Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Jeremy Week

Michael L Boucher

Bradley Romain Lewis

Shaun M Dennie

In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention, an improved processor performance instrumentation system is provided that allows a software tester to measure more performance indicators than there are hardware counters during a single execution of a tested program. The improved processor performance instrumentation system accomplishes this by &ldquo;multiplexing&rdquo; performance indicators while executing the tested program. In effect, methods and systems consistent with the present invention extend the abilities of the limited number of hardware counters to allow them to measure a number of performance indicators otherwise not allowed during one execution of the tested program.

Method and apparatus for multiplexing hardware performance indicators

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a development tool that enables computer programmers to design and develop a data flow program for execution in a multiprocessor computer system. The tool displays an interface that enables the programmer to define a region divided into multiple blocks, wherein each block is formed of a set of values associated with a function, and to define sets of the blocks, each block in a set having a state reflected by a designated portion of the program that when executed transforms the values forming the block based on the function. The interface also records any dependencies among the blocks, each dependency indicating a relationship between two blocks and requiring the portion of the program associated with a first block of the relationship to be executed before the portion of the program associated with a second block of the relationship. After program development, blocks are selected for execution of the corresponding, designated portions of the program based on the recorded dependencies.

Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for developing and executing data flow programs

Method, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention collects and displays performance data associated with executed programs. A system consistent with an implementation of the present invention collects performance analysis information from various hardware and software components of an instrumented program, and displays the performance data in a multi-dimensional format.

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Broomfield, CO, United States of America

Jeremy Week