A tool for visualizing the execution of interactions on a loosely‐coupled distributed system

Abstract

The paper describes in detail the implementation of INMON, a prototype monitor for recording and displaying interaction networks. The interaction network is designed to show the interrelationships between significant events that occur during the processing of an interaction on a loosely‐coupled distributed system. By being directed at analysing what happens in an interaction, this approach is fundamentally different from other graphical representations that show what happens during the execution of a single program on a distributed system. Examples are given of interaction networks recorded by INMON. The approach is based on very general models of a distributed system and of an interaction, and could be widely applied. We conclude by summarizing what is needed to provide facilities within any operating system for recording interaction networks.

Using interaction networks for visualisation of message passing

“…Interaction network monitors are not MINIX-specific, and can be applied to a wide variety of message based systems, as shown by previous implementations for SunOS [2] and Amoeba [1].…”

“…A strength of the interaction network is that it captures all server processing required to carry out a user request. Although interaction networks were developed originally to support performance measurement, experience with interaction network monitors developed for SunOS [2] and Amoeba [1] showed that displays of interaction networks gave considerable insights into the behaviour of message passing systems.…”

Performance prediction of paging workloads using lightweight tracing

“…Ashton and Penny [8] developed INMON, an "interaction network monitor" for distributed systems. INMON is designed to follow the flow of control as it passes from process to process, kernel to kernel, and machine to machine in response to individual user actions.…”