Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus generally involves a resource allocator receiving a request that specifies one or more characteristics for the apparatus. A resource allocator determines the logical devices to be included in the apparatus so that the apparatus has the specified characteristics. For at least one logical device, the resource allocator determines whether a physical device is available that corresponds to the logical device. If a physical device is available, the resource allocator allocates the physical device to the apparatus. If a physical device is not available, the resource allocator does not allocate the physical device to the apparatus.

Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on suspendable resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator determining that a particular resource requirement for an apparatus is to no longer be satisfied, such as for a suspendable resource requirement. The resource allocator de-allocates the one or more resources that satisfy the particular resource requirement from the apparatus. The resource allocator obtains and stores state information for a de-allocated resource so that another resource, which may or may not be the same as the resource that was de-allocated, can be allocated to the apparatus based on the stored state information with an acceptable loss of state.

Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator receiving a request that specifies resource requirements for the apparatus. A resource allocator determines whether resources are available that satisfy the resource requirements. If resources are available that satisfy a resource requirement, the resource allocator indicates that the resource requirement is fulfilled and the resources are allocated to the apparatus. If resources are not available that satisfy a resource requirement, the resource allocator indicates that the resource requirement is not fulfilled and the resources are not allocated to the apparatus. The apparatus is implemented based on the allocated resources.

Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on alternative resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator determining that a resource that satisfies a resource requirement is not available, and based on the resource not being available, the resource allocator determines that another resource that satisfies another resource requirement is available. The resource allocator allocates the other resource to the apparatus, thereby allowing the apparatus to be implemented based on the other resource. The resource requirements are alternatives so that if the one alternative resource requirement cannot be fulfilled, the other alternative resource requirement can be fulfilled. Some alternatives can be preferred over other alternatives in a set of alternative resource requirements. In general, in a set of “n” alternative resource requirements, “m” resource requirements can be specified to be fulfilled, where “m” is less than “n” and “n” is two or greater.

Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on preemptable resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator determining that a resource that satisfies a resource requirement for one apparatus is not available but that another resource that currently satisfies another resource requirement for another apparatus does satisfy the resource requirement. The resource allocator determines that the other resource requirement for the other apparatus is characterized in that resources that currently satisfy the other resource requirement may be de-allocated from the other apparatus, such as a preemptable resource requirement. The resource allocator de-allocates the resource from the other apparatus and allocates the resource to the one apparatus. A preemptable resource requirement can be based on a suspendable resource requirement or a set of alternative resource requirements.

Abstract: An approach for allocating resources to an apparatus based on resource requirements generally involves a resource allocator receiving a request that specifies resource requirements for the apparatus. A resource allocator determines whether resources are available that satisfy the resource requirements. If resources are available that satisfy a resource requirement, the resource allocator indicates that the resource requirement is fulfilled and the resources are allocated to the apparatus. If resources are not available that satisfy a resource requirement, the resource allocator indicates that the resource requirement is not fulfilled and the resources are not allocated to the apparatus. The apparatus is implemented based on the allocated resources. A resource requirement can be optional so that if the optional resource requirement is not fulfilled, the apparatus can still be implemented.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for tracking the execution progress of a task is disclosed. In one implementation, the execution progress of a parent task and one or more child tasks is monitored. The parent task spawns the one or more child tasks, and the child tasks execute concurrently with the parent task. In addition to monitoring the execution progress of the tasks, an overall execution progress value is determined for the parent task. In one implementation, the overall execution progress value is determined based, at least partially, upon the execution progress of the parent task and the execution progress of at least one of the child tasks. By taking the execution progress of the child tasks into account, the overall execution progress value reflects not just the progress made by the parent task itself but also the progress made by the child tasks that it spawned.