An information handling system may include at least one processor and a memory. The information handling system may be configured to perform a maintenance operation involving a plurality of hosts of an information handling system cluster by: determining a score for each host based on a sum of working memory sizes for all active virtual machines executing on such host plus a sum of persistent storage sizes for all virtual machines stored on such host; based on the determined scores, selecting a first host for upgrading; migrating at least a portion of all virtual machines stored on the first host from the first host to one or more other hosts; and causing the first host to perform the maintenance operation.