Hierarchical resource management with maximum allowable allocation boundaries

A method of hierarchical resource management for allocating resource units to a level 0 entity through entities at levels 1 to N including intervening levels, where N is greater than or equal to two, comprising the steps of:

• assigning a first variable for at least one entity specifying a maximum resource allocation for the respective entity;
• assigning a second variable for at least one entity specifying a minimum resource allocation for the respective entity;
• receiving a request from a level 0 entity for a resource unit;
• and
• in response to a request from a level 0 entity for a resource unit, allocating said resource unit to the level 0 entity if actual resource utilization is less than the resource allocation specified by the respective second variable, and allocating said resource unit to the level 0 entity if:
• a) actual resource utilization by said level 0 entity is less than the maximum resource allocation specified by the respective first variable;
• and
• b) actual resource utilization by each of said level 1 through said level N-1 entities is less than the maximum resource allocation specified by the respective first variable for each of said entities.

A method of hierarchical resource management for allocation of resource units to a level 0 entity through level 1 to level N entities including intervening levels, where N is greater than or equal to two, comprising the steps of:

• assigning a first variable for at least one entity specifying a maximum resource allocation for the respective entity;
• assigning a second variable for at least one entity specifying a minimum resource allocation for the respective entity;
• receiving a request from a level 0 entity for a resource unit;
• and
• in response to a request from a level 0 entity for a resource unit:
• a) allocating said resource unit to the level 0 entity provided actual resource utilization by the level 0 entity is less than the minimum resource utilization specified by the second variable, said resource unit being granted without regard to any resultant resource utilization in excess of that specified by the respective second variable at levels 1 through N;
• and
• b) allocating said resource unit to the level 0 entity provided actual resource utilization by the level 0 entity is greater than the minimum allocation specified by the second variable, and provided resultant actual resource utilization at each of levels 1 through N will be less than the minimum resource utilization specified by the respective second variable.