---
title: "Keep headroom · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience/headroom
id: OPS-39
level: Recommended
updated: 2026-10-27
build: a2a6bdfed830
tokens: 774
licence: "CC BY 4.0"
licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Keep headroom

For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Capacity and resilience](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience.md).

By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-27.

- ID: OPS-39
- Level: Recommended
- Chapter: [Capacity and resilience](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience.md)
- Rule: Keep normal peak load below a set share of the tested limit, such as 60 percent. Then a spike or a lost server does not break the service.
- Check: Last month's peak load is below the agreed share of the tested limit, with one server or zone removed.
- How: Plan for peak traffic plus the loss of one server or zone. Take the peak from [the load you plan for](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/scaling/measure-before-you-scale/load-model.md). Grow capacity before the peak reaches the agreed share of the limit. Autoscaling settings, including the maximum, are in [Scale on the resource that runs out](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/scaling/load-balancing-and-autoscaling/scale-on-saturation.md). Take the tested limit from a [load test](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/testing/performance-tests/load-tests.md). This rule measures load, such as requests per second or CPU.

## Related rules

- TST-51 [Hold normal load for hours to find leaks](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/testing/performance-tests/soak-tests.md) in Testing
- SCL-3 [Write down the load you plan for](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/scaling/measure-before-you-scale/load-model.md) in Scaling
- SCL-30 [Scale on the resource that runs out](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/scaling/load-balancing-and-autoscaling/scale-on-saturation.md) in Scaling
- TST-36 [Test load against a budget](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/testing/performance-tests/load-tests.md) in Testing
- OPS-78 [Run production in two zones or more](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience/multiple-zones.md) in Operations and observability
- INF-55 [Size servers from what they use](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/infrastructure/cost-and-ownership/rightsize-from-measurements.md) in Infrastructure and environments
- SCL-41 [Scale up before a peak you know is coming](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/scaling/load-balancing-and-autoscaling/scale-before-known-peaks.md) in Scaling

**For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `<a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience/headroom">Agent Wranglers operations and observability playbook</a>`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.

- Next: [Turn work away before overload](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience/load-shedding.md)
- [Capacity and resilience](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/operations/capacity-and-resilience.md)