Detecting spikes in memory usage in a computer system

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
• determining, for processes in a computing system, data which indicate memory usage by a process and information related to a number of instances of the process;
• determining, based on the data:
• a first average amount of memory used by the process;
• a first standard deviation in the amount of memory used by the process;
• a first value indicating a difference between a current amount of memory used by the process and the first average amount;
• a second average number of instances of the process;
• a second standard deviation in the number of instances of the process;
• and
• a second value indicating a difference between a current number of instances of the process and the second average number;
• performing a corrective action to address a memory spike associated with the process responsive to at least one of:
• a first comparison of the current amount of memory used by the process with a first predetermined watermark;
• a second comparison of the first value with the first standard deviation scaled by a second predetermined tuning factor;
• a third comparison of the current number of instances with a third predetermined watermark;
• and
• a fourth comparison of the second value with the second standard deviation scaled by a fourth predetermined tuning factor.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

• determining, for processes in a computing system, data which indicate memory usage by a process and information related to a number of instances of the process;
• determining, based on the data:
• a first average amount of memory used by the process;
• a first standard deviation in the amount of memory used by the process;
• a first value indicating a difference between a current amount of memory used by the process and the first average amount;
• a second average number of instances of the process;
• a second standard deviation in the number of instances of the process;
• and
• a second value indicating a difference between a current number of instances of the process and the second average number;
• performing a corrective action to address a memory spike associated with the process responsive to at least one of:
• a first comparison of the current amount of memory used by the process with a first predetermined watermark;
• a second comparison of the first value with the first standard deviation scaled by a second predetermined tuning factor;
• a third comparison of the current number of instances with a third predetermined watermark;
• and
• a fourth comparison of the second value with the second standard deviation scaled by a fourth predetermined tuning factor.