METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRICING SOFTWARE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A CLOUD COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110055034A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: FERRIS, James Michael, Riveros, Gerry Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A software provider system can provide and price software infrastructure for a cloud to a cloud provider based on expected utilization and actual utilization of the cloud. The software provider system can provide the software infrastructure of the cloud and technical support for the software infrastructure under a varying price structure which is dependent on the expected utilization and the actual utilization of the software infrastructure. The software provider system can determine the initial price of the software infrastructure based on the expected utilization of the cloud and a purpose of the cloud. The software provider system can monitor the actual utilization of the software infrastructure, over time, in order to modify the initial price based on the actual utilization of the software infrastructure.

Claims

1. A method for providing software infrastructure for a cloud computing environment, comprising:

receiving a request to provide software resources for a cloud, the request comprising expected utilization of the software resources;

determining an initial price for providing the software resources and a modification of the initial price based on actual utilization;

monitoring the software resources to determine the actual utilization of the software resources; and

determining a new price based on the modification of the initial price upon an occurrence of the actual utilization varying from the expected utilization.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing the software resources to the cloud.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing the software resources, comprises:

delivering the software resources over a network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises at least one of a purpose of the cloud and an identification of the software resources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initial price for providing the software resources and the modification of the initial price based on actual utilization, comprises:

maintaining a record of price levels associated with ranges of utilization;

comparing the expected utilization to the ranges of utilization to determine the price level; and

setting the price level as the initial price.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the new price is determined when the actual utilization falls outside a range of utilization used to determine the price level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected utilization comprises a number of virtual machines simultaneously instantiated in the cloud or a total number of virtual machines instantiated in the cloud.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a processing system to perform a method, comprising:

receiving a request to provide software resources for a cloud, the request comprising expected utilization of the software resources;

determining an initial price for providing the software resources and a modification of the initial price based on actual utilization;

monitoring the software resources to determine the actual utilization of the software resources; and

determining a new price based on the modification of the initial price upon an occurrence of the actual utilization varying from the expected utilization.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

providing the software resources to the cloud.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the providing the software resources, comprises:

delivering the software resources over a network.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the request finer comprises at least one of a purpose of the cloud and an identification of the software resources.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining the initial price for providing the software resources and the modification of the initial price based on actual utilization, comprises:

maintaining a record of price levels associated with ranges of utilization;

comparing the expected utilization to the ranges of utilization to determine the price level; and

setting the price level as the initial price.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the expected utilization comprises a number of virtual machines simultaneously instantiated in the cloud or a total number of virtual machines instantiated in the cloud.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 123 wherein the new price is determined when the actual utilization falls outside a range of utilization used to determine the price level.

15. A system for pricing a software infrastructure of a cloud computing environment, comprising:

a network interface to a cloud of computing systems; and

a processor communicating with the network interface and executing a software provider system, the software provider system being configured to—

receive a request to provide software resources for the cloud, the request comprising expected utilization of the software resources;

determine an initial price for providing the software resources and a modification of the initial price based on actual utilization;

monitor the software resources in the cloud, via the network interface, to determine the actual utilization of the software resources; and

determine a new price based on the modification of the initial price upon an occurrence of the actual utilization varying from the expected utilization.

16. The system of claim 15, the software provider system being further configured to—

deliver the software resources via the network interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the request further comprises at least one of a purpose of the cloud and an identification of the software resources.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the initial price for providing the software resources and the modification of the initial price based on actual utilization, comprises:

maintaining a record of price levels associated with ranges of utilization;

comparing the expected utilization to the ranges of utilization to determine the price level; and

setting the price level as the initial price.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the new price is determined when the actual utilization falls outside a range of utilization used to determine the price level.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the expected utilization comprises a number of virtual machines simultaneously instantiated in the cloud or a total number of virtual machines instantiated in the cloud.