In this method for controlling a server cluster, the cluster Including a plurality of nodes, automated agents measure the change in at least one metric quantifying the use of the nodes for the execution of an application, the agents determine, for each node, by measuring the metric, whether a change of phase has taken place in the executed application, and cause a change of the operation of the node if necessary; at regular intervals, an automated coordinator aggregates the metric measurements and the changes of operation of the nodes that have taken place and, on the basis of the aggregated measurements, the coordinator sends instructions to at least one of the agents.