Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a level of performance of a first application in a computer system are disclosed. A selection of a second one of a plurality of applications is received. The second application is then executed, thereby producing data indicating one or more levels of performance of the first application. Documentation is then provided, where the documentation is associated with the second application and indicates at least one of a manner of interpreting data indicating one or more levels of performance of the first application and suggesting one or more of the plurality of applications that can provide additional information to assess one or more levels of performance of the application.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sharing data provided by a first application to two or more additional applications (e.g., probes) are disclosed. It is ascertained whether the first application is executing. When it is ascertained that the first application is executing, data produced by the first application is provided to the two or more additional applications if data provided by the first application can be shared by the two or more additional applications. When it is ascertained that the first application is not executing or if data provided by the executing first application cannot be shared by the two or more additional applications, the first application is executed such that data provided by the first application can be provided to the two or more additional applications and the data produced by the first application is distributed to the two or more additional applications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a level of performance of a first application in a computer system are disclosed. A selection of a second one of a plurality of applications is received. The second application is then executed, thereby producing data indicating one or more levels of performance of the first application. Documentation is then provided, where the documentation is associated with the second application and indicates at least one of a manner of interpreting data indicating one or more levels of performance of the first application and suggesting one or more of the plurality of applications that can provide additional information to assess one or more levels of performance of the application.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for gathering data for two or more applications are disclosed. It is determined that the two or more applications cannot execute simultaneously, wherein each of the applications samples data. A sampling rate of each of the two or more applications is ascertained. The sampling rate for each of the two or more applications is then increased. The sampling of data by the two or more applications is then alternated at the increased sampling rate over a period of time.