Abstract: A proactive IT infrastructure support system is set forth which provides operations performance benchmarking. The operations performance benchmarking makes use of data that is available from a direct supply model. The operations performance benchmarking collects, analyzes, and formats the data into a single, easy-to-use interface that provides customers an ability quickly evaluate absolute performance of key IT performance metrics and to evaluate relative performance by comparing the results to the customer's choice of a variety of external benchmarks (such as industry peers) and internal benchmarks (site vs. site, and performance to Service Level Agreement).

Abstract: Relates to a method of accurately and rapidly thinning commercial plantings of field crops by a motor-driven apparatus wherein the r.p.m. of the motor is converted into timing pulses and utilized in maintaining a virtually uniform rate of travel, the pulses being also utilized in energizing circuitry which controls instants of timing of the operation and deactivation of plant-sensing mechanisms and thinning knives through a control register which is presettable for mechanical lag and complete operating time whereby heretofore unattainable accuracy of thinning operations is attained under varying field conditions at high rates of progress. Also provides an apparatus which embodies a novel combination of mechanical improvements which overcome problems of weight, stability, flexibility, durability and dependability under various field conditions, and which employs the mode of operation above referred to.