Vampir - Visualization and Analysis of Parallel Applications
Performance optimization is a key issue for the development of efficient parallel software applications. Vampir is a framework for performance analysis, which enables developers to quickly study program behavior at a fine level of detail. Performance data obtained from a parallel program run can be analyzed with a collection of specialized performance views. Intuitive navigation and zooming are the key features of the tool, which help to quickly identify inefficient or faulty parts of a program code.
ANALYSIS
An important and unique feature of Vampir is its intuitive and interactive graphical representation of detailed performance event recordings over time (timelines) and as aggregated profiles. Extensive searching and filtering capabilities allow to quickly identify critical bottlenecks. In contrast to traditional profiling the details that caused a problem remain close at hand. The performance charts include rich sets of performance information and can be customized to the needs of both beginners and experts.
Vampir performance analysis framework
The scalable analysis backend VampirServer addresses very large performance analysis scenarios on supercomputers. Its objective is to outsource data intensive analysis operations from the Vampir user interface to powerful server hardware.
- Further product related information is available at vampir.eu
- Vampir user manual
- VampirServer user manual
- Using Vampir at ZIH (HPC Compendium)
Monitoring
Today, performance monitoring environments like Score-P or TAU can produce trace files that are readable by Vampir. Vampir supports the Open Trace Format 2 (OTF2) developed by a consortium of performance tool providers. OTF2 has been specifically designed for performance data of massively parallel programs and comes with the additional benefit of being an interchangeable cross-tool format.
- Score-P: Recommended community performance monitor for Vampir
- VampirTrace: Legacy performance monitor (discontinued)
AVAILABILITY
Vampir is available as a commercial product since 1996 and has been enhanced in the scope of many research and development projects. The Vampir product can be obtained directly from vampir.eu, which is hosted by GWT-TUD GmbH. It is available for nearly all state-of-the-art high performance computer platforms as a powerful tool for displaying the dynamic behavior of parallel applications. It is under active development and will continue its mission, which is to help finding performance problems and optimizing even the most complex parallel codes.