Patent ID: 8276150

Claim:
A computer implemented method of managing a resource, the method comprising: using a first object embedded in a cell of a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet running on a spreadsheet application operating on a processor, the first object including data gathering routines adapted to obtain data associated with the resource that is being managed; executing one or more formulas embedded in another cell of the spreadsheet running on the spreadsheet application, wherein at least one of the one or more formulas reference the data obtained by the first object; and using at least one resource management routine included in the first object to alter the operation of the resource based on the results of at least one of the one or more formulas being executed, wherein the spreadsheet running on the spreadsheet application forms an autonomic manager for autonomically managing the resource, wherein the first object is configured to change the value of a notification cell in the spreadsheet in response to a communication from the resource that is being managed, and wherein at least one of the formulas embedded in another cell of the spreadsheet comprises a conditional statement that calls for the execution of the at least one resource management routine associated with the first object if the notification cell in the spreadsheet has a certain value; wherein a plurality of second objects are embedded into the spreadsheet that accept the obtained data.