Dynamically choosing data to collect in a system

A method for dynamically limiting collection of metric data, comprising:

• collecting, metric data for a first job upon determining that the first job:
• began executing within a threshold amount of time of an initial program load of a computing system, wherein the first job manages an aspect of the computing system;
• uses a memory of the computing system at a level that exceeds a first combined memory threshold, wherein the first job is allocated each of a plurality of portions of the memory, wherein the first combined memory threshold applies to use of at least two of the plurality of portions of the memory;
• uses a first resource of the computing system at a level that exceeds a first threshold, wherein the metric data describes a usage level of the memory and a usage level of the first resource by the first job, wherein the first resource is different than the memory;
• and
• has been executing for a duration of time that exceeds a time threshold;
• and
• stopping the collecting of metric data for the first job upon determining at least one of:
• (i) that the level of use of the memory falls below the first combined memory threshold, and (ii) the level of use of the first resource falls below the first threshold, wherein the collecting of the metric data causes the computing system to collect less metric data relative to collecting metric data without considering the combined threshold, the first threshold, and the time threshold.