ParaGraph: A Tool for Visualizing Performance of Parallel Programs

ParaGraph is a graphical display system for visualizing the behavior and performance of parallel programs on message-passing multi-computer architectures. The visual animation is based on execution trace information monitored during an actual run of a parallel program on a message-passing parallel computer. The resulting trace data are replayed pictorially to provide a dynamic depiction of the behavior of the parallel program, as well as graphical summaries of its overall performance. Many diierent visual perspectives are provided from which to view the same performance data, in an attempt to gain insights that might be missed by any single view. We describe this visualiza-tion tool, outline the motivation and philosophy behind its design, and provide details on how to use it. This user guide is adapted from a technical report 6], which also appears in a modiied form in 7]. The principal modiications to produce this manual were the omission of illustrations and most bibliographic citations, and the addition of a considerable amount of detail to aid in using and understanding ParaGraph. This edition also reeects many new features recently added to ParaGraph, and is up to date as of August 30, 1993.