gistfile1.txt

def smallest_networker_group 
        #results = %x(/bin/echo -e "option regexp \n show group \n p type: NSR client; group: cloud_nonprd_*"|nsradmin -s <server> -i -|grep group:)
        results = "cloud_nonprd_3\ncloud_nonprd_3\ncloud_nonprd_3\ncloud_nonprd_2\ncloud_nonprd_1\ncloud_nonprd_1\n"

        results_hash = Hash.new(0)

        #iterate over each group returned by the nsradmin command, tallying total number of times that group is used
        results.each_line do |line|

                group = line.gsub(/(\s+)|group:|;/,"")
                results_hash[group] += 1
        end

        # find the key of the lowest value in the hash
        #Hash#key is not supported in ruby 1.8
        #smallestgroup = results_hash.key(results_hash.values.min)


        #iterate over the hash, finding the smallest size group - is there an easier way of doing this?
        smallest = results_hash.values.first 
        smallestgroup = results_hash.keys.first 

        results_hash.each do |k,v|
                if(v < smallest)
                        smallest = v
                        smallestgroup = k
                end
        end

        return smallestgroup
end

#call method
puts smallest_networker_group