Server Response Time Measurement Using Trigger Signal Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining server response time, such as 'time-to-first-buffer', are prone to inaccuracies due to partial or pre-made responses from servers and network bottlenecks, which can lead to underestimation or overestimation of true response times.
Innovation Solution
A method that monitors communications between a client and a server to detect trigger signals, calculates response time by measuring the period between the end of a trigger signal and the beginning of the server's response, and sums these periods, excluding acknowledgement and idle times, to accurately account for processing time and network delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the time-to-first-buffer method is used to measure server response time, then the measurement is simple and quick, but the accuracy is poor due to partial responses and network bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the server response into multiple distinct phases: calculation time (processing time) and communication time (network transmission time). By inserting marker packets at specific points (beginning of calculation, end of calculation, beginning of response transmission), the system divides the overall response time measurement into separable components that can be measured and analyzed independently, thereby improving measurement accuracy while maintaining reasonable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces marker packets as intermediary elements between the client and server communication. These marker packets serve as mediators that carry timing information through the network, allowing the measurement system to distinguish between processing time and network transmission time without directly interfering with the actual data transmission, thus improving measurement precision without significantly increasing system complexity
2Loss of information
If traditional response time measurement is used, then the implementation is straightforward, but it cannot distinguish between calculation time and communication time
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement protocol is segmented into distinct phases with specific marker packets for each phase: a first marker packet marks the beginning of calculation, a second marker packet marks the end of calculation, and a third marker packet marks the beginning of response transmission. This segmentation preserves information about the composition of response time (calculation vs. communication) while keeping the protocol implementation manageable through clear, structured packet exchanges
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from a single aggregate response time to multiple distinct time parameters: calculation time (derived from markers 1 and 2) and communication time (derived from markers 2 and 3). By changing the measurement parameters to capture different phases separately, the system preserves detailed information about response time composition without requiring overly complex measurement infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining a response time of a server may include monitoring communications to and from the server to detect a client request to the server. The method may also include detecting in the monitored communications at least one trigger signal associated with the client request. The method may further include determining a response time of the server to be the time difference between a time at which the at least one trigger signal was fully received and a beginning time of transmission of a final server response from the server, disregarding transmission periods and periods during which the client request is not processed by the server. A computer readable medium and system for determining a response time of a server are also disclosed.