Determination of application latency in a network node
A method of operating a communication system to determine latent applications in a communication network comprises transferring a first packet comprising a first test code to a network node, receiving the first packet in the network node, and in response to the first test code, time stamping the first packet. The method further comprises, in the test server, determining a node latency of the network node based on the time stamps, and if the node latency is greater than a first threshold, then transferring a second packet comprising a second test code to the network node, and in the network node, receiving the second packet, and in response to the second test code, time stamping the second packet. The method further comprises, in the test server, determining an application latency of an application based the time stamps, and if the application latency is greater than a second threshold, then receiving application data associated with the application.
1. A method of operating a communication system to determine latent applications in a communication network, the method comprising:
in a transmitter, transferring a first packet comprising a first test code to a network node;
in the network node, receiving the first packet, and in response to the first test code, time stamping the first packet resulting in a first timed stamped packet, and transferring the first time stamped packet;
in a receiver, receiving the first time stamped packet and transferring the first time stamped packet to a test server;
in the test server, determining a node latency of the network node based on the first time stamped packet;
if the node latency is greater than a first threshold, then in the transmitter, transferring a second packet comprising a second test code to the network node;
in the network node, receiving the second packet, and in response to the second test code, time stamping the second packet resulting in a second time stamped packet, and transferring the second time stamped packet;
in the receiver, receiving the second time stamped packet, and transferring the second time stamped packet to the test server;
in the test server, determining an application latency of an application based on the second time stamped packet;
if the application latency is greater than a second threshold, then receiving application data associated with the application.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein time stamping the first packet comprises writing a first time stamp to a header of the first packet upon receiving the first packet in the network node, and writing a second time stamp to the header of the first packet immediately prior to transferring the first time stamped packet.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein time stamping the second packet comprises writing a third time stamp to a header of the second packet immediately prior to processing the second packet in the application, and writing a fourth time stamp to the header of the second packet immediately after the application finishes processing the second packet.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the application latency of the application based on the second time stamped packet comprises subtracting the third time stamp from the fourth time stamp.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the application data comprises contact information associated with an individual responsible for the application.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising transferring a notification to the individual responsible for the application based on the contact information.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the application data to determine a cause of the application latency.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the application data comprises a version of the application.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the application data comprises an installation date of the application.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the application data comprises a last reboot date of the application.
11. A communication system for determining latent applications in a communication network, the system comprising:
a transmitter configured to transfer a first packet comprising a first test code to a network node;
the network node configured to receive the first packet, and in response to the first test code, time stamp the first packet resulting in a first timed stamped packet, and transfer the first time stamped packet;
a receiver configured to receive the first time stamped packet and transfer the first time stamped packet to a test server;
the test server configured to determine a node latency of the network node based on the first time stamped packet;
if the node latency is greater than a first threshold, then the transmitter configured to transfer a second packet comprising a second test code to the network node;
the network node configured to receive the second packet, and in response to the second test code, time stamp the second packet resulting in a second time stamped packet, and transfer the second time stamped packet;
the receiver configured to receive the second time stamped packet, and transfer the second time stamped packet to the test server;
the test server configured to determine an application latency of an application based on the second time stamped packet, and if the application latency is greater than a second threshold, then receive application data associated with the application.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the network node, to time stamp the first packet, writes a first time stamp to a header of the first packet upon receiving the first packet in the network node, and writes a second time stamp to the header of the first packet immediately prior to transferring the first time stamped packet.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the network node, to time stamp the second packet, writes a third time stamp to a header of the second packet immediately prior to processing the second packet in the application, and writes a fourth time stamp to the header of the second packet immediately after the application finishes processing the second packet.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the test server, to determine the application latency of the application based on the second time stamped packet, subtracts the third time stamp from the fourth time stamp.
15. The system of claim 11 wherein the application data comprises contact information associated with an individual responsible for the application.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the test server is further configured to transfer a notification to the individual responsible for the application based on the contact information.
17. The system of claim 11 wherein the test server is further configured to process the application data to determine a cause of the application latency.
18. The system of claim 11 wherein the application data comprises a version of the application.
19. The system of claim 11 wherein the application data comprises an installation date of the application.
20. The system of claim 11 wherein the application data comprises a last reboot date of the application.