Rules-based method of and system for optimizing server hardware capacity and performance

A method of optimizing server performance, which comprises the computer implemented steps of:

• monitoring each of a plurality of server hardware utilization parameters over a selected time period;
• computing an average of each of said plurality of server utilization parameters over said selected time period;
• dynamically comparing each average to a threshold value for a corresponding utilization parameter;
• reporting a performance bottleneck if at least one of said average is greater than the threshold value for the corresponding utilization parameter, wherein said reporting comprises sending an output to an output device of said server that is accessible to a system administrator;
• recommending a solution to said performance bottleneck;
• and
• outputting a recommendation to the output device of said server.

A data processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a program code executed on said processor for predicting a hardware performance bottleneck, said program code including code for:
• monitoring a hardware utilization parameters over selected time periods;
• computing running averages of said hardware utilization parameter over said selected time periods;
• determining a trend in said running averages;
• predicting a bottleneck by comparing said trend to a threshold value for said hardware utilization parameter;
• and
• outputting a prediction of said bottleneck to an output device.