- Introduction
- 1: Agree on a Common Definition of Capacity Planning
- 2: Select a Capacity Planning Process Owner
- 3: Identify Key Resources To Be Measured
- 4: Measure the Current Utilizations of the Resources
- 5: Compare Current Utilizations to Maximum Capacities
- 6: Collect Meaningful Workload Forecasts from Representative Users
- 7: Transform Forecasts into Resource Requirements
- 8: Map Requirements Onto Existing Utilizations
- 9: Predict When the Shop Will Be Out of Capacity
- 10: Update Forecasts and Utilizations
- Harris Kern's Enterprise Computing Institute
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2: Select a Capacity Planning Process Owner
The second cardinal rule in developing a robust capacity planning process is to select an appropriately qualified individual to serve as the process owner. This person will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining the process and will be empowered to negotiate and delegate with developers and other support groups.
Above all else, this individual must be able to communicate effectively with developers; much of the success and credibility of a capacity plan depends on accurate input and constructive feedback from developers to infrastructure planners. The process owner also needs to be knowledgeable about systems and network software and components, as well as software and hardware configurations. Other recommended characteristics include having the ability to think and act strategically, and a reasonable working knowledge of an organization's critical applications. The relative preference of these traits will obviously vary from shop to shop, depending on the types of applications provided and services offered.