A method includes receiving a trace of a job in a distributed computing system and a topology of the system and determining performance indicators of each virtual node's (1) busyness from executing its share of local resource and network dependent tasks in the job, (2) efficiency for executing its share of the local resource tasks, and (3) efficiency for executing its share of the network dependent tasks. The method includes aggregating performance indicators of each host's virtual nodes and determining if one of the hosts is least efficient in executing its share of the local resource and the network dependent tasks. If so, the method includes determining if the one host is less busy from executing it share of the local resource and the network dependent tasks than other hosts. If not, the method includes reporting the one host's busiest virtual node as a candidate of processor error.