Forced Idle exists when the trip time between the server and the testing workstation is longer than the time it takes for the testing workstation to process the window of data sent by the server. TCP is forced to idle waiting for data at the client. This is not unlike loading a truck with boxes from a warehouse. If you are standing by the truck and a number of people are bringing you boxes to load. If the amount of time taken to bring the boxes to you exceeds the time taken to get more boxes and return before you have loaded the boxes then you will fall idle waiting for more boxes to arrive. Obviously the further the truck is away from the source of the boxes the longer the trips to and from the truck and the more forced Idle. Forced Idle is natural and cannot be avoided. In fact Forced Idle can be a benefit if many different applications share a common connection. Forced idle defines if a connection can support multiple application connections without impacting each other.