Systems and methods for determining optimal utilization levels in a fixed capacity system

1. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, and wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

H

=

(

1

+

G

)

⁢

r

(

1

+

Gr

)

where E H is the hardware efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and G is a constant equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset;

determining, by the computing device, a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, and where the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and

determining, by the computing device, an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes determining the predictable capacity consumption rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes determining a predictable price decrease of the asset.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes plotting the hardware efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining the predictable capacity consumption rate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining a predictable price decrease of the asset.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes plotting the hardware efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

T

=

1

+

L

ln

⁢

⁢

r

where, E T is the touch efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and L is the natural log of a constant G, where G is equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the optimal utilization level includes determining a maximum value of the sum of the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the optimal utilization level includes determining the optimal utilization by finding a maximum value of the following function:

E S =E H +E T

where

E

H

=

(

1

+

G

)

⁢

r

(

1

+

Gr

)

where, E H is the hardware efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and G is a constant equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset, and where

E

T

=

1

+

L

ln

⁢

⁢

r

where, E T is the touch efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and L is the natural log of a constant G, where G is equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization levels.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a sum of the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization levels.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an asset purchasing decision based at least in part on the optimal utilization level.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an asset-related staffing decision based at least in part on the optimal utilization level.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to,

determine a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, and wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

H

=

(

1

+

G

)

⁢

r

(

1

+

Gr

)

where, E H is the hardware efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and G is a constant equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset;

determine a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, and where the disruption pursuant providing additional capacity; and

determine an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor, wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable storage medium.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises at least one of a disk and a device.

17. A system comprising at least one computing device, wherein the computing device comprises:

a microprocessor; and

an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions thereon that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to:

determine a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

H

=

(

1

+

G

)

⁢

r

(

1

+

Gr

)

where, E H is the hardware efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and G is a constant equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset;

determine a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, and where the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and

determine an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor.

18. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium;

determining, by the computing device, a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, wherein the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and wherein determining the touch efficiency factor comprises determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

T

=

1

+

L

ln

⁢

⁢

r

where, E T is the touch efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and L is the natural log of a constant G, where G is equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset; and

determining, by the computing device, an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor.

19. A system comprising at least one computing device, wherein the computing device comprises:

a microprocessor; and

an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions thereon that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to:

determine, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate;

wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium;

determine a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, wherein the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and wherein determining the touch efficiency factor comprises determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function:

E

T

=

1

+

L

ln

⁢

⁢

r

where, E T is the touch efficiency factor, r is the utilization of the asset and L is the natural log of a constant G, where G is equal to the growth rate of the asset minus the rate of price decrease of the asset; and

determining, by the computing device, an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor.