SYSTEM INDEPENDENT INTERFACE FOR PERFORMANCE COUNTERS

In a computer system, events indicative of the performance of the system are generated by system hardware and software. A user requests control of counters of different designs for counting the events. If the request for control of the counters is granted, a set of events is selected for monitoring according to predetermined attributes which characterize the events. A determination is made if the events of the set are valid, and they are determined to be valid, each event of the set are coupled to a corresponding one of the counters. The counters are then enabled to count the events of the set.