Classes for workload management

WLM allows system administrators to define classes and define for each class a set of attributes and resource limits.

The processes are assigned to classes based on criteria provided by the system administrator. The resource entitlements and limits are enforced at the class level. This method of defining classes of service and regulating the resource utilization of each class of applications prevents applications with very different resource use patterns from interfering with each other when they share a single server.

WLM supports a hierarchy of classes with two levels:

• The resources of the system are distributed among superclasses according to the resource entitlements for each superclass. The system administrator defines resource entitlements.
• In turn, each superclass can have subclasses. The resources allocated to the superclass are distributed among the subclasses according to the resource entitlements given to each subclass.
• The system administrator can delegate the administration of the subclasses of each superclass to a superclass administrator or to a group of superclass administrators.
• WLM supports up to 69 superclasses (64 user-defined) and 64 subclasses per superclass (61 user-defined).
• Depending on the needs of the organization, a system administrator can decide to use only superclasses or to use superclasses and subclasses.