Patent ID: 7254750

Claim:
In a network of multi-processors having a series of local systems operated by Client-Users wherein a series of defined operating policies (P) are stored along with acceptable parameter limits for each policy, a method for developing a health trend analysis of future possible problems in network resources comprising the steps of: (a) accessing a health counter value for the allowable upper boundary “U” for a selected operating policy (P); (b) accessing a health counter value for the allowable lower boundary “L” for said selected operating policy (P); (c) establishing, via a trend counter, a trend of upward or downward increases or decreases in the availability of system resources which includes the steps of: (c1) collecting data points, in a sample set “N” where “N” is the number of collected data points; (c2) verifying that the number of collected data points is=“N”, (c3) calculating the average percent difference “A” which represents the cumulative difference between each data point and the one just before it for all points in the set; (c4) multiplying the average difference “A” by the number “N” of data points to get a result A*N; (c5) calculating a common sense value “C” by finding the percent difference between the first value and the last value of the sample set; (c6) establishing whether the product A*N is greater than said lower boundary “L” and less than said upper boundary “U”; (c7) preparing a summary of step (c6); (d) acquiring a series of data points associated with said selected policy (P); (e) setting a counter limit “TCL” (Trend Counter Limit) to a value specified for the selected policy (P).