Many HPC applications scale poorly when migrating to multicore systems, often running far below expected performance. Finding the cause of the problem is often a lot harder than fixing it. For the first time, Linux developers can now directly identify and eliminate many of the performance bottlenecks in application code without requiring a deep understanding of the system’s processor, cache and memory sub-system. Using the new Acumem SlowSpotter™ analysis tool, developers can boost application performance by as much as 2 to 3 times.

Until now, performance analysis tools forced the developer to wade through a mass of data before they have any idea where the performance problems are. Using Acumem’s novel technology, detailed information is extracted from the application, which then undergoes extensive analysis by Acumem SlowSpotter™, providing the information needed to locate and fix the performance problems quickly and simply.

Acumem is also announcing Acumem SpotLite™, a free download version of Acumem SlowSpotter to allow potential users to evaluate the effectiveness of the tool for themselves. Offering more limited functionality, Acumem SpotLite™ uses the same underlying technology as Acumem SlowSpotter™ to analyse performance bottlenecks in the user’s application code.

“To accelerate innovation and improve business success, HP's high performance computing customers need solutions that simplify the discovery of performance bottlenecks for multicore architectures,” said Ed Turkel, Manager of HPC Product Marketing for Scalable Computing and Infrastructure Organization at HP. "The HP Multicore Toolkit, used in conjunction with Acumem SlowSpotter, offers customers a complete multicore hardware and software solution that maximizes application performance by identifying potential code problems before they become critical issues.”

”Bjorn Andersson, Director, HPC and Integrated Systems, Sun Microsystems welcomed this new approach to performance analysis. “When we first looked at Acumem SlowSpotter™, we were intrigued by its claims to be able to deliver a unique level of insight into application code behavior in our HPC systems. We have since exposed the technology to several of our performance experts and they used it on actual code. Based on that evaluation, we have now decided to add it to the set of tools they use to find and fix multicore performance bottlenecks in a wide range of data-intensive applications.”

Professor Erik Hagersten, CTO and founder of Acumem commented, “As the industry moves the existing software base to multicore systems, a whole new class of potential bottlenecks stand in the way of optimal application throughput. Acumem SlowSpotter™ is the first analysis tool to provide the essential technology to detect and locate the underlying cause of bandwidth-hungry behaviour or wasteful cache utilization, two common problems for multicore systems. In addition, the extensive analysis of the raw system data performed by Acumem SlowSpotter™ provides a unique high-level view for the application developer of code behavior, as well as offering interactive advice on how each identified SlowSpot can be fixed, thus greatly increasing the productivity and speed of the development process.”

Acumem SlowSpotter™ and Acumem SpotLite™ are available now for Linux/x86 and Solaris/x86 systems. Acumem SpotLite™ is available for free download from http://www.acumem.com

About Acumem

Acumem is a provider of intelligent software which analyzes and optimizes application software performance in single- and multi-core environments. Acumem contributes to their customers’ success in maximizing the benefits of multi-core technology, achieving the full potential of their systems. Acumem works closely with leading companies in the multi-core market such as HP, Sun and AMD. Acumem is a privately held company based in Uppsala, Sweden with sales office in Boston, USA. For more information, visit http://www.acumem.com