Embedded Linux* Targets
Use the
Intel® VTune™
for performance analysis on Embedded Linux* systems, Wind River*, Yocto Project*, FreeBSD* and others.
Profiler
Embedded device performance data can be collected remotely on the embedded device and running the analysis from an instance of
VTune
installed on the host system. This is useful when the target system is not capable of local data analysis (low performance, limited disk space, or lack of user interface control).
Profiler
Root access to the operating system kernel is required to install the collectors and drivers required for performance analysis using
VTune
.
Profiler
To enable performance analysis on an embedded device, use any of the following:
Use the Intel System Studio Integration Layer
The Intel System Studio integration layer works for embedded systems with Wind River Linux or Yocto Project installed.
The Intel System Studio integration layer allows the Intel System Studio products to be fully integrated with a target operating system by building the drivers and corresponding target packages into the operating system image automatically. Use this option in the case where a platform build engineer has control over the kernel sources and signature files, but the application engineer does not. The platform build engineer can integrate the product drivers with the target package and include them in the embedded device image that is delivered to the application engineer.

- Install Intel System Studio using the installer GUI.
- Install the Intel System Studio integration layer.
- Copy the integration layer from the Intel System Studio installation folder to the target operating system development folder.
- Run the post-installation script:<iss-install-dir>/YoctoProject/meta-intel-iss/yp-setup/postinst_<OS>_iss.sh <ISS_BASE_dir>For example, for Wind River Linux:/YoctoProject/meta-intel-iss/yp-setup/postinst_wr_iss.sh
- Build the recipe that includes the appropriateVTunepackage.Profiler
- Add the path to the/YoctoProject/meta-intel-issto thebblayers.conffile:BBLAYERS= "\...<OS_INSTALL_DIR>/YoctoProject/meta-intel-iss\..."
- Add theVTunerecipes toProfilerconf/local.conf. Possible recipes include:
- intel-vtune-drivers: integrates allVTunedrivers for PMU-based analysis with stacks and context switches. Requires additional kernel options to be enabled.Profiler
- intel-vtune-sep-driver: integrates drivers for PMU-based analysis with minimal requirements for kernel options.
For more information about these collection methods, see Remote Linux Target Setup.
- Build the target operating system, which will complete the integration of theVTunecollectors and drivers.Profiler
- Flash the operating system to the target embedded device.After flashing the operating system to the target embedded device, ensure that the appropriateVTunedrivers are present. For more information, see Building the Sampling Drivers for Linux Targets.Profiler
- Run the analysis on the target embedded device from the host system using an SSH connection or using the SEP commands.
- Set up a password-less SSH access to the target using RSA keys.
- Specify your target application and remote system.After configuring the remote connection,VTunewill install the appropriate collectors on the target system.Profiler
- Choose an analysis type.
- Run the analysis from the host.
Use the information available in theSampling Enabling Product User's Guideto run the SEP commands. - View results in theVTuneGUI on the host.Profiler
Use the
Intel VTune
Profiler Yocto Project Integration Layer
Intel VTune
Yocto Project Integration Layer Profiler
Intel VTune Profiler Yocto Project integration layer builds the drivers into the operating system image automatically. Use this option in the case where a platform build engineer has control over the kernel sources and signature files, but the application engineer does not. The platform build engineer can integrate the product drivers with the target package and include them in the embedded device image that is delivered to the application engineer.

- InstallIntel VTune.Profiler
- Configure the integration layer.
- Extract theor<install-dir>/target/linux/vtune__target_x86.tgzprofilerpackage.<install-dir>/target/linux/vtune__target_x86_64.tgzprofiler
- Modify thesepdk/vtune-layer/conf/user.conffile to specify user settings.
- Specify one of the following paths:
- Path to unzipped target package:VTUNE_TARGET_PACKAGE_DIR = "<PATH>"
- Path toVTuneinstallation directory:ProfilerVTUNE_PROFILER_2020_DIR = "<PATH>"
- (Optional) To integrate the SEP driver during system book, specifyADD_TO_INITD = "y".
- Copy the integration layer to the Yocto Project development environment.
- Add the path to the layer to thebblayers.conffile:BBLAYERS= "\...<OS_INSTALL_DIR>/vtune-layer\..."
- Add theVTunerecipes toProfilerconf/local.conf. Possible recipes include:
- intel-vtune-drivers: integrates allVTunedrivers for PMU-based analysis with stacks and context switches. Requires additional kernel options to be enabled.Profiler
- intel-vtune-sep-driver: integrates drivers for PMU-based analysis with minimal requirements for kernel options.
For more information about these collection methods, see Remote Linux Target Setup.
- Build the target operating system, which will complete the integration of theVTunecollectors and drivers.Profiler
- Flash the operating system to the target embedded device.After flashing the operating system to the target embedded device, ensure that the appropriateVTunedrivers are present.Profiler
- 5. Run the analysis on the target embedded device from the host system using an SSH connection or using the SEP commands.
- Set up a password-less SSH access to the target using RSA keys.
- Specify your target application and remote system.
- Choose an analysis type.
- Run the analysis from the host.
Use the information available in theSampling Enabling Product User's Guideto run the SEP commands. - View results in theVTuneGUI.Profiler
Use the Bundled
Intel VTune
Profiler Installation Packages
Intel VTune
Installation Packages Profiler
You can build the appropriate drivers and install the
VTune
collectors on your kernel image manually with a command line. This option requires root access to the configured kernel source.
Profiler

- InstallIntel VTuneusing the installer GUI.Profiler
- Run the analysis on the target embedded device.
- Set up a password-less SSH access for the root user to the target using RSA keys.
- Specify your target application and remote system. The collectors and drivers within the package should be automatically installed.
- Choose an analysis type.
- Run the analysis from the host.
- 3. View results in theVTuneGUI on the host.Profiler
Troubleshooting
If the drivers were not built during collector installation, the installation output should inform you that building the sampling driver is required.
The drivers are built either on the target system or on the host system, depending on compiler toolchain availability:
- If the compiler toolchain is available on the target system:
- On the target embedded device, build the driver from the<install-dir>/sepdk/srcdirectory using the./build-drivercommand.
- Load the driver into the kernel using the./insmod-sepcommand.
- If the compiler toolchain is not available on the target system:
- On the host system, cross-build the driver using the driver source from the target packagesepdk/srcdirectory with the./build-drivercommand. Provide the cross-compiler (if necessary) and the target kernel source tree for the build.
- Copy thesepdk/srcfolder to the target system.
- Load the driver into the kernel using the./insmod-sepcommand.