Performance Inspector
A set of performance analysis tools for Microsoft Windows.
Date Posted: September 14, 2006
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Update: November 13, 2007
Version 20071108 supports Windows Vista and calibration support using the JProf "gencalib" output.
What is Performance Inspector?
Performance Inspector is a suite of performance analysis tools for 32-bit Windows® systems. A pinned buffer per processor is used along with instrumentation to capture kernel performance-related information. These tools can be used to help identify performance problems in an application and determine how the application interacts with the system and what resources are consumed.
Performance Inspector works with standard C/C++ programs as well as Java™ applications, and it uses the performance counters provided by the processor to measure system events at the "tid" (thread) level. The package consists of a device driver and support routines. The documentation for the tools is included in the html directory of the downloadable package. Visual Performance Analyzer can be used with Performance Inspector for profiling.
Performance Inspector for Linux® has similar functional capabilities and includes more examples.
The tools provided in this package include the following:
- TProf (timer profiler) samples the code execution 128 times a second and reports "hotspots" in applications as well as in the kernel.
- AI (above idle) reports CPU use, either system-wide or by processor.
- ITrace: Instruction Trace.
- JLM (Java lock monitor) works with the IBM 32-bit Runtime Environment for Windows, 1.4.0 or above, to provide statistics on monitors (locks) based on the Java 2 Technology Edition implementation.
- POST generates reports based upon the output of the tools described above.
- JProf (Java profiler) is a DLL that interfaces with Java using the JVMPI or JVMTI interface.
- PTT (Per Thread Time) monitors the amount of time or instructions executed on the thread level.
- rtdriver is a socket command interface to JProf.
- swtrace is a software trace control program that interfaces with the device driver.
- A2N (address to name) is used by the post command to map code execution addresses to symbols in the application being traced.
How does it work? Performance Inspector provides commands for collecting performance data. The POST command generates a system profile report, using output from the TPROF command. This report can be put into the Visual Performance Analyzer tool for detailed analysis with graphical and textual views. Using the TPROF data, Visual Performance Analyzer can graph system activity, identify hot spots and display the program code associated with the hot spots.
A device driver for Windows is loaded and provides the basic services that are needed by the various command line performance tools. The tools use these services for time-based profiling, measurement of CPU use, and the resolving of symbols. The Java profiler supports the JVMPI specification for collecting information from a Java Virtual Machine.
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| | About the technology author(s):
Frank Levine graduated from Tufts University with a B.S. and from Purdue University with an M.S, after which he started work at IBM. Mr. Levine has been with IBM for over 30 years and has been assigned to a variety of software development projects, some of which were DisplayWriter and OS/2 Database Manager. His typical position has been lead programmer for a team of software developers. Mr. Levine has had many performance-related roles in IBM, including specification of the PowerPCTM performance monitor hardware and software interfaces. Currently he is the lead programmer for the tools team that developed the Performance Inspector project. Mr. Levine has filed over 170 patent applications; over 70 have been issued U.S. patents. In addition, he has had numerous articles published. Mr. Levine can be reached through e-mail.
Java and all Java-based trademarks are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, other countries, or both.
Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
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For platform(s):
Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows, Win32, Java, Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Windows 2000 Server, Windows NT 4.0, 32-bit xSeries (Intel Compat.), Microsoft Windows NT Server, Win16, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Millennium, Windows NT 4.0 (SP 5), Windows NT SP6, Windows NT SP6a, Windows Terminal Server, Windows for WorkGroups 3.11, i386
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For topics:
analysis, Java technology, performance, Systems management, testing, utilities
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