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Overview
SystemTap provides free software (GPL) infrastructure to simplify the gathering of information about the running Linux system. This assists diagnosis of a performance or functional problem. SystemTap eliminates the need for the developer to go through the tedious and disruptive instrument, recompile, install, and reboot sequence that may be otherwise required to collect data.
SystemTap provides a simple command line interface and scripting language for writing instrumentation for a live running system. We are publishing samples, as well as enlarging the internal "tapset" script library to aid reuse and abstraction.
Current project members include Red Hat, IBM, Intel, Hitachi, and Oracle.
Focus areas for near-future development
Installation
Build your own | Debian GNU/Linux | Ubuntu Gutsy+ | Fedora | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | CentOS 5 | openSUSE 10.2 | Mandriva | Maemo | with a self-built kernel
Documentation
SystemTap Beginner's Guide (pdf)
Language Reference (html, pdf): A compendium of SystemTap scripting language elements
Tutorial (html, pdf): A walk-through that give a taste of SystemTap.
VIM Syntax Highlighting for SystemTap: A short tutorial
SystemTap FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on SystemTap.
Tips: A collection of FAQs / advice
How to report bugs: How to collect important information to let developers help you
Wishlist: Frequently requested features
Test Results: Look-up weekly SystemTap test reports.
Test Suites: How to test SystemTap
Applications
Examples in Code Repository: Examples sorted by name and keywords.
War Stories: A collection of systemtap demos and usage stories
Scripts & Tools: A repository of useful scripts and script ideas
Son of Sysreport (SOS) -- the next generation tool for sysreport includes a SystemTap plugin, systemtap.py
bootlimn - A visualization and analysis tool for the Linux boot process using SystemTap
Systemtap generator for simple timings collection (includes an example of tracing NFS performance)
Making Do without Debugging Information: Using SystemTap when your kernel lacks debugging information.
Using Markers: A description of how to use kernel markers with SystemTap.
Using Static User Markers: A description of how to build postgres so that SystemTap static user markers are enabled.
Adding User Space Probing to an Application: A simple example adding markers to a user-space application with SystemTap.
SystemTap GUI Sourceforge: A GUI built for editing and running/graphing SystemTap scripts
SystemTap Starters: A collection of simple scripts to help beginners.
Development
Tapset Developer's Guide: guidelines for tapset writers
TapsetStatus: maintenance status of tapsets
utrace: utrace resources
TaskFinder: Information on the 'task_finder' layer.
Developer Setup Tips: Contains information on setting up a network console
SystemTap Release Guide: Instructions for creating a new release
SystemTap Documentation Updates: Instructions for updating the web documentation
Comparisons/Reviews/Critiques
Myths: Myths about systemtap
SystemTap/Dtrace Comparison: Frequently requested impressions
Talks/Papers
OLS2006 Talks:Systemtap-related talks given at OLS2006.
OSS/RHDD2006 Talks: Talks/files given at Open Source Symposium/Red Hat Developer Day 2006 (Asia Pacific).
LWESFO06.pdf :SystemTap High-level presentation from Linux World San Francisco August 2006.
LCA2007: Profiling Desktop Applications, given at Linux Conference Australia 2007 (Sydney).
Red Hat Summit 2007: Problem Solving with SystemTap, given at Red Hat Summit 2007 (San Diego).
OLS 2007 SystemTap Tutorial: Using SystemTap for Dynamic Tracing and Performance Analysis (with examples and live CD)
LinuxConf.eu: SystemTap and kdump workshop (updating/creating page)
Fedora Mini-Conf at Linux Conference Australia 2008 (Melbourne): Writing SystemTap Scripts.
ScriptFest: Ideas for Systemtap Scriptfest at OLS 2008
GNOME.Asia Summit 2008 (Beijing): Writing SystemTap Scripts (different from my Melbourne talk).
SystemTap: Instrumenting the Linux Kernel for Analyzing Performance and Functional Problems
LFCS-2009-04.pdf: Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit 2009, San Francisco. Systemtap status & community issues.
Investigando o Kernel com SystemTap: an introductory talk in portuguese given at TcheLinux 2009 - Santa Cruz do Sul. Slides in pt_BR.