The new AMD CodeAnalyst™ Performance Analyzer 2.2 for Windows is ready for download. In this version, we have added an exciting new feature to our graphical user interface. The execution pipeline simulation is now configured and executed from the graphical user interface and the results are displayed in a graphical format. The execution pipeline stages are depicted by a color scheme and tool tip descriptions are provided. We believe this feature provides useful performance insights and we appreciate any feedback you wish to provide at codeanalyst.support@amd.com.

The AMD CodeAnalyst Performance Analyzer is a suite of powerful tools that analyzes software performance on AMD microprocessors. These tools are designed to support Microsoft® Windows® 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP® distributions on x86 and AMD64 architectures. Although most users will choose the Graphical User Interface, the profiler is also offered as a command line utility to facilitate the use in batch files.

Timer Based Profiling on AMD Geode processor is added into AMD CodeAnalyst Performance Analyzer.

• Profiling is used during the first stage of an optimization effort. The AMD CodeAnalyst Performance Analyzer offers a choice of Timer Based Profiling or Event Based Profiling.
  
  In Timer Based Profiling, the application to be optimized is run at full speed on the machine that is running the AMD CodeAnalyst Performance Analyzer. EIP samples are collected at predetermined intervals and can be used to identify possible bottlenecks, execution penalties, or optimization opportunities.
  
  Event Based Profiling uses the performance counters in the processor to count the number of times a specific processor event occurs. When the specified counter threshold for the event is reached, the sampling driver collects an EIP sample from the processor. Up to four processor events can be profiled in one session.
  
  Timer Based Profiling and Event Based Profiling collect data from multiple processors in a multi-processor system.
  
• Pipeline Simulation is used during the second stage of an optimization effort to find the causes of bottlenecks. During simulation, application execution is first traced, and then simulated on a selected target processor. The detailed data on the execution of each instruction takes into account the previous instructions executed and the state of the processor caches. Simulation only supports single processor execution.
  
  Pipeline Simulation supports the simulation of 32-bit code, offering a choice of:
  • AMD Athlon™ processor
  • AMD Athlon XP processor
  • AMD Opteron™ processor
  • AMD Athlon™64 processor
  
  Pipeline Simulation also supports the simulation of 64-bit code, offering a choice of:
  • AMD Opteron™ processor
  • AMD Athlon™64 processor

CodeAnalyst 2.2 Feature Overview

• System wide profiling: CodeAnalyst 2.2 is designed to profile the performance of binary modules, including user mode application modules and kernel mode driver modules.
• Timer-based profiling: On APIC enabled systems, the finest time resolution is 0.1ms and 1.0ms non-APIC enabled systems.
• Multi-processor profiling: CodeAnalyst 2.2 can profile (both TBP and EBP) on multiple processor system -- up to an 8 CPU system.
• Event-based profiling: CodeAnalyst 2.2 event-based profiling (EBP) is designed to profile the 32 public performance events of AMD Athlon and AMD Athlon XP, and all 78 performance events on AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon 64 and event combination. CodeAnalyst EBP is designed to profile up 4 events simultaneously.
• Execution pipeline simulation: CodeAnalyst 2.2 includes the configuration and execution of Simulation sessions, as well as, Timer-based and Event-based sessions through the graphical user interface
• Post process: CodeAnalyst 2.2 can show sample distribution without module debug information.