Patent ID: 7434204

Claim:
An automated method of managing a software process, comprising: registering a first process when said first process begins executing; maintaining a set of rules for the first process, wherein said set of rules indicate when to recycle the first process, and wherein said set of rules identify one or more of a threshold length of time and a threshold number of transactions; periodically receiving operating statistics from the first process, said operating statistics comprising: a time indicator configured to indicate a length of time the first process has been continuously executing; and a transaction indicator configured to indicate a number of transactions handled by the first process during said length of time; comparing said length of time to a threshold length of time associated with the first process; comparing said number of transactions to a threshold number of transactions associated with the first process; comparing a minimum desired capacity of a set of software processes that includes the first process to a current capacity of the set of software processes minus a first capacity of the first process; and instructing the first process to recycle if said current capacity minus said first capacity is not less than said minimum desired capacity and: said length of time exceeds a threshold length of time associated with the first process; or said number of transactions exceeds a threshold number of transactions associated with the first process.