tnf_kernel_probes(4) File Formats tnf_kernel_probes(4)
NAME
tnf_kernel_probes - TNF kernel probes
DESCRIPTION
The set of probes (trace instrumentation points) available in the standard kernel. The probes log trace data to a kernel trace buffer in
Trace Normal Form (TNF). Kernel probes are controlled by prex(1). A snapshot of the kernel trace buffer can be made using tnfxtract(1)
and examined using tnfdump(1).
Each probe has a name and is associated with a set of symbolic keys, or categories. These are used to select and control probes from
prex(1). A probe that is enabled for tracing generates a TNF record, called an event record. An event record contains two common members
and may contain other probe-specific data members.
Common Members
tnf_probe_event tag
tnf_time_delta time_delta
tag Encodes TNF references to two other records:
tag Describes the layout of the event record.
schedule Identifies the writing thread and also contains a 64-bit base time in nanoseconds.
time_delta A 32-bit time offset from the base time; the sum of the two times is the actual time of the event.
Threads
thread_create
tnf_kthread_id tid
tnf_pid pid
tnf_symbol start_pc
Thread creation event.
tid The thread identifier for the new thread.
pid The process identifier for the new thread.
start_pc The kernel address of its start routine.
thread_state
tnf_kthread_id tid
tnf_microstate state
Thread microstate transition events.
tid Optional; if it is absent, the event is for the writing thread, otherwise the event is for the specified thread.
state Indicates the thread state:
o Running in user mode.
o Running in system mode.
o Asleep waiting for a user-mode lock.
o Asleep on a kernel object.
o Runnable (waiting for a cpu).
o Stopped.
The values of this member are defined in <sys/msacct.h>. Note that to reduce trace output, transitions between the system and user
microstates that are induced by system calls are not traced. This information is implicit in the system call entry and exit
events.
thread_exit
Thread termination event for writing thread. This probe has no data members other than the common members.
Scheduling
thread_queue
tnf_kthread_id tid
tnf_cpuid cpuid
tnf_long priority
tnf_ulong queue_length
Thread scheduling events. These are triggered when a runnable thread is placed on a dispatch queue.
cpuid Specifies the cpu to which the queue is attached.
priority The (global) dispatch priority of the thread.
queue_length The current length of the cpu's dispatch queue.
Blocking
thread_block
tnf_opaque reason
tnf_symbols stack
Thread blockage event. This probe captures a partial stack backtrace when the current thread blocks.
reason The address of the object on which the thread is blocking.
symbols References a TNF array of kernel addresses representing the PCs on the stack at the time the thread blocks.
System Calls
syscall_start
tnf_sysnum sysnum
System call entry event.
sysnum The system call number. The writing thread implicitly enters the system microstate with this event.
syscall_end
tnf_long rval1
tnf_long rval2
tnf_long errno
System call exit event.
rval1 and rval2 The two return values of the system call
errno The error return.
The writing thread implicitly enters the user microstate with this event.
Page Faults
address_fault
tnf_opaque address
tnf_fault_type fault_type
tnf_seg_access access
Address-space fault event.
address Gives the faulting virtual address.
fault_type Gives the fault type: invalid page, protection fault, software requested locking or unlocking.
access Gives the desired access protection: read, write, execute or create. The values for these two members are defined in
<vm/seg_enum.h>.
major_fault
tnf_opaque vnode
tnf_offset offset
Major page fault event. The faulting page is mapped to the file given by the vnode member, at the given offset into the file. (The fault-
ing virtual address is in the most recent address_fault event for the writing thread.)
anon_private
tnf_opaque address
Copy-on-write page fault event.
address The virtual address at which the new page is mapped.
anon_zero
tnf_opaque address
Zero-fill page fault event.
address The virtual address at which the new page is mapped.
page_unmap
tnf_opaque vnode
tnf_offset offset
Page unmapping event. This probe marks the unmapping of a file system page from the system.
vnode and offset Identifies the file and offset of the page being unmapped.
Pageins and Pageouts
pagein
tnf_opaque vnode
tnf_offset offset
tnf_size size
Pagein start event. This event signals the initiation of pagein I/O.
vnodeandoffset Identifyies the file and offset to be paged in.
size Specifies the number of bytes to be paged in.
pageout
tnf_opaque vnode
tnf_ulong pages_pageout
tnf_ulong pages_freed
tnf_ulong pages_reclaimed
Pageout completion event. This event signals the completion of pageout I/O.
vnode Identifies the file of the pageout request.
pages_pageout The number of pages written out.
pages_freed The number of pages freed after being written out.
pages_reclaimed The number of pages reclaimed after being written out.
Page Daemon (Page Stealer)
pageout_scan_start
tnf_ulong pages_free
tnf_ulong pages_needed
Page daemon scan start event. This event signals the beginning of one iteration of the page daemon.
pages_free The number of free pages in the system.
pages_needed The number of pages desired free.
pageout_scan_end
tnf_ulong pages_free
tnf_ulong pages_scanned
Page daemon scan end event. This event signals the end of one iteration of the page daemon.
pages_free The number of free pages in the system.
pages_scanned The number of pages examined by the page daemon. (Potentially more pages will be freed when any queued pageout requests
complete.)
Swapper
swapout_process
tnf_pid pid
tnf_ulong page_count
Address space swapout event. This event marks the swapping out of a process address space.
pid Identifies the process.
page_count Reports the number of pages either freed or queued for pageout.
swapout_lwp
tnf_pid pid
tnf_lwpid lwpid
tnf_kthread_id tid
tnf_ulong page_count
Light-weight process swapout event. This event marks the swapping out of an LWP and its stack.
pid The LWP's process identifier
lwpid The LWP identifier
tid member The LWP's kernel thread identifier.
page_count The number of pages swapped out.
swapin_lwp
tnf_pid pid
tnf_lwpid lwpid
tnf_kthread_id tid
tnf_ulong page_count
Light-weight process swapin event. This event marks the swapping in of an LWP and its stack.
pid The LWP's process identifier.
lwpid The LWP identifier.
tid The LWP's kernel thread identifier.
page_count The number of pages swapped in.
Local I/O
strategy
tnf_device device
tnf_diskaddr block
tnf_size size
tnf_opaque buf
tnf_bioflags flags
Block I/O strategy event. This event marks a call to the strategy(9E) function of a block device driver.
device Contains the major and minor numbers of the device.
block The logical block number to be accessed on the device.
size The size of the I/O request.
buf The kernel address of the buf(9S) structure associated with the transfer.
flags The buf(9S) flags associated with the transfer.
biodone
tnf_device device
tnf_diskaddr block
tnf_opaque buf
Buffered I/O completion event. This event marks calls to the biodone(9F) function.
device Contains the major and minor numbers of the device.
block The logical block number accessed on the device.
buf The kernel address of the buf(9S) structure associated with the transfer.
physio_start
tnf_device device
tnf_offset offset
tnf_size size
tnf_bioflags rw
Raw I/O start event. This event marks entry into the physio(9F) fufnction which performs unbuffered I/O.
device Contains the major and minor numbers of the device of the transfer.
offset The logical offset on the device for the transfer.
size The number of bytes to be transferred.
rw The direction of the transfer: read or write (see buf(9S)).
physio_end
tnf_device device
Raw I/O end event. This event marks exit from the physio(9F) fufnction.
device The major and minor numbers of the device of the transfer.
USAGE
Use the prex utility to control kernel probes. The standard prex commands to list and manipulate probes are available to you, along with
commands to set up and manage kernel tracing.
Kernel probes write trace records into a kernel trace buffer. You must copy the buffer into a TNF file for post-processing; use the tnfx-
tract utility for this.
You use the tnfdump utility to examine a kernel trace file. This is exactly the same as examining a user-level trace file.
The steps you typically follow to take a kernel trace are:
1. Become superuser (su).
2. Allocate a kernel trace buffer of the desired size (prex).
3. Select the probes you want to trace and enable (prex).
4. Turn kernel tracing on (prex).
5. Run your application.
6. Turn kernel tracing off (prex).
7. Extract the kernel trace buffer (tnfxtract).
8. Disable all probes (prex).
9. Deallocate the kernel trace buffer (prex).
10. Examine the trace file (tnfdump).
A convenient way to follow these steps is to use two shell windows; run an interactive prex session in one, and run your application and
tnfxtract in the other.
SEE ALSO
prex(1), tnfdump(1), tnfxtract(1), libtnfctl(3TNF), TNF_PROBE(3TNF), tracing(3TNF), strategy(9E), biodone(9F), physio(9F), buf(9S)
SunOS 5.11 8 Nov1999 tnf_kernel_probes(4)