Patent ID: 8788310

Claim:
A method of managing one or more computing resources, the method comprising executing the following steps: obtaining data associated with at least one potential demand for use of the one or more computing resources; generating a management model in accordance with at least a portion of the obtained data, wherein the management model is operative to determine an allocation of the one or more computing resources based on products, comprising combinations of price levels and service levels, that may be offered to one or more users of the one or more computing resources so as to attempt to satisfy at least one management goal, wherein the combinations are determined by (i) computing a set of prices and (ii) computing a set of service levels to offer to the one or more users at each one of the prices in the set of prices, and wherein the set of prices and the set of service levels are derived from: (i) levels associated with the one or more computing resources; (ii) historical demand data; and (iii) predicted demand data; evaluating the satisfaction of the management goal for each combination associated with the management model; determining an optimal configuration of the one or more computing resources, in accordance with the management model, that maximizes the management goal, wherein the optimal configuration is determined by solving the management model using one of a linear programming solver and a nonlinear programming solver; and controlling a usage load level of the one or more computing resources by modulating quantities of products offered to the one or more users of the one or more computing resources; wherein the steps are executed by one or more computers.