METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CLUSTERING COMPUTERS INTO PEER GROUPS AND COMPARING INDIVIDUAL COMPUTERS TO THEIR PEERS

A method and system for identifying clusters of similarly-configured computers. The method, for example, comprises gathering system and business configuration information values from a set of computers. Next, at least a portion of the system and business configuration information values gathered from the set of computers is analyzed along with the numbers of computers that are configured in various ways. Then, using the result of the analysis as a guide, logical expressions of configuration information values are selected for use as definitions of one or more clusters of similarly-configured computers, the selection process generally maximizing the number of computers included within each cluster and also generally maximizing the number of configuration information value specifications included within the definition of each cluster. Then, for one or more clusters so defined and selected, one or more statistics or limit values are generated from one or more configuration information values or both gathered from the subset of computers included in the one or more clusters.