Determining a configuration of a computer system for performing an operation, by determining an expected performance of a computer system based on at least one possible usage scenario given a current configuration of the computer system according to a current set of system parameters, determining an expected performance of the computer system based on at least one possible usage scenario given at least one candidate configuration of the computer system according to at least one candidate set of system parameters, and configuring the computer system according to whichever of the sets of system parameters that has a more favorable expected performance as determined in accordance with predefined criteria.