5. PROFILE AND TRENDING ANALYSIS › 5.1 Functional Description

5.1 Functional Description

Profile and Trending Analysis allows you to tailor and
generate reports that list historical data observations and
estimate future observations using a compound rate of growth
methodology.  You may apply the facility to any of the files
in your Capacity Planning database.

Profile and Trending Analysis calculates the compound growth
rate between the first and the last observation (the long-
term rate of growth) and between the last two observations
(the short-term rate of growth).  Based on the control
parameters you provide, the program estimates a specified
number of future observations for each data element, using
either the long- or short-term rate of growth. The program
produces three primary reports:

o  Historical Observations Report.  This report lists the
   historical values for each of the data elements you
   specify.

o  Growth Rate Report.  This report details the short- and
   long-term growth rates calculated for each of the data
   elements you specify.

o  Estimates of Future Observations Report.  This report
   details the future estimates for each of the data elements
   you specify.  These estimates are calculated using the
   specified growth rate.