MANAGING A CLUSTER OF NETWORKED RESOURCES AND RESOURCE GROUPSUSING RULE - BASE CONSTRAINTS IN A SCALABLE CLUSTERING ENVIRONMENT.

An embodiment of the invention provides a method of managing a cluster of networked resources and resource groups using rule-based constraints. This method includes the step of building a globally optimal cluster configuration of the resources in accordance with the rule-based constraints and a current state of the resources, including identifying for each of the resources and resource groups an availability and quality of service, which are determined by dependencies among the resources and resource groups, resource equivalency, constraints on the resources and network policies. The method comprises the further steps of bringing the cluster of resources on-line in a systematic manner, given the current state of each of the resources and resource groups; and with the cluster of networked resources on-line, determining dynamic dependencies of and configuration infomration about the cluster of resources (i) statically at defined times and (ii) dynamically during cluster operation.