ARBITRATION IN A COMPUTING UTILITY SYSTEM

Methods, apparatus and systems for controlling allocation and de-allocation of resources in a computing utility system, and evaluating resource assignments. Resources are dynamically allocated to customers of the computing utility through computing environments in such a way that a given objective is satisfied. Assignment of resources to environments is affected by relationships between computing environments which enable resource sharing, and constraints regarding assignment of resources to environment which limit resource sharing. The invention may be used over all of the environments in the utility or a selectable subset.