Patent ID: 7137019

Claim:
For a data processing system, a method for execution of programs for performing production work and utility work, said data processing system being operatively coupled to memory for storing data, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a performance impact limit of the utility work on the production work; throttling tasks associated with the utility work based on a throttling level; collecting performance data for said data processing system; determining a performance impact of the utility work on the production work, said step for determining a performance impact, comprising: determining a baseline for said data processing system; determining a performance impact of the utility work on the production work based on said baseline; and determining if said performance impact is above said performance impact limit; wherein said baseline is an estimate of the performance of said data processing system as if the utility work was not being performed, and wherein said performance impact is the difference between said baseline and said performance data; and adjusting said throttling level if said performance impact is more than said performance impact limit.