Metering cloud resource consumption using multiple hierarchical subscription periods

• US 8,959,221 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Morgan, Christopher Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US13/037,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/201
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for metering cloud resource consumption using multiple hierarchical subscription periods. A set of aggregate usage history data can record consumption of processor, software, or other resources subscribed to by a set of users, in one cloud or across multiple clouds. An entitlement engine can analyze the usage history data to identify a subscription margin for the subscribed resources, reflecting collective under-consumption of resources by the set of users on a collective basis, over different and/or dynamically updated subscription periods. In aspects, the entitlement engine or other logic can generate multiple hierarchical time periods or layers over which resource consumption can be tracked. For instance, processor usage can be tracked over blocks of two hours or other intervals, but can also be tracked over 24 hour intervals for which additional subscription costs, terms, or factors may apply. In aspects, the consumption of not just one but multiple resources can be tracked over the hierarchical time periods, with cost adjustments being keyed to joint consumption levels of those resources, and/or over different time periods or layers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing an aggregate usage history data for a plurality of machines consuming a first resource in a first cloud of a host cloud;

generating a consumption margin for each machine in the plurality of machines in view of the consumption of the first resource over a consumption period in the first cloud of the host cloud;

comparing, by a processor, the consumption margin of the first resource with a plurality of compound service level agreements over a plurality of hierarchical subscription periods spanning the consumption period for the first resource;

identifying, by the processor, a first hierarchical subscription period in the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of the comparison;

applying the plurality of compound service level agreements to process the consumption of the first resource over the identified first hierarchical subscription period;

accessing the aggregate usage history data for the plurality of machines consuming a second resource in a second cloud of the host cloud;

generating the consumption margin for each machine in the plurality of machines in view of the consumption of the second resource over the consumption period in the second cloud of the host cloud, wherein the consumption of the second resource is a function of the consumption of the first resource;

comparing, by the processor, the consumption margin of the second resource with the plurality of compound service level agreements over the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods spanning the consumption period for the second resource;

identifying, by the processor, a second hierarchical subscription period in the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of the comparison; and

applying a plurality of rules to process the consumption of the second resource over the second identified hierarchical subscription period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprise a plurality of consumption limits that apply to the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of consumption limits are in addition to the consumption of the first and the second resources that apply in a short-term subscription period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rules comprise compound overage rules comprising a plurality of cost factors to be applied to the consumption for the second resource over the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of cost factors for the second resource comprises a determined value to be applied to a recorded consumption of the first resource.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of cost factors for the second resource comprises a cost factor as a function of the consumption of the first resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprise a plurality of user selected values.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprise a plurality of automatically generated values.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of another hierarchical subscription period, wherein the another hierarchical subscription period is different from the hierarchical subscription period.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first cloud of the host cloud is not aware of the aggregated usage history data consuming the second resource in the second cloud of the host cloud and the second cloud of the host cloud is not aware of the aggregated usage history data consuming the first resource in the first cloud of the host cloud.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and the second clouds of the host cloud are not aware of subscription limits in the plurality of compound service level agreements.

12. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, to communicate with the memory, the processor to;

access an aggregate usage history data for a plurality of machines consuming a first resource in a first cloud of a host cloud;

generate a consumption margin for each machine in the plurality of machines in view of the consumption of the first resource over a consumption period in the first cloud of the host cloud;

compare the consumption margin of the first resource with a plurality of compound service level agreements over a plurality of hierarchical subscription periods spanning the consumption period for the first resource;

identify a first hierarchical subscription period in the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of the comparison;

apply the plurality of compound service level agreements to process the consumption of the first resource over the identified first hierarchical subscription period,

access the aggregate usage history data for the plurality of machines consuming a second resource in a second cloud of the host cloud;

generate the consumption margin for each machine in the plurality of machines in view of the consumption of the second resource over the consumption period in the second cloud of the host cloud, wherein the consumption of the second resource is a function of the consumption of the first resource;

compare the consumption margin of the second resource with the plurality of compound service level agreements over the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods spanning the consumption period for the second resource;

identify a second hierarchical subscription period in the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of the comparison; and

apply a plurality of rules to process the consumption of the second resource over the second identified hierarchical subscription period.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprise a plurality of consumption limits that apply to the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of consumption limits are in addition to the consumption of the first and the second resources that apply in a short-term subscription period.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of rules comprise compound overage rules comprising a plurality of cost factors to be applied to the consumption for the second resource over the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of cost factors for the second resource comprises a determined value to be applied to a recorded consumption of the first resource.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of cost factors for the second resource comprises a cost factor as a function of the consumption of the first resource in the two resources.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprise a plurality of user selected values.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of compound service level agreements comprises a plurality of automatically generated values.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising updating the plurality of hierarchical subscription periods in view of another hierarchical subscription period, wherein the another hierarchical subscription period is different from the hierarchical subscription period.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the first cloud of the host cloud is not aware of the aggregated usage history data consuming the second resource in the second cloud of the host cloud and the second cloud of the host cloud is not aware of the aggregated usage history data consuming the first resource in the first cloud of the host cloud.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and the second clouds of the host cloud are not aware of subscription limits in the plurality of compound service level agreements.