Automatic tuning of virtual data center resource utilization policies

1. A method comprising:

using resource administrator logic executed using a digital electronic computing device, receiving a request to utilize one or more virtual data center (VDC) security resources, wherein the VDC is remote with respect to the computing device;

in response to receiving the request, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, determining a particular service level applicable to the request;

determining, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, based on the particular service level and mapping information that indicates associations between VDC security policies and service levels, a particular VDC security policy corresponding to the request;

determining, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, based on an analysis of one or more current security properties of the one or more of VDC security resources, that the particular VDC security policy associated with the particular service level is no longer compatible with a security protection provided by the one or more current security properties specified by the particular VDC security policy;

wherein the one or more current security properties specify at least one of: logical access control for transacting with one or more applications in the VDC, one or more encryption options for data stored in the VDC, or a frequency or depth of malware scanning;

modifying, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, the mapping information to replace an identification of an association between the particular VDC security policy and the particular service level with an identification of an association between a new VDC security policy and the particular service level, wherein the new VDC security policy specifies one or more security properties that are different than the one or more current security properties;

causing completion of the request by utilizing the one or more security properties of VDC security resources associated with the particular service level;

wherein the method is performed by executing the resource administrator logic whose execution is controlled by a management entity that is different than a host of the VDC.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to utilize the one or more VDC security resources is a request to store particular data and causing completion of the request to utilize the one or more VDC security resources comprises causing the particular data to be stored in one or more storage units according to the particular VDC security policy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular service level applicable to the request is based on an agreement between the management entity and a user other than the host of the virtual data center.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular service level is associated with one or more threshold security property values that indicate acceptable security for the request and that the particular VDC security policy is determined to be compatible with the one or more threshold security properties.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates logical access control level that can prohibit one or more users from transacting with a given application.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates an encryption option.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the encryption option indicates a frequency of encryption key rotation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates a frequency or depth of malware scanning.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a client computer, a service level specification indicating a desired service level before receiving the request.

10. A data processing method executed using a programmed computing device, and under control of a management entity that is different than a host of a plurality of virtual data center (VDC) security resources, and wherein the VDC is remote with respect to the computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to utilize one or more of the VDC security resources;

in response to receiving the request, determining a particular service level applicable to the request;

determining, based on the particular service level and mapping information that indicates associations between VDC security policies and service levels, a particular VDC security policy corresponding to the request, wherein the particular VDC security policy specifies one or more current security properties of VDC security resources to be utilized in completing the request, and wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates an encryption option, or indicates a frequency or depth of malware scanning;

causing completion of the request by utilizing one or more security properties of VDC security resources associated with the particular service level by:

determining, using a resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, based on an analysis of security properties of a set of VDC security resources, that the particular VDC security policy associated with the particular service level is no longer compatible with a security protection provided by the one or more current security properties of VDC security resources;

modifying, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, the mapping information to replace an identification of an association between the particular VDC security policy and the particular service level with an identification of an association between a new VDC security policy and the particular service level, wherein the new VDC security policy specifies the one or more security properties of VDC security resources that are different than the one or more current security properties of VDC security resources.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the request to utilize the one or more VDC security resources is a request to store particular data, and wherein causing completion of the request to utilize the one or more VDC security resources comprises causing the particular data to be stored in one or more storage units according to the particular VDC security policy.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the particular service level is associated with one or more threshold security property values that indicate acceptable security for the request and that the particular VDC security policy is determined to be compatible with the one or more threshold security properties.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates logical access control level that can prohibit one or more users from transacting with a given application.

14. A data processing method comprising:

using a server, obtaining from one or more non-transitory computer-readable data storage media a copy of program code that are stored on the media and are arranged, when executed using a computer system among a plurality of other computer systems to cause the computer system to perform, using resource administrator logic:

receiving a request to utilize one or more virtual data center (VDC) security resources, wherein the VDC is remote with respect to the computing device,

in response to receiving the request, determining a particular service level applicable to the request,

determining, based on the particular service level and mapping information that indicates associations between VDC security policies and service levels, a particular VDC security policy corresponding to the request,

determining, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, based on an analysis of one or more current security properties of the one or more VDC security resources, that the particular VDC security policy associated with the particular service level is no longer compatible with a security protection provided by the one or more current security properties specified by the particular VDC security policy,

wherein the one or more current security properties specify at least one of: logical access control for transacting with one or more applications in the VDC, one or more encryption options for data stored in the VDC, or a frequency or depth of malware scanning,

modifying, using the resource administrator logic executed using the computing device, the mapping information to replace an identification of an association between the particular VDC security policy and the particular service level with an identification of an association between a new VDC security policy and the particular service level, wherein the new VDC security policy specifies one or more security properties that are different than the one or more current security properties,

causing completion of the request by utilizing the one or more security properties of VDC security resources associated with the particular service level,

wherein the resource administrator logic is controlled by a management entity that is different than a host of the VDC;

using the server, downloading the copy of the program code to any of the other computers.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates logical access control level that can prohibit one or more users from transacting with a given application.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates an encryption option.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the encryption option indicates a frequency of encryption key rotation.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the particular VDC security policy indicates a frequency or depth of malware scanning.