Abstract: In a cloud computing system, groups of virtual machines include within one or more pods interacting with one another. A set of hosts is dedicated to operation of the virtual machines in each pod, and such dedication persists during routine maintenance operations when one or more virtual machines is uninstalled. The pod and the hosts can be scheduled for maintenance during a single interval. The cloud computing system may notify the owner of the virtual machines in advance of the interval, and may allow the owner of the virtual machines to either reschedule the maintenance of the pod and hosts in a single interval, or to schedule maintenance for each virtual machine in a separate interval.