Real-Time CPU Performance Monitoring with WebSocket Controller in Web API: A Practical Guide

 Introduction:

Efficiently monitoring CPU performance is a crucial aspect of maintaining a high-performing Web API. In this blog post, we'll explore how to implement real-time CPU performance monitoring using a WebSocket controller in your Web API project. By leveraging WebSockets, you can create a dynamic monitoring solution that provides instant insights into CPU usage and empowers you to make informed optimization decisions.

Understanding Real-Time CPU Performance Monitoring with WebSocket Controller:

A WebSocket controller in your Web API acts as a communication hub, enabling real-time data exchange between the server and clients. By implementing a WebSocket controller dedicated to CPU performance monitoring, you can continuously stream CPU metrics to connected clients, facilitating proactive performance management.

Key Benefits of WebSocket Controller for CPU Performance Monitoring:

Instant Insights: Discover how a WebSocket controller allows administrators and developers to receive real-time updates on CPU performance metrics, enabling swift identification of anomalies or performance degradation.

Proactive Optimization: Learn how real-time monitoring empowers you to take immediate action to optimize CPU usage, ensuring consistent performance and responsiveness.

Resource Efficiency: Explore how WebSocket-based monitoring minimizes resource consumption compared to polling-based approaches, leading to a more efficient use of server resources.

Interactive Monitoring: Understand how the WebSocket controller enables interactive monitoring, allowing users to visualize and analyze CPU metrics as they change.

Implementing Real-Time CPU Performance Monitoring with WebSocket Controller:

Let's dive into the step-by-step implementation of real-time CPU performance monitoring using a WebSocket controller in your Web API project:

Create WebSocket Controller:

Add a new controller class, PerformanceController.cs, to handle WebSocket connections and CPU performance monitoring:

csharp
 public class PerformanceController : ApiController
    {
        [Route("api/ServerUsage")]
        [HttpGet]
        public HttpResponseMessage Get()
        {
            if (HttpContext.Current.IsWebSocketRequest)
            {
                HttpContext.Current.AcceptWebSocketRequest(ProcessWebSocket);
            }

            return Request.CreateResponse(System.Net.HttpStatusCode.SwitchingProtocols);
        }

        private async Task ProcessWebSocket(AspNetWebSocketContext context)
        {
            WebSocket webSocket = context.WebSocket;
            var cpuCounter = new PerformanceCounter("Processor", "% Processor Time", "_Total");
            var memoryCounter = new PerformanceCounter("Memory", "Available MBytes");
            while (webSocket.State == WebSocketState.Open)
            {
                // Simulate getting CPU usage data
                //double cpuUsage = GetCpuUsage();

                
                cpuCounter.NextValue(); // Call this method once to initialize the counter.
                System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000); // Sleep for a second to allow the counter to collect data.
                var cpuUsage = cpuCounter.NextValue();

                var maxCpuMemoryThresholdValue =
                    System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MaxCpuMemoryThresholdValue"] != null
                        ? Convert.ToDouble(
                            System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MaxCpuMemoryThresholdValue"])
                        : 80.0;
                var memoryUsage = memoryCounter.NextValue();
                // Convert CPU usage to bytes
                //byte[] buffer = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(string.Format("CPU Usage: {0}%", cpuUsage));


                byte[] buffer;
                if (cpuUsage > maxCpuMemoryThresholdValue || memoryUsage < 100 ) // Assume the server is "slow" if CPU usage is over 80%
                {
                    // Convert CPU usage to bytes
                    buffer = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(string.Format("Server is under load, please retry again ( CpuUsage: {0}% and memory Usage : {1} )", cpuUsage, memoryUsage));

                    //return Ok(new { status = "Server is slow", cpuUsage });
                }
                else
                    buffer = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(string.Format("Server is running normally, CpuUsage: {0}% and memory Usage : {1} )", cpuUsage, memoryUsage));

                // Send CPU usage data to the connected client
                await webSocket.SendAsync(new ArraySegment<byte>(buffer), WebSocketMessageType.Text, true, CancellationToken.None);
                
                // Delay for a while before sending the next update
                await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(7));
            }
        }
    }

Conclusion:

By implementing a WebSocket controller for real-time CPU performance monitoring, you can create a dynamic and interactive monitoring solution within your Web API. This implementation guide has walked you through setting up a WebSocket controller, simulating CPU metrics, and establishing real-time communication with clients. By leveraging WebSocket technology, you can gain immediate insights into CPU usage, optimize performance, and ensure the efficient operation of your Web API. Embrace the power of WebSocket controllers to take your CPU performance monitoring to the next level.