1. A host utilization management system in a cloud computing environment, the host utilization management system comprising: an information processing system (IPS) the IPS including a processor, memory, and network interface; the IPS configured with a hypervisor and local agent; the hypervisor configurable to include at least one logical container and associated operating environment, wherein a configured logical container is allocated a share of the IPS processor execution capability, memory, and network connectivity; the local agent including a load monitor, hypervisor controller, and evaluation unit; the load monitor including sensors operable to measure at the usage of at least one of the processor, memory, and network interface, with a first measurement made relative to aggregate usage across all logical containers and a second set of measurements being made relative to each configured logical container; the hypervisor controller operable to perform one of: a buy operation, including the steps of configuring and instantiating a new logical container, receiving one or more messages corresponding to a new operating environment image via the network interface, and activating the new operating environment image in the new logical container; and a sell operation, including sending one or more messages corresponding to the image of a selected active operating environment to a remote location via the network interface, deactivating the selected active operating environment, and deconfiguring the logical container corresponding to the selected deactivated operating environment; the evaluation unit operable to: a) receive a new first measurement and new set of second measurements corresponding to the current load; b) input the first measurement to a first utility function to determine a current utility score corresponding to the usage of the IPS as a whole; c) determine the difference and direction between the current utility score and one or more measurements that would provide a higher utility score; d) identify a set of locally proposed operations that, if executed, would result in an equal or higher utility score, wherein the set of locally proposed operations includes one of doing nothing, a buy operation and a sell operation; e) send a first message encoding one or more operations from the set of locally proposed operations to a remote location via the network interface; f) receive a second message encoding one or more remotely proposed operations from a remote location via the network interface, wherein the set of remotely proposed operations include one of a buy operation and a sell operation; g) for each remotely proposed operation in the second message, decide to accept or reject the proposed operation based on the expected utility of the action relative to the action as calculated relative to the first utility function; and h) if a remotely proposed operation is accepted, transferring control to the hypervisor controller to execute the proposed operation; and i) return to a).