Method and system for providing loitering trace in virtual machines

Abstract

A system and method are provided for performing loitering trace in virtual machines. In one embodiment, status of objects in a garbage collection heap at a first virtual machine at a server is identified, in response to a memory leak. First objects that are used are identified. Second objects that are alive and not being used are identified. Information regarding the first objects and the second objects is communicated to a second virtual machine at a client.

1 . A method comprising:
 identifying status of objects in a garbage collection heap at a first virtual machine at a server, in response to a memory leak;   identifying first objects that are being used;   identifying second objects that are alive and not being used;   communicating a report having information relating to the first objects and the second objects to a second virtual machine at a client.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the report having the information relating to the first objects and the second objects. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the second objects that are alive and not being used. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising preserving the first objects that are being used, the first objects are alive. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garbage collection heap includes a Java garbage collection heap. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a Java application server having a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) engine, the J2EE engine having the first virtual machine, the first virtual machine including a first Java virtual machine. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second virtual machine comprises a second Java virtual machine. 
   
   
       8 . A system comprising:
 a server having a first virtual machine, the first virtual machine having a profiling infrastructure, the profiling infrastructure to
 identify status of objects in a garbage collection heap at a first virtual machine at a server, in response to a memory leak, 
 identify first objects that are being used, 
 identify second objects that are alive and not being used, 
 communicate a report having information regarding the removing of the first objects and the second objects to a second virtual machine at a client; and 
   a client coupled with the server, the client having a second virtual machine to receive the report from the first virtual machine at the server.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the profiling infrastructure is further to generate the report having the information relating to the first objects and the second objects. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server to remove the second objects that are alive and not being used. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server to preserve the first objects that are being used, the first objects are alive. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the garbage collection heap includes a Java garbage collection heap. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server comprises a Java application server having a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) engine, the J2EE engine having the first virtual machine, the first virtual machine including a first Java virtual machine. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second virtual machine comprises a second Java virtual machine. 
   
   
       15 . A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the machine to:
 identify status of objects in a garbage collection heap at a first virtual machine at a server, in response to a memory leak;   identify first objects that are used;   identify second objects that are alive and not being used;   communicate information regarding the removing of the first objects and the second objects to a second virtual machine at a client.   
   
   
       16 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed, further cause the machine to generate the report having the information relating to the first objects and the second objects. 
   
   
       17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed, further cause the machine to remove the second objects that are alive and not being used. 
   
   
       18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed, further cause the machine to preserve the first objects that are being used, the first objects are alive. 
   
   
       19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the information includes information regarding the third objects being preserved in the heap. 
   
   
       20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the garbage collection heap includes a Java garbage collection heap.