How do I know my full node is "strong"?

Question

I just got a full node setup and have 3 neighbors. Things are flowing and we are exchanging new transactions. Are there some metrics I can get from the node to know whether it's "strong" or if there is more it can be doing for the network?

The node is running at an avg of 25% cpu and using 3 of 8GB RAM. Here are some stats:

get_neighbors()

address: xxxx:14265
numberOfAllTransactions: 180727
numberOfRandomTransactionRequests: 7338
numberOfNewTransactions: 9231
numberOfInvalidTransactions: 0
numberOfSentTransactions: 206236
connectionType: udp

get_node_info()

appName: IRI
appVersion: 1.4.1.6
duration: 0
jreAvailableProcessors: 4
jreFreeMemory: 927601584
jreMaxMemory: 1960837120
jreTotalMemory: 1960837120
jreVersion: 1.8.0_151
latestMilestoneIndex: 332528
latestSolidSubtangleMilestoneIndex: 332528
neighbors: 3
packetsQueueSize: 0
time: 1516570823527
tips: 5678
transactionsToRequest: 175

Answer 1

The two values:

• latestMilestoneIndex
• latestSolidSubtangleMilestoneIndex

obtained with getNodeInfo api call, are the only meaningful measures that counts.

For a well running full node:

• latestMilestoneIndex has to be updated to the last index validated by the coordinator (e.g. you can find this value on #botbox channel on Discord);

• latestSolidSubtangleMilestoneIndex has to be equal to latestMilestoneIndex that is their difference has to be 0.

The full node that satisfies the two conditions above is a full node synchronized with the Tangle. The Tangle needs synchronized full nodes that run 24/7.

Time after time full nodes will be affected by an increase of transactions per seconds or by changes in neighbors quality and quantity but as far as they will succeed in satisfing the two conditions above they remain well running nodes with well sized amount of CPU and memory and a good set of neighbors.