System and method for billing for hosted services

• US 8,374,929 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: GoGrid LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Nicholas F., Keagy, John Martin, Lappas, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US11/834,726
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1224 Client or server resources management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a system and method for projecting billing of a specified server configuration. In some embodiments, the projected billing is determined by identifying a set of allocated resources for the server configuration. In some embodiments, the set of resources include an amount of allocated RAM, network bandwidth, disk storage, processing power, etc. The set of resources are then projected over a billing period. Some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration as each component of the configuration is specified within a graphical user interface. Additionally, some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration after the entire configuration is specified within the graphical user interface.

Claims

1. For computer hosting services, a computer-implemented method for managing usage of computer hosting resources, the method comprising:

receiving a plan specifying a set of computer hosting resources for hosting a computer configuration of a user for a billing period;

deploying the computer configuration by allocating the set of computer hosting resources across a set of shared computers, said set of shared computers for hosting a plurality of different computer configurations for a plurality of different users;

performing a set of automated processes for;

monitoring usage of a particular computer hosting resource in the set of computer hosting resources by the computer configuration at a plurality of different intervals within the billing period;

determining, at a first interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a first threshold for the billing period;

charging the user an amount for the usage of the particular computer hosting resource that exceeds the first threshold;

sending a notification to notify the user that the usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold;

determining, at a second interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a second threshold for the billing period; and

disabling the computer configuration or restricting further usage by the computer configuration of the particular computer hosting resource based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the second threshold; and

generating a display for displaying data regarding the monitored usage of the particular computer hosting resource.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification is an email notification.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of computer hosting resources includes an amount of at least one hardware resource.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the set of computer hosting resources further includes an amount of at least one software resource.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the set of computer hosting resources includes at least one of a processor and a storage.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the amount of the hardware resource includes a total amount of memory determined based on an amount of memory for hosting the computer configuration for every time increment of the billing period.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the time increment is an hour of time.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the amount of the hardware resource includes an amount of disk storage.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein restricting the further usage of the particular computer hosting resource comprises reducing a specified amount of usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the notification to the user is based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the storage comprises memory storage.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the storage comprises disk storage.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of automated processes is a single process for performing the monitoring, determining at the first interval, charging, sending, determining at the second interval, and disabling or restricting.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of automated processes comprises a process for performing each of the monitoring, determining at the first interval, charging, sending, determining at the second interval, and disabling or restricting.

15. A hosting system for managing usage of computer hosting resources, the hosting system comprising:

a provisioning manager for receiving a plan specifying a set of computer hosting resources for hosting a computer configuration of a user for a billing period;

a deployment manager for deploying the computer configuration by allocating the set of computer hosting resources across a set of shared computers, said set of shared computers for hosting a plurality of different computer configurations for a plurality of different users;

a monitoring module for (1) monitoring usage of a particular computer hosting resource in the set of computer hosting resources by the computer configuration at a plurality of different intervals within the billing period, (2) determining, at a first interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a first threshold for the billing period, (3) charging the user an amount for the usage of the particular computer hosting resource that exceeds the first threshold, (4) sending a notification to notify the user that the usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold, and (5) determining, at a second interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a second threshold for the billing period, wherein the deployment manager is further for disabling the computer configuration or restricting further usage by the computer configuration of the particular computer hosting resource based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the second threshold; and

a user-interface module for generating a display for displaying data regarding the monitored usage of the particular computer hosting resource.

16. The hosting system of claim 15, wherein the user-interface module is further for providing to the user (1) a first web-based interface for displaying the generated display and (2) a second web-based interface for modifying the deployed computer configuration.

17. The hosting system of claim 16,

wherein the user-interface module is further for providing the second web-based interface before the expiration of the billing period.

18. The hosting system of claim 16, wherein the second web-based interface modifies the deployed computer configuration by allowing the user to specify additional computer hosting resources to be allocated to the deployed computer configuration.

19. The hosting system of claim 16, wherein the second web-based interface is further for allowing the user to make modifications to the computer configuration in order to avoid incurring overage charges.

20. The hosting system of claim 16,

wherein the first web-based interface is further for displaying data that indicates a remaining amount of an allotment of the particular computer hosting resource for the billing period.

22. The hosting system of claim 15, wherein the set of computer hosting resources comprises memory.

23. The hosting system of claim 15, wherein the generated display is further for displaying data that indicates an amount of projected usage of the set of computer hosting resources for the particular billing period.

24. The hosting system of claim 15, wherein the deployment manager is for restricting further usage of the particular computer hosting resource by reducing a specified amount of usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration.

25. The hosting system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring module is for sending the notification to the user based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold.

21. For computer hosting services, a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program which when executed by at least one processor manages usage of computer hosting resources, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving a plan specifying a set of computer hosting resources for hosting a computer configuration of a user for a billing period;

deploying the computer configuration by allocating the set of computer hosting resources across a set of shared computers, said set of shared computers for hosting a plurality of different computer configurations for a plurality of different users;

monitoring usage of a particular computer hosting resource in the set of computer hosting resources by the computer configuration at a plurality of different intervals within the billing period;

determining, at a first interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a first threshold for the billing period;

charging the user an amount for the usage of the particular computer hosting resource that exceeds the first threshold;

sending a notification to notify the user that the usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold;

determining, at a second interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a second threshold for the billing period;

disabling the computer configuration or restricting further usage by the computer configuration of the particular computer hosting resource based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the second threshold; and

generating a display for displaying data regarding the monitored usage of the particular computer hosting resource.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of computer hosting resources comprises memory.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for restricting the further usage of the particular computer hosting resource comprises a set of instructions for reducing a specified amount of usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set on of instructions for sending the notification to the user comprises a set of instructions for sending the notification to the user based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval comprises a set of instructions for determining that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period continues to exceed the second threshold for the billing period.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval comprises a set of instructions for determining that the user has been charged a defined number of overages between the first and second intervals for usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration that exceeds the second threshold.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval further comprises a set of instructions for determining that the user has not paid for the defined number of overages.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the defined number of overages comprises overages charged to the user at consecutive intervals between the first and second intervals.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval comprises a set of instructions for determining that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration exceeds the second threshold by a defined amount.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval comprises a set of instructions for determining that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration exceeds the second threshold by a defined percentage.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions for determining at the second interval comprises a set of instructions for determining that (1) usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period continues to exceed the allotment amount for a defined number of successive intervals within the billing period without the user specifying an increase in the allotment amount and (2) the user has failed to pay for overages incurred from exceeding the allotment amount for the defined number of successive intervals within the billing period.