Patent ID: 8326990

Claim:
A method comprising: calculating a first device assessment for a first computing device, wherein the first device assessment is based at least in part on a first plurality of data portion assessments, and each data portion assessment in the first plurality of data portion assessments comprises a weighted data quantity based at least in part on a product of: a quantity of data stored in a respective data portion accessible by the first computing device, and a weighting factor based at least in part on a type of data stored in the respective data portion accessible by the first computing device; calculating a second device assessment for a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is distinct from the first computing device, the second device assessment comprises a weighted data quantity based at least in part on a second plurality of data portion assessments, and each data portion assessment in the second plurality of data portion assessments is based at least in part on a product of: a quantity of data stored in a respective data portion accessible by the second computing device, and a weighting factor based at least in part on a type of data stored in the respective data portion accessible by the second computing device; calculating a first task assessment for a first collection of data portions, wherein the first task assessment is based at least in part on a third plurality of data portion assessments, and each data portion assessment in the third plurality of data portion assessments is based at least in part on a quantity of data stored in a respective data portion among the first collection of data portions, and a weighting factor based at least in part on a type of data stored in the respective data portion among the first collection of data portions; calculating a second task assessment for a second collection of data portions, wherein the second collection of data portions is distinct from the first collection of data portions, the second task assessment is based at least in part on a fourth plurality of data portion assessments, and each data portion assessment in the fourth plurality of data portion assessments is based at least in part on a quantity of data stored in a respective data portion among the second collection of data portions, and a weighting factor based at least in part on a type of data stored in the respective data portion among the second collection of data portions; selecting a target task, wherein the selecting the target task comprises comparing, using a processor, the first task assessment to the second task assessment; selecting a target device, wherein the selecting the target device comprises comparing the first device assessment to the second device assessment; and assigning the target task to be performed by the target device.