Usage pattern virtual machine idle detection

A method for detecting idle virtual machines, comprising:

• collecting, by at least one computing device, a plurality of utilization metrics from a virtual machine over time;
• determining, by the at least one computing device, a plurality of clusters for the plurality of utilization metrics;
• assigning, by the at least one computing device, individual utilization metrics among the plurality of utilization metrics to one of the plurality of clusters;
• and
• computing, by the at least one computing device, a percentage of utilization metrics assigned to individual ones of the plurality of clusters as an indication as to the virtual machine being idle or utilized.

A system for detecting idle virtual machines, comprising:

• a memory device configured to store computer-readable instructions thereon;
• and
• at least one computing device configured, through execution of the computer-readable instructions, to at least:
• collect a plurality of utilization metrics from a virtual machine over time;
• separate the plurality of utilization metrics into a set of training metrics and a set of validation metrics;
• determine a plurality of clusters for the plurality of utilization metrics based on the set of training metrics;
• assign individual utilization metrics among the set of validation metrics to one of the plurality of clusters;
• compute a percentage of utilization metrics assigned to individual ones of the plurality of clusters;
• and
• determine that the virtual machine is an idle virtual machine in response to the percentage of utilization metrics assigned to one of the plurality of clusters being equal to or greater than a predetermined percentage.