Tracking a one off task run from a script as a background job.

gistfile1.txt

# Run this as:
#
#   NEW_RELIC_CONFIG_FILE=newrelic.ini newrelic-admin run-python example.py
#
# If being run under Heroku, you can skip setting NEW_RELIC_CONFIG_FILE on the
# command line as the required environment variable settings added by the
# Heroku New Relic addon will be picked up automatically.

import time
import newrelic.agent

# This force registers the agent and waits for it to register for period up to
# that specified by timeout. If doesn't register in that time, execution will
# continue anyway.
#
# If this is being done as background thread to web process where agent is
# already running and in use, then you can comment out the line to register the
# agent.
#
# Instead of using register_application() here, could also set startup_timeout
# setting in agent configuration file, or use the NEW_RELIC_STARTUP_TIMEOUT
# environment variable. Using the environment variable would not be advisable
# on Heroku if this is being run in a web dyno as it will also affect the
# monitoring being done on the web application.

newrelic.agent.register_application(timeout=5.0)

start = time.time()

# Background decorator applied to function you want to track time spent in.

@newrelic.agent.background_task(name='Update', group='Tasks')
def do_update():
    # ... do stuff

do_update()

# Force artificial delay to ensure that reporting period is at least one second
# otherwise data collector can throw away data, thinking it is invalid.
#
# This is not required if using version 1.7.0 of the agent or newer as those
# agent versions use a trick to ensure the reporting period satisfies the time
# threshold requirement if there are transactions recorded and process is being
# shutdown at that time.

finish = time.time()

duration = finish - start

if duration < 1.1:
    time.sleep(1.1 - duration)