SELF-OPTIMIZING INFERENTIAL-SENSING TECHNIQUE TO OPTIMIZE DEPLOYMENT OF SENSORS IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM

We disclose a system that optimizes deployment of sensors in a computer system. During operation, the system generates a training data set by gathering a set of n signals from n sensors in the computer system during operation of the computer system. Next, the system uses an inferential model to replace one or more signals in the set of n signals with corresponding virtual signals, wherein the virtual signals are computed based on cross-correlations with unreplaced remaining signals in the set of n signals. Finally, the system generates a design for an optimized version of the computer system, which includes sensors for the remaining signals, but does not include sensors for the replaced signals. During operation, the optimized version of the computer system: computes the virtual signals from the remaining signals; and uses the virtual signals and the remaining signals while performing prognostic pattern-recognition operations to detect incipient anomalies that arise during execution.