 |
Home > News > NTT Comware Expands Functions of the LKST, the Linux Kernel Performance Evaluation and Failure Analysis Tool, and Releases as Open Source Software
- NTT Comware improves Open Source Software Professional Support Service-
|
|
|
|
| 2005.12.21 |
|
NTT Comware Expands Functions of the LKST, the Linux Kernel Performance Evaluation and Failure Analysis Tool, and Releases as Open Source Software
- NTT Comware improves Open Source Software Professional Support Service-
NTT Comware Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Yuhji Imai; below, NTT Comware)
has expanded the functions of the LKST (Linux Kernel State Tracer) (*1), already well established
as a tool for open source software (OSS) Linux kernel performance and failure analysis. In
addition, NTT Comware has developed LKSTView, a tool for data visualization, and released its
source code. These new functions will greatly reduce the time required for performance and failure
analysis.
|
 |
[Background]
- NTT Comware currently provides the Open Source Software Professional Support Service for Linux
kernel failure analysis which supports the development and maintenance of business systems through
the utilization of LKST. However, based on analysis of this service, it became apparent that the
LKST required an acquisition function for kernel memory related information. In addition, numerous
requests from users for the visualization of analytical data were also received.
LKST is one of the achievements resulting from the joint efforts of four Japanese corporations:
IBM, NEC, Fujitsu and Hitachi. It is also one of the tools publicly released through the Open
Source Software Performance and Reliability Analysis / Failure Analysis Tool Development project
carried out in 2004 through the partnership of the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA)
Japan (Chairman: Buheita Fujiwara) (*2) with the Development Infrastructure Working Group of the
Japan OSS Promotion Forum (Chairman: Hiroshi Kuwahara). Functions were expanded by October 2005
and LKST is used widely among the venders, systems integrators and end users which utilize OSS.
[About Development]
- In order to address problems related to Linux kernel support, NTT Comware conducted the
following function expansion and development.
* LKST: An acquisition/analysis function for detailed kernel page data was added to the LKST.
* LKSTView: LKSTView visualizes data, makes graph display and data management over the Internet
possible, and also makes detailed analysis of data on page guarantee/opening activity and page
cache search time possible. In addition, LKSTView optimizes graph design, allows graph display and
data management to be conducted over the Internet, and significantly reduces the time required for
failure analysis. As a basic tool for the Open Source Software Professional Support Service, it
has been applied to over 10 subjects, reducing the time required to resolve problems by 50% or
more (example: This solution has reduced the time required for resolving input and output
performance deterioration problems in file systems during high load times from 15 to 6 hours).
Regarding future development, NTT Comware is conducting technology exchanges with VA Linux Systems
Japan (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Tetsuya Ueda) through which NTT Comware will
continue to improve functions and support.
[Source Code Release]
- The source code for LKST and other applications is currently available at the following site:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lkst/
SourceForge.net is operated by the U.S. OSTG Corporation and is the largest open source software
development site in the world.
[Terminology]
- *1: LKST (Linux Kernel State Tracer)
- LKST is an event tracer which records Linux kernel state transition data. Kernel data is
collected and analyzed using various events including process context switches, signal
transmissions, interruptions, memory allocations and packet transmissions.
- *2: Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) Japan
- As a special corporation under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry, the IPA conducts activities to support software and information processing systems
development as well as human resources development. In addition, the IPA also functions as the
Secretariat for the Japan OSS Promotion Forum and is conducting various projects in partnership
with the forum.
http://www.ipa.go.jp/software/open/forum/
OSS Performance/Reliability Evaluation/Failure Analysis Tool Development Project
http://www.ipa.go.jp/software/open/forum/development/index.html
|
|
|
The information shown in this page is the latest as of the day of the release. It is subject to change without further notice. Thank you for your kind understanding and consideration.
|
|
|
