Intel Introduces New Version Of VTune, Multi-Language Software Optimization Tool For Intel-Based Platforms

VTune 3.0 Identifies Software Performance Problem "Hot Spots" for Most Programs in Less Than 30 Seconds

SAN FRANCISCO – Feb. 9, 1998 - Today at Software Developer ‘98 West (Booth #768), Intel Corporation announced its newest version of VTune, a visual performance tool for tuning and optimizing software written in C, C++, Fortran, Java* and Visual Basic on the Intel platform. Thousands of developers currently use Intel VTune or have downloaded evaluation copies of VTune from Intel's web site.

With version 3.0, VTune is easier and faster to use than ever before. VTune now provides software developers with several key enhancements, including an improved single-screen graphical user interface and the ability to "see" performance "hot spots" with a single point-and-click. Developers can now use VTune for performance optimization of software components, speeding the development of world class Windows* 95, Windows NT, and Java applications and software suites. With new call graph support for C and C++, in addition to Java support and full support for Pentium® Pro and Pentium II processors, VTune 3.0 provides a complete analysis and tuning solution for the Intel architecture.

Intel will demonstrate VTune version 3.0 at Software Developer 98 West, and will provide free copies to developers who sign up for Intel's VTune beta program. Developers can also download beta copies from Intel's developer Web site at developer.intel.com/design/perftools starting in March.

"Intel is well-positioned to help developers solve software performance issues that relate to our architecture," said Richard Wirt, Intel fellow and director of Intel's Microcomputer Labs. "Not only does the VTune 3.0 development tool provide developers with an inside view of the architecture and operating system for which they are developing, but it also contains Intel's many years of knowledge and expertise on how to get the best performance out of that specific platform."

New Ease-of-Use Features
Intel's VTune 3.0 is now easier and faster for software developers to use. A new single-screen interface provides a consolidated view of information, including all the necessary statistics for analyzing and tuning a software component, and eliminating the need to toggle frequently between screens.

In most cases, VTune 3.0 can identify software performance problem "hot spots" in less than 30 seconds. With VTune, users do not need to recompile their code prior to identifying hot spots, simplifying the entire process of identifying problems quickly. A single mouse click takes users directly to a screen that presents software modules color-coded and arranged by the number of CPU cycles they utilize. Two clicks take users to the source code of any hot spot, and three clicks provide users with Intel's expert advice on how to solve the problem, including suggestions for code modifications.

With one recent application development effort, which involved dozens of DLLs spanning multiple Visual C++ projects, SAS Institute found that normal profiling techniques were not adequate. Within 20 minutes of installing VTune, SAS Institute identified four hot spots, including one that was totally unexpected.

"VTune has turned out to be our most valuable application optimization tool," said John Toebes, principal systems developer, SAS Institute Inc. "It quickly and easily allows us to identify the basic areas of code where we needed to focus our attention. Overall, VTune saved us from spending a lot of time examining code that did not contribute to performance problems."

Performance Tuning of Software Components
Intel's VTune 3.0 also supports the development of object-based software components, one of the hottest trends in programming. Large software applications and systems are frequently broken down into components, which can be coded and tested as individual pieces. At one level, VTune is designed to let programmers perform rapid performance analysis of individual components as they are developed. This results in very high- performance software components.

At a higher level, system architects and application designers can use the more advanced features of VTune 3.0 to analyze the performance of an entire application or software suite. For example, the call graph profiler displays an entire program in a tree structure, allowing system architects and other developers to understand the program's overall flow. They can visually see the relationships between different modules, see where excess CPU cycles are being spent, and see how each software module affects overall performance.

Vertical Networks is an example of a company successfully using VTune to speed its software component development efforts. The company is currently developing NT kernel-mode device drivers for advanced telecom and data communications applications such as modems and networks.

"The performance of our individual software components is critical because customers expect fast network performance," said Taed Nelson, software engineer, Vertical Networks. "The first driver we tested with VTune showed that 90 percent of the CPU time was spent in a single function. VTune's analysis of the function clearly showed that most of the time was spent on just a few hardware instructions, which was not where we expected the performance delays to be. We re-coded a few lines and increased the speed of the driver by 250 percent in only two hours. We are highly impressed with VTune -- and it is now a part of our set of indispensable tools!"

Pricing and Availability
Intel VTune version 3.0 will be available in Q2 1998; list price will be $279 per copy. More information on availability can be found on Intel's developer Web site at developer.intel.com/design/perftool.

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