Patent ID: 8612330

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of enabling a user to subscribe to shared resources, comprising: receiving, by one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions, a reservation request from a user to utilize resource capacity to fulfill one or more subsequent virtual machine requests, the reservation request specifying an amount of bandwidth to be used in fulfilling the one or more virtual machine requests; fulfilling, by the one or more computer systems, the one or more virtual machine requests by enabling the user to purchase dedicated capacity during at least one time window if dedicated capacity is available with the specified amount of bandwidth during the at least one time window, the dedicated capacity being available during each time window for use by the user; fulfilling the one or more virtual machine requests by enabling the user to purchase reserved capacity during at least one time window if reserved capacity is available with the specified amount of bandwidth during the at least one time window, the user being given priority to use the reserved capacity over other users during each time window; and if a user is unable to purchase dedicated or reserved capacity, in response to a subsequent instance request: fulfilling the one or more virtual machine requests by enabling the user to bid on excess capacity if excess capacity is available with the specified amount of bandwidth at substantially a time of fulfillment, the excess capacity being available when a bid price for the user at least meets a market price for the excess capacity, the user being able to utilize the excess capacity for at least a period of time when the bid price meets at least one selection criterion; and fulfilling the one or more virtual machine requests by enabling the user to utilize available variable on-demand capacity if available variable on-demand capacity is available.