Usage policy for resource management

• US 9,426,034 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burton, Peter H., Gupta, Manvendra, Litani, Helena
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US14/305,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/224, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A tool for a computing service using a computing usage policy. The tool receives by one or more computer processors, a configured usage policy. The tool validates, by one or more computer processors, the configured usage policy. The tool determines, by one or more computer processors, one or more rules governing the configured usage policy. The tool executes, by one or more computer processors, the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy. The tool manages, by one or more computer processors, one or more cloud service resources according to the configured usage policy.

Claims

1. A method for reducing usage costs incurred by a cloud service consumer through improved allocation and management of cloud service resources, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, by one or more computer processors, a configured usage policy, wherein determining the configured usage policy includes receiving one or more responses to a set of configuration prompts, wherein the one or more responses include one or more usage parameters;

validating, by one or more computer processors, the configured usage policy;

determining, by one or more computer processors, one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy include at least a rule to optimize usage costs to the cloud service consumer based on an actual usage of one or more cloud service resources;

executing, by one or more computer processors, the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein executing the one or more rules includes de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources; and

managing, by one or more computer processors, the one or more cloud service resources according to the configured usage policy, wherein managing includes negotiating with a cloud service provider for a new rate commensurate to the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more usage parameters include:

one or more associated resources of one or more cloud services;

a duration for consuming the one or more cloud services;

one or more policy driven rules governing usage of the one or more cloud services;

a usage pattern;

a number of users; and

a number of virtual machines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein validating the configured usage policy, further comprises rendering the configured usage policy as a metadata model, wherein the metadata model describes the configured usage policy syntax and semantics.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprises determining the configured usage policy is executable based, at least in part on, the metadata model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources, further comprises one or more of:

suspending the one or more cloud service resources for a period of time;

reducing the one or more cloud service resources; and

replacing the one or more cloud service resources with one or more comparable cloud service resources where the usage cost exceeds a certain amount.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein managing the configured usage policy, further comprises monitoring deployment and usage of the one or more cloud service resources of one or more cloud services provisioned to fulfill the one or more cloud services, wherein monitoring deployment and usage includes rebalancing the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with actual usage according to the configured usage policy.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprises rebalancing the one or more cloud service resources of the one or more cloud services to conform the one or more cloud services to the one or more parameters of the configured usage policy, wherein rebalancing includes consolidating workload within the one or more cloud service resources, de-allocating one or more inactive cloud service resources, and renegotiation a usage cost associated with a cloud service.

8. A computer program product for reducing usage costs incurred by a cloud service consumer through improved allocation and management of cloud service resources, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine, by one or more computer processors, a configured usage policy, wherein determining the configured usage policy includes receiving one or more responses to a set of configuration prompts, wherein the one or more responses include one or more usage parameters;

program instructions to validate, by one or more computer processors, the configured usage policy;

program instructions to determine, by one or more computer processors, one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy include at least a rule to optimize usage costs to the cloud service consumer based on an actual usage of one or more cloud service resources;

program instructions to execute, by one or more computer processors, the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein executing the one or more rules includes de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources; and

program instructions to manage, by one or more computer processors the one or more cloud service resources according to the configured usage policy, wherein managing includes negotiating with a cloud service provider for a new rate commensurate to the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more usage parameters to include:

one or more associated physical resources of one or more cloud services;

a duration for consuming the one or more cloud services;

one or more policy driven rules governing usage of the one or more cloud services;

a usage pattern;

a number of users; and

a number of virtual machines.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein program instructions to validate the configured usage policy, further comprising program instructions to render the configured usage policy as a metadata model, wherein the metadata model describes the configured usage policy syntax and semantics.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising program instructions to determine the configured usage policy is executable based, at least in part on, the metadata model.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources further comprises one or more of:

suspending the one or more cloud service resources for a period of time;

reducing the one or more cloud service resources; and

replacing the one or more cloud service resources with one or more comparable cloud service resources where the usage cost exceeds a certain amount.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein program instructions to manage the configured usage policy, further comprising program instructions to monitor deployment and usage of the one or more cloud service resources of one or more cloud services provisioned to fulfill the one or more cloud services, wherein monitoring deployment and usage includes rebalancing the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with actual usage according to the configured usage policy.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprises program instructions to rebalance the one or more cloud service resources of the one or more cloud services to conform the one or more cloud services to the one or more parameters of the configured usage policy, wherein rebalancing includes consolidating workload within the one or more cloud service resources, de-allocating one or more inactive cloud service resources, and renegotiation a usage cost associated with a cloud service.

15. A computer system for defining a cloud usage policy, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to determine, by one or more computer processors, a configured usage policy, wherein determining the configured usage policy includes receiving one or more responses to a set of configuration prompts, wherein the one or more responses include one or more usage parameters;

program instructions to validate, by one or more computer processors, the configured usage policy;

program instructions to determine, by one or more computer processors, one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy include at least a rule to optimize usage costs to the cloud service consumer based on an actual usage of one or more cloud service resources;

program instructions to execute, by one or more computer processors, the one or more rules governing the configured usage policy, wherein executing the one or more rules includes de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources; and

program instructions to manage, by one or more computer processors the one or more cloud service resources according to the configured usage policy, wherein managing includes negotiating with a cloud service provider for a new rate commensurate to the actual usage of the one or more cloud service resources.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein de-allocating the one or more cloud service resources further comprises one or more of:

suspending the one or more cloud service resources for a period of time;

reducing the one or more cloud service resources; and

replacing the one or more cloud service resources with one or more comparable cloud service resources where the usage cost exceeds a certain amount.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein program instructions to manage the configured usage policy, further comprising program instructions to monitor deployment and usage of the one or more cloud service resources of one or more cloud services provisioned to fulfill the one or more cloud services, wherein monitoring deployment and usage includes rebalancing the one or more cloud service resources to align usage costs with actual usage according to the configured usage policy.

18. The computer system of claim 17 further comprises program instructions to rebalance the one or more cloud service resources of the one or more cloud services to conform the one or more cloud services to the one or more parameters of the configured usage policy, wherein rebalancing includes consolidating workload within the one or more cloud service resources, de-allocating one or more inactive cloud service resources, and renegotiation a usage cost associated with a cloud service.