一个基于硬件计数器的程序性能测试与分析工具

A Hardware Counter Based Tool for Application's Performance Measurement and Analysis

在IntelP6系列处理器与Microsoft Windows NT平台上开发了一个工具软件PTracker,它利用处理器中的硬件性能计数器来获取程序性能数据,并结合机器体系结构参数对数据进行分析。它无需用户编程,与应用程序所使用的编程语言无关,使用很方便。它不仅能够通过性能计数器获得精确的性能参数,而且还能通过对测试得到的性能数据的分析,揭示程序高层次的性能特征,对程序性能评价与优化具有一定的指导作用。本文介绍了PTracker的技术背景、设计与系统实现,并给出了一个应用实例。

This article introduces PTracker, a useful tool designed and implemented for Intel P6 processors running Microsoft Windows NT operating system. It utilizes hardware performance monitoring counters in modern processors to measure an application's performance data. Furthermore, it performs additional calculation to the measured data based on the target platform's architecture parameters and profiles. PTracker is convenient to use in that it requires no modification to the applications' source codes and is independent of the application's programming language. It not only captures the application's signatures, but also provides more informative performance characteristics of the application, which are helpful for the understanding and tuning of the application. A case of its application in program optimization is presented.