Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing information for detecting an idle tcp connection

A method for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a first node, first idle information for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in the TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;
• generating a TCP packet including a first idle time period header identifying metadata for the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• sending the TCP packet in the TCP connection to the second node to provide the metadata for the first idle time period to the second node;
• detecting the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• and
• deactivating the TCP connection in response to detecting the first idle time period.

A system for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the system comprising:

• an execution environment including an instruction processing unit configured to process an instruction included in at least one of a net in-port component, an idle time period option handler component, and an option attribute handler component;
• the net in-port component configured for receiving, by a second node from a first node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet in a TCP connection;
• the idle time period option handler component configured for detecting a first idle time period header, in the first packet, identifying metadata for a first idle time period, detectable by the first node, during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection by the second node is received by the first node;
• and
• the option attribute handler component configured for modifying, based on the metadata, by the second node a timeout attribute associated with the TCP connection.

A system for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the system comprising:

• an execution environment including an instruction processing unit configured to process an instruction included in at least one of an idle time period policy component, a packet generator component, a net out-port component, an idle time period monitor, and a connection state component;
• the idle time period policy component configured for receiving, by a first node, first idle information for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in the TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;
• the packet generator component configured for generating a TCP packet including a first idle time period header identifying metadata for the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• the net out-port component configured for sending the TCP packet in the TCP connection to the second node to provide the metadata for the first idle time period to the second node;
• the idle time period monitor component configured for detecting the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• and
• the connection state component configured for deactivating the TCP connection in response to detecting the first idle time period

A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

• receiving, by a second node from a first node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet in a TCP connection;
• detecting a first idle time period header, in the first packet, identifying metadata for a first idle time period, detectable by the first node, during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection by the second node is received by the first node;
• and
• modifying, based on the metadata, by the second node a timeout attribute associated with the TCP connection.

A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

• receiving, by a first node, first idle information for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in the TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;
• generating a TCP packet including a first idle time period header identifying metadata for the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• sending the TCP packet in the TCP connection to the second node to provide the metadata for the first idle time period to the second node;
• detecting the first idle time period based on the first idle information;
• and
• deactivating the TCP connection in response to detecting the first idle time period.