Dynamic tuning of a software rejuvenation method using a customer affecting performance metric

1. A computer-implemented method for triggering a software rejuvenation system or method comprising:

receiving a request for resources;

determining an estimated response time to the request for resources;

determining that the estimated response time is greater than a first threshold;

determining that a number of estimated response times greater than the first threshold is greater than or equal to a dynamic second threshold; and

triggering the software rejuvenation system or method.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated response time comprises:

sampling a plurality of response times; and

determining an average response time, wherein the average response time is used as the estimated response time.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold varies according to a number of estimated response times greater than the first threshold, and the dynamic second threshold is determined each time the first threshold is varied.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising increasing the first threshold with the number of response times greater than the first threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic second threshold is a positive integer.

6. A computer-implemented method for triggering a software rejuvenation system or method comprising:

receiving a request for resources;

determining a response time to the request for resources;

increasing a number of response times greater than a first threshold upon determining that the response time is greater than the first threshold;

decreasing the number of response times greater than the first threshold upon determining that the response time is less than the first threshold;

determining that the number of response times greater than the first threshold is greater than or equal to a dynamic second threshold; and

triggering the software rejuvenation system or method.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

increasing the first threshold by a number of standard deviations upon determining the number of response times greater than the first threshold is greater than D, wherein the first threshold can be increased K standard deviations, and wherein K and D are the same or different positive integers, and the second threshold is K multiplied by D; and

re-determining the dynamic second threshold upon increasing the first threshold.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

decreasing the first threshold by a number of standard deviations upon determining the number of response times greater than the first threshold is less than D, wherein the first threshold can be decreased K standard deviations, and wherein K and D are the same or different positive integers, and the second threshold is K multiplied by D; and

re-determining the dynamic second threshold upon decreasing the first threshold.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the request for resources is generated by a client.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the request for resources is generated by a load injector.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising initializing with the number of response times greater than the first threshold at zero, the first threshold set at a lowest level, and the dynamic second threshold at a highest level.

12. A computer-implemented method for distinguishing between a burst of requests and a decrease in performance of a software product comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests for resources;

comparing each of the plurality of requests to a first variable threshold;

varying the first variable threshold to distinguish between a burst of requests and a decrease in performance of a software product for handling the plurality of requests;

varying a second variable threshold upon varying the first variable threshold; and

triggering a software rejuvenation system or method upon determining that a number of response times greater than the variable threshold at a predetermined highest level is greater than or equal to the second variable threshold.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining a source of each request causing the software rejuvenation to be triggered; and

determining a common source of a predetermined number of the requests causing the software rejuvenation to be triggered, wherein the software rejuvenation system or method is triggered at a computer node nearest to the common source from among a plurality of computer nodes.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising initializing with the number of response times greater than the first variable threshold at zero, the first variable threshold set at a lowest level, and the second variable threshold at a highest level.