A server for cluster computing, comprising: memory and input/output resources; one or more processors coupled with the memory and the input/output resources, to operate one of a plurality of application slaves spawned by an application master ; wherein the other application slaves are operated on other servers, which, together with the server, are members of a computing cluster; and a service assurance manager agent to proximately assure compliance with an application level service level agreement for one or more applications via assurance of a node level service level agreement of an application slave , by interactions to understand the needs of the application slave and communications to manage allocation of the one or more processors, the memory and the input/output resources to the application slave , wherein the node level service level agreement is derived from the application level service level agreement , wherein the application level service agreement specifies the aggregate service level to be jointly provided by the application master and slaves (104a 104b), and wherein the service assurance manager agent is to: check application slaves for processor, memory and/or input/output resource needs; and upon identification of needs : adjust allocation of processor, memory and/or input/output resources by allocating said resources from free unused resources, and/or by de-allocating said resources from other application slaves , and/or cause application slaves to curtail their resource needs by reducing and/or temporarily halting one or more of their processes and/or tasks. memory and input/output resources; one or more processors coupled with the memory and the input/output resources, to operate one of a plurality of application slaves spawned by an application master ; wherein the other application slaves are operated on other servers, which, together with the server, are members of a computing cluster; and a service assurance manager agent to proximately assure compliance with an application level service level agreement for one or more applications via assurance of a node level service level agreement of an application slave , by interactions to understand the needs of the application slave and communications to manage allocation of the one or more processors, the memory and the input/output resources to the application slave , wherein the node level service level agreement is derived from the application level service level agreement , wherein the application level service agreement specifies the aggregate service level to be jointly provided by the application master and slaves (104a 104b), and wherein the service assurance manager agent is to: check application slaves for processor, memory and/or input/output resource needs; and upon identification of needs : adjust allocation of processor, memory and/or input/output resources by allocating said resources from free unused resources, and/or by de-allocating said resources from other application slaves , and/or cause application slaves to curtail their resource needs by reducing and/or temporarily halting one or more of their processes and/or tasks. adjust allocation of processor, memory and/or input/output resources by allocating said resources from free unused resources, and/or by de-allocating said resources from other application slaves , and/or cause application slaves to curtail their resource needs by reducing and/or temporarily halting one or more of their processes and/or tasks. <EOS>