1. In a distributed computing environment comprising a cluster, the cluster comprising a plurality of nodes, a method of placing an application on a node in the cluster, the method comprising; detecting an event indicating that an application should be placed on a node in the cluster; receiving real time information about resource utilization on one or more nodes in the cluster, the real time information including an indication of at least one specified type of resource that is to be used by the application, an amount of the specified type of resource that is to be provided for the application, and further indicating one or more potentially available resources that would be available upon stopping one or more applications and reclaiming those resources; based on the real time information, determining a node on which to place the application, the node having at least the specified amount of the specified types of resources available for use by the application and at least a portion of potentially available resources that would be available upon stopping one or more applications and reclaiming those resources; and placing the application on the determined node.