Patent ID: 7881961
Filing Date: 2011-02-01
Classification: G06Q,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method of achieving a desired service level for one or more of a plurality of service factors for providing a service to a service requester, said computer implemented method comprising: providing a business process having one or more service inputs, one or more service outputs, one or more capacity constraints each having a capacity level, and a buffer with an upper buffer threshold and a lower buffer threshold for a buffer level, wherein said buffer queues up transactions that pile up ahead of said capacity constraints, wherein said capacity constraints are resources used to provide the service to the service requester, and wherein said upper buffer threshold and said lower buffer threshold are respectively upper and lower capacity limits of the buffer; a processor in a computer system measuring with a performance monitoring subsystem a set of business process data including service input data for said one or more service inputs, service output data for said one or more service outputs, capacity constraint data for said one or more capacity constraints, non-constraint data for each non-constraint, and queue data for said buffer; wherein said performance monitoring subsystem comprises said computer system having software installed thereon to manage a particular business process, and wherein said queue data comprises a number of times per a predetermined period that said buffer level goes beyond the upper buffer threshold, a number of times per said predetermined period that said buffer level goes beyond the lower buffer threshold, and a length of time that said buffer level exceeds the upper buffer threshold and said lower buffer threshold; transmitting said set of business process data measured by said performance monitoring subsystem to a capacity management subsystem, wherein said capacity management subsystem utilizes said computer system used by said performance monitoring subsystem; and directing said capacity management subsystem to adjust said capacity level of said one or more capacity constraints in response to said set of business process data transmitted by said performance monitoring subsystem in order to achieve said desired service level for said one or more of said plurality of service factors that are associated with said one or more service outputs.