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

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

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

A system 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 idle time period monitor component;
• the net in-port component configured for receiving, by a first node from a second node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet in a TCP connection;
• the idle time period option handler component configured for identifying a first idle time period header, in the first packet, for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection from the second node is received by the first node;
• the idle time period monitor component configured for detecting the first idle time period based on the first idle time period header;
• and
• the connection state component configured for deactivating the TCP connection in response to detecting the first idle time period.

A system 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, and a net out-port component;
• the idle time period policy component configured for receiving, by a second node, first idle information for detecting when a TCP connection is idle;
• the packet generator component configured for generating a TCP packet including a first idle time period header based on the first idle information;
• and
• the net out-port component configured for sending the TCP packet in the TCP connection to the first node for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in the TCP connection from the second node is received by the first node;

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

• receiving, by a first node from a second node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet in a TCP connection;
• identifying a first idle time period header, in the first packet, for detecting a first idle time period during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection from the second node is received by the first node;
• detecting the first idle time period based on the first idle time period header;
• and
• 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 detecting an idle TCP connection, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

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