Creating a Hotspot Detection Activity

About this task

A Hotspot Detection Activity is used to collect sampling data for a running application.

Procedure

  1. Right click on a Session node in the Performance Explorer and select New Activity.

    The New Activity Wizard will open.

  2. Select the Hotspot Detection activity type.
  3. Enter a name for the new Activity.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Choose if you would like to launch the application automatically from the IDE using a launch configuration or attach to a running process.
  6. If you would like to launch the application automatically then select the launch configuration that will be used for this purpose. You may select an existing Remote Compiled Application launch configuration or create a new one.

    To create a new launch configuration click the New... button. A dialog will appear to enter the new launch configuration properties.

    1. Select the connection to the remote machine in the Connection field. This should be the same as the runtime host connection defined in the Session.
    2. Browse to select the program executable in the Program field.
    3. Click the OK button. (None of the other fields in this dialog are required.)
  7. Click Next.
  8. On the third page of the wizard enter the data collection options.

    In order to analyze Java programs, the program must be launched with specific options given to the JVM. If you selected a single JRE in the Session, and you chose to launch the application rather than attach above, Performance Advisor may be able to automatically supply these options when it launches your application. Otherwise, or if you do not select the option if it is available, you must pass these options to the JVM yourself, for example in the launch configuration or your application startup script.

    The option depends on the platform and JVM:
    • On AIX, use -agentlib:jpa for 32-bit JVMs and -agentlib:jpa64 for 64-bit JVMs
    • On Linux, use -agentpath:<path>/libjvmti_oprofile.so. The <path> will depend on the version of OProfile installed on your system, and will be different for 32-bit and 64-bit JVMs. You can use your system's package manager to file the IBM Advance Toolchain or OProfile package containing the files. On Red Hat systems, if you are not using the IBM Advance Toolchain, these files may be in a separate oprofile-jit package.
  9. Click Finish.

    The newly created Hotspot Detection Activity will appear in the Performance Explorer and begins its life in the new state. You are now ready to start a performance run.


Feedback