# Optimization Study

An **optimization study** (or **study** for short) represents an optimization initiative aimed at optimizing a goal on a target system. A study instructs Akamas about the space to explore and the KPIs used to evaluate whether a configuration is good or bad

Akamas supports two types of optimizations:

* [**Offline Optimization Studies**](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/using/study/offline-optimization-study) are optimization studies where the workload is simulated by leveraging a load-testing tool.
* [**Live Optimization Studies**](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/using/study/live-optimization-studies) are applied to systems that need to be optimized in production with respect to varying workloads observed while running live. For example, a microservices application can be optimized live by having Kubernetes and JVM parameters dynamically tuned for multiple microservices so as to minimize costs while matching response time objectives.

## Construct

A study is described by the following properties

* **system**: the [system](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/system) under optimization
* **parameters**: the set of [parameters](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/parameter) being optimized
* **metrics**: the set of [metrics](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/metric) to be collected
* **workflow**: the [workflow](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/workflows) describing tasks to perform experiments/trials
* **goal**: the desired optimization [goal](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/goals-and-constraints) to be achieved
* **constraints**: the optimization [constraints](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/glossary/goals-and-constraints) that any configuration needs to satisfy
* **steps**: the steps that are executed to run specific configurations (e.g. the baseline) and run the optimization

The construct to be used to define an optimization is described on the [Study template](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/construct-templates/study-template) page.

## Commands

An optimization study is an [Akamas resource](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/cli-reference#clireference-operations) that can be managed via CLI using the [resource management commands.](https://docs.akamas.io/akamas-docs/3.6/reference/cli-reference/resource-management)

## User Interface

The Akamas UI shows optimization studies in 2 specific top-level menus: one for offline optimization studies and another for live optimization studies.