METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MONITOR AND ANALYZE END TO END FLOW CONTROL IN AN ETHERNET/ENHANCED ETHERNET ENVIRONMENT

A method and system for monitoring and analyzing flow control of packets in a communications network which includes multiple data transmission paths. The communications network has a first data path including an initiating node and a target node. A test frame is generated by an initiator module of a program executed by a computer for transmission over the first data path. The initiator module transmits the test frame over the first data path from the initiating node to the target node, wherein the test frame records a starting timestamp recorded by the initiating node upon transmitting the test frame. The test frame records a half trip timestamp recorded by the target node upon the test frame being received by the target node. The test frame records an end timestamp recorded by the initiating node, upon the test frame being received at the initiating node from the target node.