Techniques in least-intrusive computer system performance monitoring

The paper discusses four techniques for computer system performance monitoring, and then compares the experimental data to show their relative intrusiveness. However, while other techniques are well known and understood and can be implemented relatively easily, the technique using a built-in performance counter is deemed difficult because of ambiguous proprietary information. To this end, the paper also attempts to make these difficult-to-get information and techniques available to educators and researchers working in the area of performance monitoring.