Patent ID: 8374929

Claim:
For computer hosting services, a computer-implemented method for managing usage of computer hosting resources, the method comprising: receiving a plan specifying a set of computer hosting resources for hosting a computer configuration of a user for a billing period; deploying the computer configuration by allocating the set of computer hosting resources across a set of shared computers, said set of shared computers for hosting a plurality of different computer configurations for a plurality of different users; performing a set of automated processes for: monitoring usage of a particular computer hosting resource in the set of computer hosting resources by the computer configuration at a plurality of different intervals within the billing period; determining, at a first interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a first threshold for the billing period; charging the user an amount for the usage of the particular computer hosting resource that exceeds the first threshold; sending a notification to notify the user that the usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the first threshold; determining, at a second interval in the plurality of intervals within the billing period, that usage of the particular computer hosting resource by the computer configuration within the billing period exceeds a second threshold for the billing period; and disabling the computer configuration or restricting further usage by the computer configuration of the particular computer hosting resource based on the determination that usage of the particular computer hosting resource exceeds the second threshold; and generating a display for displaying data regarding the monitored usage of the particular computer hosting resource.