US 2014/0279320 A1 · ALLOCATING AND PRICING VIRTUAL RESOURCES

Abstract

A method and apparatus for allocating and pricing virtual resources is provided. According to one aspect, pricing information is obtained for a plurality of virtual resources offered by a plurality of providers. A set of selected virtual resources is determined for a first customer. An expected quantity is determined for at least one virtual resource for the first customer. A fixed charge is determined based on the pricing information, the set of selected virtual resources and at least one expected quantity. At least one unit rate is determined for at least one virtual resource based on the pricing information. The first customer is provided access to the set of selected virtual resources during a billing period, wherein the fixed charge is billed for the billing period. An overflow charge, if any, is determined the at least one unit rate and an actual usage during the billing period.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

obtaining pricing information for a plurality of virtual resources offered by a plurality of providers;
determining a set of selected virtual resources from the plurality of virtual resources for a first customer;
determining an expected quantity for a billing period for at least one virtual resource in the set of selected virtual resources for the first customer;
determining a fixed charge based on the pricing information, the set of selected virtual resources and at least one expected quantity associated with the set of selected virtual resources, wherein the first customer is billed the fixed charge for the billing period;
determining at least one unit rate for at least one virtual resource in the set of selected virtual resources based on the pricing information;
providing the first customer access to the set of selected virtual resources during the billing period;
determining an overflow charge, if any, based on the at least one unit rate and an actual usage of the set of selected virtual resources by the first customer during the billing period;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

5 more elements

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for allocating and pricing virtual resources, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

obtaining pricing information for a plurality of virtual resources offered by a plurality of providers;
determining a set of selected virtual resources for the first customer from the plurality of virtual resources;
determining an expected quantity for at least one virtual resource in the set of selected virtual resources for the first customer;
determining a fixed charge based on the pricing information, the set of selected virtual resources and at least one expected quantity associated with the set of selected virtual resources;
determining at least one unit rate for at least one virtual resource in the set of selected virtual resources based on the pricing information;
providing the first customer access to the set of selected virtual resources during a billing period, wherein the fixed charge is billed for the billing period;
determining an overflow charge, if any, based on the at least one unit rate and an actual usage of the set of selected virtual resources by the first customer during the billing period;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Allocating and pricing virtual resources

Life of this patent

Allocating and pricing virtual resources

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26