Newton: Performance improvement through comparative analysis

In this paper, we describe a methodology for analysis and improvement of computer systems through comparative evaluation, and Newton, a prototype implementation of this methodology. Newton aids its users in identifying and understanding the keys to performance of existing computer systems by finding characteristics which differentiate the performance of any given pair of systems. Newton collects information about a computer, builds a model which allocates the running time of program segments (e.g. loops and basic blocks) to various hardware and software components of the system, highlights differences between multiple systems by comparing the measured data and model, and predicts what performance improvement will result if a discovered bottleneck is alleviated from the system.<
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