Using log buffers to trace an event in a computer system
US6493837B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 16, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99953
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An event tracing program generally receives performance data about an event occurring on the computer system from a data producer program. The event tracing program responds by recording the event performance data in one of a set of a log buffers. When a log buffer becomes full, the event tracing program places the log buffer on a buffer flush list. The filled buffer is then written out to a more permanent storage medium, such as a disk. From time to time, the event tracing program may also transfer a buffer to the flush list prior to becoming full after a time-out period. To prevent a buffer from being flushed while event performance data is being recorded in the buffer, a reference count is incremented prior to the record operation to signify that the buffer is currently being modified. For high performance on multiprocessor systems, the buffers are allocated per processor to minimize data sharing among processors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.