Patent ID: 6272544
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method in a computer system for allocating server resources to each of a plurality of work types, the method comprising the steps of:receiving a plurality of service level goals, each service level goal identifying a work type to which the goal applies, each service level goal further specifying a performance standard for the work type identified by the service level goal, the service level goals having an order from most significant to least significant;identifying any service level goals within the plurality of service level goals whose performance standards are not satisfied with respect to the work types identified by the service level goals;selecting each work type having at least one identified unsatisfied service' level goal,for each selected work type, selecting the identified unsatisfied service level goal identifying the work type that is most significant in the order of service level goals;assigning preference levels to the selected work types such that the assigned preference levels relate directly to the position of the selected service level goals identifying the selected work types in the order of service level goals; andallocating server resources to the plurality of work types in accordance with the assigned preference levels;wherein the allocating step allocates server resources to work transactions of the plurality of work types, and wherein the receiving step receives service level goals in which the performance standard is expressed using a goal criterion and a desired service level, the goal criterion specifying a standard sought to be satisfied for each transaction of the work type and the desired service level specifying a fraction of transactions of the work type for which the goal criterion is sought to be satisfied, and wherein the identifying step identifies service level goals whose goal criteria are not satisfied for at least the fractions of transactions of the work types specified by the desired service levels of the service level goals.