Abstract: A resource allocation engine distributes host resources, such as CPU cores, dynamically between a set of containers executing in the context of the host operating system. The resource allocation engine sets a lower limit on CPU allocation for each container to prevent the containers from being starved of CPU resources. The resource allocation engine monitors the utilization of the resources allocated to the containers, and redistributes the host resources dynamically among the containers based on the utilization values. Containers having high utilization values are assigned more resources correspondingly, and containers having low utilization values are assigned fewer resources. In some embodiments, the resource allocation engine assigns weights to the containers, and uses the weights to assign CPU resources for an upcoming assignment period. An operating system utility, such as C-groups, is used to implement the resource allocations to the containers for the assignment periods.