502 Profiling

In the first step of the project, a software implementation of ASCON hash is to be made. The prototype of the hash function should look like this:

void ascon_hash(uint32_t * digest, uint32_t * message, uint8_t mlen);
  • the first argument contains a pointer to the reserved memory in which the digest will be saved;
  • the second argument contains a pointer to the first memory address on which the message is saved;
  • the third and final argument is an unsigned byte that gives the length of the message in number of 32-bit words.

This function, ascon_hash( ), will hence be called once for each hash operation. It might very well be that you create a number of other functions to achieve a working implementation.

Having an insight in how often each function is called, can be interesting information for choosing the most optimal point for hardware offloading. This can be done with profiling

An example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdint.h>

void orden_two(uint8_t * a, uint8_t * b);
void orden_list(uint8_t * l);
uint8_t check_list(uint8_t * l);
void print_list(uint8_t * l);

uint8_t main(void) {
    uint8_t list[] = {3, 6, 1, 8, 2, 0, 5, 4, 9, 7};
    uint8_t rv;

    print_list(list);
    rv = check_list(list);

    while(rv > 0) {
        orden_list(list);
        print_list(list);
        rv = check_list(list);
    }

    return 0;
}

void orden_two(uint8_t * a, uint8_t * b) {
    uint8_t temp;

    if(*a > *b) {
        temp = *a;
        *a = *b;
        *b = temp;
    }
}

void orden_list(uint8_t * l) {
    for(uint8_t i=0;i<9;i++) { 
        orden_two(&l[i], &l[i+1]);
    }
}

uint8_t check_list(uint8_t * l) {
    for(uint8_t i=0;i<9;i++) {
        if(l[i] > l[i+1]) {
            return 1;
    }}
    return 0;
}

void print_list(uint8_t * l) {
    for(uint8_t i=0;i<10;i++) {
        printf("%i ", l[i]);
    } printf("\n");
}


Bubble sort

Let’s look at this example. It performs a bubble-sort operation on a list of 10 unsigned bytes.

The list is first printed, after which it is checked whether or not further sorting is required. If required, the list is ordened again.

The ordening happens by iterating over the array, per couple of entries. These entries possibly switch locations (if required).

Compiling

Now … to see where optimisation would pay of most we run profiling on this code. The gprof tool comes with the gcc compiler. To enable profiling, the compile option -pg needs to be added.

gcc -o main_v1 main_v1.c

becomes

gcc -pg -o main_v1 main_v1.c

Running

After running the executable, an additional (binary) file is created: gmon.out. This file contains metadata that is stored during the running of the executable.

To parse the gmon.out file, simply run the command again, preceded by gprof. To store the output, the standard output can be redirected to a file (bash > analysis.txt).

./main_v1
.gprof /main_v1 > analysis_v1.txt

Below you can see te result of the outcome. For more information on the gprof tool, see the man page.

Profile v1

In v1, list is initialised with:

    uint8_t list[] = {3, 6, 1, 8, 2, 0, 5, 4, 9, 7};
Flat profile:

Each sample counts as 0.01 seconds.
 no time accumulated

  %   cumulative   self              self     total           
 time   seconds   seconds    calls  Ts/call  Ts/call  name    
  0.00      0.00     0.00       45     0.00     0.00  orden_two
  0.00      0.00     0.00        6     0.00     0.00  check_list
  0.00      0.00     0.00        6     0.00     0.00  print_list
  0.00      0.00     0.00        5     0.00     0.00  orden_list

 %         the percentage of the total running time of the
time       program used by this function.

cumulative a running sum of the number of seconds accounted
 seconds   for by this function and those listed above it.

 self      the number of seconds accounted for by this
seconds    function alone.  This is the major sort for this
           listing.

calls      the number of times this function was invoked, if
           this function is profiled, else blank.

 self      the average number of milliseconds spent in this
ms/call    function per call, if this function is profiled,
       else blank.

 total     the average number of milliseconds spent in this
ms/call    function and its descendents per call, if this
       function is profiled, else blank.

name       the name of the function.  This is the minor sort
           for this listing. The index shows the location of
       the function in the gprof listing. If the index is
       in parenthesis it shows where it would appear in
       the gprof listing if it were to be printed.

Copyright (C) 2012-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
notice and this notice are preserved.

             Call graph (explanation follows)


granularity: each sample hit covers 2 byte(s) no time propagated

index % time    self  children    called     name
                0.00    0.00      45/45          orden_list [4]
[1]      0.0    0.00    0.00      45         orden_two [1]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00       6/6           main [10]
[2]      0.0    0.00    0.00       6         check_list [2]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00       6/6           main [10]
[3]      0.0    0.00    0.00       6         print_list [3]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00       5/5           main [10]
[4]      0.0    0.00    0.00       5         orden_list [4]
                0.00    0.00      45/45          orden_two [1]
-----------------------------------------------

 This table describes the call tree of the program, and was sorted by
 the total amount of time spent in each function and its children.

 Each entry in this table consists of several lines.  The line with the
 index number at the left hand margin lists the current function.
 The lines above it list the functions that called this function,
 and the lines below it list the functions this one called.
 This line lists:
     index   A unique number given to each element of the table.
     Index numbers are sorted numerically.
     The index number is printed next to every function name so
     it is easier to look up where the function is in the table.

     % time   This is the percentage of the `total' time that was spent
        in this function and its children.  Note that due to
        different viewpoints, functions excluded by options, etc,
        these numbers will NOT add up to 100%.

     self   This is the total amount of time spent in this function.

     children   This is the total amount of time propagated into this
        function by its children.

     called This is the number of times the function was called.
        If the function called itself recursively, the number
        only includes non-recursive calls, and is followed by
        a `+' and the number of recursive calls.

     name    The name of the current function.  The index number is
     printed after it.  If the function is a member of a
     cycle, the cycle number is printed between the
     function's name and the index number.


 For the function's parents, the fields have the following meanings:

     self    This is the amount of time that was propagated directly
     from the function into this parent.

     children    This is the amount of time that was propagated from
     the function's children into this parent.

     called This is the number of times this parent called the
        function `/' the total number of times the function
        was called.  Recursive calls to the function are not
        included in the number after the `/'.

     name    This is the name of the parent.  The parent's index
        number is printed after it.  If the parent is a
        member of a cycle, the cycle number is printed between
        the name and the index number.

 If the parents of the function cannot be determined, the word
 `<spontaneous>' is printed in the `name' field, and all the other
 fields are blank.

 For the function's children, the fields have the following meanings:

     self   This is the amount of time that was propagated directly
        from the child into the function.

     children   This is the amount of time that was propagated from the
        child's children to the function.

     called  This is the number of times the function called
     this child `/' the total number of times the child
        was called.  Recursive calls by the child are not
        listed in the number after the `/'.

     name   This is the name of the child.  The child's index
        number is printed after it.  If the child is a
        member of a cycle, the cycle number is printed
        between the name and the index number.

 If there are any cycles (circles) in the call graph, there is an
 entry for the cycle-as-a-whole.  This entry shows who called the
 cycle (as parents) and the members of the cycle (as children.)
 The `+' recursive calls entry shows the number of function calls that
 were internal to the cycle, and the calls entry for each member shows,
 for that member, how many times it was called from other members of
 the cycle.

Copyright (C) 2012-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
notice and this notice are preserved.

Index by function name

   [2] check_list              [1] orden_two
   [4] orden_list              [3] print_list

Profile v2

In v2, list is initialised with:

    uint8_t list[] = {9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0};
Flat profile:

Each sample counts as 0.01 seconds.
 no time accumulated

  %   cumulative   self              self     total           
 time   seconds   seconds    calls  Ts/call  Ts/call  name    
  0.00      0.00     0.00       81     0.00     0.00  orden_two
  0.00      0.00     0.00       10     0.00     0.00  check_list
  0.00      0.00     0.00       10     0.00     0.00  print_list
  0.00      0.00     0.00        9     0.00     0.00  orden_list

 %         the percentage of the total running time of the
time       program used by this function.

cumulative a running sum of the number of seconds accounted
 seconds   for by this function and those listed above it.

 self      the number of seconds accounted for by this
seconds    function alone.  This is the major sort for this
           listing.

calls      the number of times this function was invoked, if
           this function is profiled, else blank.

 self      the average number of milliseconds spent in this
ms/call    function per call, if this function is profiled,
       else blank.

 total     the average number of milliseconds spent in this
ms/call    function and its descendents per call, if this
       function is profiled, else blank.

name       the name of the function.  This is the minor sort
           for this listing. The index shows the location of
       the function in the gprof listing. If the index is
       in parenthesis it shows where it would appear in
       the gprof listing if it were to be printed.

Copyright (C) 2012-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
notice and this notice are preserved.

             Call graph (explanation follows)


granularity: each sample hit covers 2 byte(s) no time propagated

index % time    self  children    called     name
                0.00    0.00      81/81          orden_list [4]
[1]      0.0    0.00    0.00      81         orden_two [1]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00      10/10          main [10]
[2]      0.0    0.00    0.00      10         check_list [2]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00      10/10          main [10]
[3]      0.0    0.00    0.00      10         print_list [3]
-----------------------------------------------
                0.00    0.00       9/9           main [10]
[4]      0.0    0.00    0.00       9         orden_list [4]
                0.00    0.00      81/81          orden_two [1]
-----------------------------------------------

 This table describes the call tree of the program, and was sorted by
 the total amount of time spent in each function and its children.

 Each entry in this table consists of several lines.  The line with the
 index number at the left hand margin lists the current function.
 The lines above it list the functions that called this function,
 and the lines below it list the functions this one called.
 This line lists:
     index   A unique number given to each element of the table.
     Index numbers are sorted numerically.
     The index number is printed next to every function name so
     it is easier to look up where the function is in the table.

     % time   This is the percentage of the `total' time that was spent
        in this function and its children.  Note that due to
        different viewpoints, functions excluded by options, etc,
        these numbers will NOT add up to 100%.

     self   This is the total amount of time spent in this function.

     children   This is the total amount of time propagated into this
        function by its children.

     called This is the number of times the function was called.
        If the function called itself recursively, the number
        only includes non-recursive calls, and is followed by
        a `+' and the number of recursive calls.

     name    The name of the current function.  The index number is
     printed after it.  If the function is a member of a
     cycle, the cycle number is printed between the
     function's name and the index number.


 For the function's parents, the fields have the following meanings:

     self    This is the amount of time that was propagated directly
     from the function into this parent.

     children    This is the amount of time that was propagated from
     the function's children into this parent.

     called This is the number of times this parent called the
        function `/' the total number of times the function
        was called.  Recursive calls to the function are not
        included in the number after the `/'.

     name    This is the name of the parent.  The parent's index
        number is printed after it.  If the parent is a
        member of a cycle, the cycle number is printed between
        the name and the index number.

 If the parents of the function cannot be determined, the word
 `<spontaneous>' is printed in the `name' field, and all the other
 fields are blank.

 For the function's children, the fields have the following meanings:

     self   This is the amount of time that was propagated directly
        from the child into the function.

     children   This is the amount of time that was propagated from the
        child's children to the function.

     called  This is the number of times the function called
     this child `/' the total number of times the child
        was called.  Recursive calls by the child are not
        listed in the number after the `/'.

     name   This is the name of the child.  The child's index
        number is printed after it.  If the child is a
        member of a cycle, the cycle number is printed
        between the name and the index number.

 If there are any cycles (circles) in the call graph, there is an
 entry for the cycle-as-a-whole.  This entry shows who called the
 cycle (as parents) and the members of the cycle (as children.)
 The `+' recursive calls entry shows the number of function calls that
 were internal to the cycle, and the calls entry for each member shows,
 for that member, how many times it was called from other members of
 the cycle.

Copyright (C) 2012-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
notice and this notice are preserved.

Index by function name

   [2] check_list              [1] orden_two
   [4] orden_list              [3] print_list