Palm

Abstract

Analytical (predictive) application performance models are critical for diagnosing performance-limiting resources, optimizing systems, and designing machines. Creating models, however, is difficult because they must be both accurate and concise. To ease the burden of performance modeling, we developed Palm (Performance and Architecture Lab Modeling tool), a modeling tool that combines top-down (human-provided) semantic insight with bottom-up static and dynamic analysis. First, Palm provides a source code modeling annotation language for abstracting or expressing complexity. Second, Palm generates hierarchical models according to well-defined rules. Since a model's hierarchy is defined by static and dynamic source code structure, there is a link between a program's organization and its model. By coordinating models and source code, Palm's models are 'first-class' and reproducible. Third, Palm incorporates measurements to focus attention, represent constant behavior, and validate models. We discuss generating models for three different applications.