a current point of execution of the unit under test;
• setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular state point, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• applying all changes associated with the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

• interfacing to a storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack;
• detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• in response to the request, loading the particular state point from the storage system and applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• at a particular point in execution of the unit under test, receiving data about a write exception to a particular page;
• determining whether the storage computer-readable storage medium includes data about the write exception;
• determining that a replay synchronization error has occurred when the storage computer-readable storage medium does not include data about the write exception, and response thereto:
• setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular point in execution, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• applying, to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test, all changes associated with the next state point stored in the storage computer-readable storage medium after the second state point;
• repeating the applying step until reaching another state point that is closest in time to the particular point in execution.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a storage system;
• a processor;
• means, coupled to the storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack, for interfacing to the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• means responsive to the request for loading the particular state point from the storage system and for applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• means for causing the unit under test to write-protect all pages of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for installing in the unit under test a first exception handler responsive to a first write exception of the heap memory and a second exception handler responsive to a second exception of the static memory, wherein the exception handlers are configured to respond to a particular write exception of a particular page by storing a second page that is a copy of the particular page, making the particular page writable, and restoring execution of the unit under test;
• means for comparing the second page to the particular page;
• means for creating and storing the one or more changes based on the comparing.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a storage system;
• a processor;
• means, coupled to the storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack, for interfacing to the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• means responsive to the request for loading the particular state point from the storage system and for applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• means for receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point, wherein the particular state point is later in time than a current point of execution of the unit under test;
• means for setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular state point, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• means for applying all changes associated with the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a storage system;
• a processor;
• means, coupled to the storage system and to a unit under test comprising a heap memory, a static memory and a stack, for interfacing to the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for detecting one or more changes in a first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for storing, in the storage system, as a state point of the unit under test, the one or more changes in the first state of the heap memory and the static memory;
• means for receiving a request to change the memory under test to a particular state point;
• means responsive to the request for loading the particular state point from the storage system and for applying the particular state point to the heap memory and the static memory to result in changing the heap memory and the static memory to a second state that is substantially equivalent to the first state;
• means for receiving data about a write exception to a particular page at a particular point in execution of the unit under test;
• means for determining whether the storage system includes data about the write exception;
• means for determining that a replay synchronization error has occurred when the storage system does not include data about the write exception;
• means responsive to the determining means for setting the unit under test to a second state point that is earlier in time than the particular point in execution, by retrieving stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point and copying the retrieved stored pages of the heap memory and the static memory associated with the second state point to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test;
• means responsive to the determining means for applying, to the heap memory and the static memory of the unit under test, all changes associated with the next state point stored in the storage system after the second state point;
• means responsive to the determining means for repeating the applying step until reaching another state point that is closest in time to the particular point in execution.