Patent ID: 8595353

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a request into computing devices from a first user having at least one first user instance running within a cloud-computing environment; automatically analyzing said first user instance to produce first user instance characteristics, using said computing devices; automatically analyzing second characteristics of other user instances currently running within said cloud-computing environment, using said computing devices, said first user instance and said other user instances each comprising one of multiple instances of a same program of instructions executing within said cloud-computing environment by utilizing resources of said cloud-computing environment, said other user instances being operated by other users different from said first user; automatically matching said first user instance to matching instances of said other user instances by determining which of said other user instances have ones of said second characteristics that match said first user instance characteristics, using said computing devices; automatically identifying cloud-computing options selected by said other users within said matching instances that are related to said request, using said computing devices; and automatically making recommendations to said first user using said computing devices, said recommendations including said cloud-computing options selected within said matching instances.