Patent ID: 8386607

Claim:
A method for managing shared computing resources in a distributed computing environment, wherein at least one application manager manages at least one application comprising a plurality of workload units, and wherein at least one resource manager, logically distinct from the at least one application manager, manages a plurality of resources capable of processing at least some of the plurality of workload units, the method comprising: receiving, by a resource conductor, hosted by a computing system, logically distinct from both the at least one application manager and the at least one resource manager, a processing specification for a first application, wherein the first application is associated with a first application manager, wherein the processing specification affects a first quantity N, and wherein the first quantity N represents a quantity of the plurality of resources allocated to the first application; receiving by the resource conductor information related to at least one of the plurality of workload units associated with the first application from the first application manager; determining by the resource conductor a first quantity R, wherein the first quantity R represents a quantity of the plurality of resources appropriate for processing the workload units associated with the first application in accordance with the processing specification for the first application; and based on the determined first quantity R, adjusting by the resource conductor the first quantity N of resources allocated to the first application, wherein the adjusting the first quantity N is accomplished at least in part by communicating with the at least one resource manager.