Patent ID: 8606922

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing remote computing services, comprising: under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions, receiving, from a user, a request for initiation of one or more remote computing resources, the request specifying a selection of a first identifier of a zone from a plurality of identifiers of zones available to the user for selection; responsive to receiving the request: mapping the selected first identifier to a first data center of a plurality of data centers each being in distinct geographic locations, such that the zone specified by the first identifier is associated with the first data center for at least the user as a result of the mapping; initiating the requested one or more remote computing resources in the first data center mapped to the selected first identifier; and providing the requested remote computing resources to the user from the first data center mapped to the selected first identifier receiving, from the user, a second request for one or more additional computing resources, the second request specifying a second selection of a second identifier from the plurality of identifiers; responsive to receiving the second request, determining whether the second identifier is same as the first identifier or different from the first identifier; and when the second identifier is the same as the first selected identifier, providing the requested additional one or more remote computing resources to the user from the first data center; or when the second identifier is different from the first identifier, mapping the selected second identifier to a second data center of the plurality of data centers, the second data center being different from the first data center; and providing the requested additional one or more remote computing resources to the user from the second data center mapped to the second identifier.