HK1173791A - Processing internal use of data-center resources - Google Patents

Description

Handling internal use of data center resources

Background

A typical data center includes a collection of computing components that can be used to perform various computing functions. In general, an entity, such as a business, will own and manage its own private data center, with its resources dedicated to the execution of the entity's applications. For example, an entity may prefer to maintain control over data center resources that are used to house high-value enterprise data or other sensitive information.

Acquiring and managing data center components requires advance capital investment and continuous payment of fees. Exemplary pre-expenditures include equipment and installation costs. Exemplary sustained costs are derived from power requirements, maintenance, and personnel (e.g., IT department).

In general, resources (e.g., CPUs, bandwidth, storage, etc.) of an internal data center are shared by various sub-entities of the entity owning the data center. For example, an enterprise may include a marketing department, a research and development department, and a human resources department, all of which utilize resources of the enterprise's data center.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention are defined by the appended claims, not this summary. To this end, a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention are provided herein to provide an overview of the disclosure, and to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed-description section. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one embodiment, the present techniques include an integration scheme that handles (e.g., pricing, billing, and reporting) internal use of an entity's data center. An exemplary method includes tracking consumption of data center resources by sub-entities. Pricing information is applied to an amount of the data center resource consumed to determine an amount to charge for the sub-entity. An accounting application of the entity is accessed to perform a charge back from the sub-entity. The accounting application reports the amount as an internal cost or expense transfer of the entity.

Brief Description of Drawings

Illustrative embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary operating environment according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary system in which embodiments of the present invention may be employed; and

fig. 3 and 4 each depict a respective exemplary method for processing internal use of an entity's data center, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description

The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. The terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described.

The present invention relates generally to an integration scheme that handles internal use of an entity's data center. For example, the scheme prices, bills and reports internal usage of the data center based on sub-entities. Thus, one embodiment includes a method of processing internal use of an entity's data center by sub-entities. The method includes tracking consumption of an amount of data center resources. The amount of data center resources is consumed in order to perform calculations or storage or bandwidth operations of the sub-entities. Further, pricing information is applied to the quantities to determine an amount to be charged to the sub-entity. The method also includes interfacing, by the computing device, with an accounting application of the entity to perform a charge back from the sub-entity equal to the amount. The accounting application reports the amount as an internal cost or expense transfer of the entity.

Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a system comprising a server, a processor, and a computer-readable medium for performing a method of processing internal use of a data center of an entity by a sub-entity of the entity. The system includes a computer-readable medium having data of sub-entities stored thereon that facilitate a computing operation, wherein execution of the computing operation consumes an amount of a data center resource. The system also includes a resource consumption tracker that measures an amount of data center resources consumed to perform the computing operation. Further, the system includes: a fee generator that applies a pricing model to the quantity to determine an amount to be charged to the sub-entity; and a billing device driver that interfaces with the entity's accounting application to perform a charge back from the sub-entity equal to the amount.

Another embodiment of the invention includes one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method of reporting internal usage of a data center of an entity by sub-entities of the entity. The method includes receiving account information that can be used to establish an account with the first sub-entity. The account associates the first sub-entity with the data center. Pricing rules are stored in the billing engine and applied to consumption of data center resources due to the account. The method also includes receiving a first verification that an application of the first sub-entity complies with the policy of the entity and a second verification that the payment method has been established for use when the data center resource is consumed. The method also includes tracking consumption of an amount of the data center resource. The amount of data center resources is consumed to perform the computing operation of the sub-entity. The pricing rules are referenced in the billing engine to determine an amount to be charged to the first sub-entity in exchange for execution of the application. In addition, the method includes interfacing with an accounting application of the entity to perform a charge return from the first sub-entity equal to the amount. The charge back transfers the amount from the first sub-entity to a second sub-entity of the entity and the accounting application reports the amount as an internal cost or expense transfer of the entity.

Having briefly described several embodiments of the present invention, an exemplary operating environment suitable for implementing various embodiments of the present invention is now described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary operating environment, shown generally and designed as computing device 100. The computing device 100 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention. Neither should the computing environment 100 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated.

Embodiments of the invention may be described in the general context of computer code or machine-useable instructions, including computer-executable instructions such as program modules, being executed by a computer or other machine, such as a personal data assistant or other handheld device. Generally, program modules including routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., refer to code that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Embodiments of the invention may be practiced in a variety of system configurations, including hand-held devices, consumer electronics, general-purpose computers, special-purpose computing devices, and so forth. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network.

Referring to FIG. 1, computing device 100 includes a bus 110 that directly or indirectly couples the following devices: memory 112, one or more processors 114, one or more presentation components 116, input/output ports 118, input/output components 120, and an illustrative power supply 122. Bus 110 may be one or more buses, such as an address bus, a data bus, or a combination thereof. Although the various blocks of FIG. 1 are shown with lines for the sake of clarity, in reality, delineating various components is not so clear, and metaphorically, the lines would more accurately be grey and fuzzy. For example, a presentation component such as a display device may be considered an I/O component. Also, the processor has a memory. It is to be appreciated that such is the nature of the art, and reiterate that the diagram of FIG. 1 is merely illustrative of an exemplary computing device that can be used in connection with one or more embodiments of the present invention. There is no distinction between categories such as "workstation," server, "" laptop, "" handheld device, "etc., all of which are considered to be within the scope of fig. 1 and are referred to as" computing devices.

Computing device 100 typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computing device 100 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. Computer readable media may include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, Digital Versatile Disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computing device 100. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. For example, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.

The memory 112 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory may be removable, non-removable, or a combination thereof. Exemplary hardware devices include solid state memory, hard disk drives, optical disk drives, and the like. Computing device 100 includes one or more processors that read data from various entities such as memory 112 or I/O components 120. The presentation component 116 presents data indications to a user or other device. Exemplary presentation components include a display device, speaker, printing component, vibrating component, and the like. For example, the processor 114 may read data from the memory 112 that provides computer-executable instructions of an entity accounting application (e.g., the entity accounting application 218 of fig. 2) or a fee generator (e.g., the fee generator 232 of fig. 2).

I/O ports 118 allow computing device 100 to be logically coupled to other devices including I/O components 120, some of which may be built-in. Illustrative components include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram depicts an operating environment, generally identified by reference numeral 200, suitable for implementing embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 includes various components that communicate with each other to handle internal use of an entity's data center. Fig. 2 depicts an entity 210 that includes various other elements including a data center 212, a data center usage sub-entity 214 (also referred to herein as a "DC usage sub-entity 214" or simply "sub-entity 214"), a data center management sub-entity 216 (also referred to herein as a "DC management sub-entity" or simply "sub-entity 216")), and an entity accounting application 218. Network 220 facilitates communication between the various elements of FIG. 2.

In embodiments of the invention, the entity 210 is an organization that is made up of sub-entities and uses internal data centers (e.g., data centers that are directly or indirectly owned by the entity). For example, entity 210 may be an enterprise that includes a research and development department and an information technology department. Further, the internal data center of the entity 210 may be used to deploy the cloud application of the entity (i.e., a private cloud application). In a further embodiment of the present invention, entity 210 utilizes accounting applications to facilitate budget and financial reporting.

In another embodiment of the invention, entity 210 utilizes data center 212 to execute applications of entity 210 and sub-entities of entity 210. For example, the entity 210 may have purchased the equipment of the data center 212 and paid to build or otherwise assemble the data center 212. Alternatively, data center 212 may comprise a modular data center purchased by entity 210 that includes pre-manufactured shipping containers with the necessary components of the functional data center (such as servers, power supplies, I/O components, and HVAC).

In FIG. 2, data center 212 includes various components, including a server 222, a storage 224, an account manager 226, a billing engine 228, a data center resource consumption tracker 230, and a fee generator 232, each of which will now be briefly described. Both server 222 and storage 224 may be used to perform computer operations. For example, server 222 may be used to execute applications of entity 210, such as private cloud applications of sub-entities of entity 210. In general, the term "cloud computing" refers to the virtualization of interchangeable components (e.g., servers, storage, and networks) to be managed as a single fabric. Thus, a "cloud application" is typically an application that utilizes resources of the data center 212 (i.e., the cloud) and is deployed thereon (as opposed to being deployed on a separate set of resources). Examples of private cloud applications include development and testing environments built into data center 212 that can be accessed by developers to quickly preset resources for developing and testing new applications or code.

The server 22 may be physical, virtual, or any combination thereof. The store 224 stores data of the entity 210, such as data of sub-entities of the entity 210. Account manager 226 is used to establish and maintain accounts for entity 210 and sub-entities of entity 210. Such accounts allow relationships to be established with the data center 212. The billing engine 228 stores pricing information (e.g., pricing models and pricing schedules) that is applied to the use of data center resources (e.g., bandwidth). Consumption tracker 230 tracks consumption of data center resources, such as server and storage usage. The fee generator 232 calculates the fee to be applied to the account by applying pricing information to the amount of data center resources used. Fee generator 232 includes a billing device driver 233 that includes a device driver customized to interface with the accounting application of entity 210. These components of data center 212 are described in more detail below.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the entity 210 comprises a data center management sub-entity 216 and a data center usage sub-entity 214. Data center management sub-entity 216 is a sub-entity in entity 210 responsible for managing and maintaining data center 212. For example, the data center management sub-entity may be an information technology department, i.e. an IT department. The data center usage sub-entity 214 is a sub-entity of the entity 210 that uses data center resources, such as to execute computer applications. For example, the data center usage sub-entity 214 may include a development department of the entity 210 that uses the store 224 to store sensitive data. Fig. 2 depicts all of the data center 212, the data center management sub-entity 216, and the data center usage sub-entity 214 in communication with each other over a network 220.

In another embodiment of the present invention, entity accounting application 218 facilitates budgeting and reporting of entity 210. For example, the entity accounting application 218 may be used to bill the entity 210 and the sub-entities 214 and 216 for the respective revenues and expenses. In addition, the entity accounting application 218 may be used to generate corresponding financial reports for the entity 210 and the sub-entities 214 and 216.

Having briefly described the various elements depicted in FIG. 2, further embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail. Typically, entity 210 desires to oversee sub-entity usage of data center 212. Such oversight is desirable to ensure compliance with the policies of the entity 210, as well as to monitor usage of data center resources. For example, if an application presents a security risk to entity 210, entity 210 may not wish to have the application executed by server 222. Further, if the entity 210 has established an internal budget (which allocates to the data center usage sub-entity 214 a budget spending cap to be applied for usage of the data center resources), the entity 210 may wish to know whether the cap has been exceeded. Embodiments of the present invention enable such supervision.

For purposes of the present invention, assume that entity 210 includes internal IT security and follows the form of a process defined as observing an entity employee (e.g., an employee working under sub-entity 214) who wishes to host an application (e.g., a private cloud application) using data center resources. IT is also assumed that once the internal observation process is completed, an appropriately authorized IT administrator (e.g., staff under sub-entity 216) has a set of special privileges by which to authorize internal employees who may subsequently deploy and manage the cloud application. In embodiments of the invention, this authorization step requires establishing an account, establishing pricing rules, verifying compliance with entity policies, and establishing billing relationships that facilitate payment for use of data center resources.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an appropriately authorized IT administrator is initially directed to enable an entity account. For example, a storage account key may be used that corresponds to a primary user account storage within the operating system of the data center 210. In one embodiment, direct read/write access to this storage account is possible. Alternatively, access to the storage accounts is via a special set of management APIs that key (keys) against a specific set of directory service accounts (e.g., active directory accounts) that were established during initial deployment of the data center operating system. These management APIs provide facilities for marking specific assisted directory services employee accounts as "enabled" for in-house deployment and for in-house billing operations.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the data center management sub-entity 216 builds an internal "pricing bill" that is applicable to the internal use of data center resources by the DC usage sub-entity 214. The pricing statements include a set of internal-only quotes that are not available for public (non-internal) use of similar data center resources. Embodiments of the present invention allow customization and updating of internal pricing schedules applicable to sub-entity accounts. For example, the internal pricing statements may contain resource-metered prices for use of data center resources by sub-entities of entity 210, such that the internal sub-entities may choose to pay for the resources they do consume. Further, the internal pricing statements may include different pricing based on geographic regions and physical security levels associated across potential multinational enterprises. For example, higher costs may be associated with tightly protected data centers in remote locations, thereby justifiably being more expensive. Different pricing can also be applied when an internal entity wishes to submit payment for use of the amount of resources ordered. In this regard, a lower cost may be associated with knowing exactly how much capacity will be needed in advance. Such pricing flexibility allows the data center management sub-entity 216 to customize and update pricing schedules as needed based on various factors such as the cost structure of the entity 210, the IT overhead, and the physical cost of deploying the data center 210 with the operating system. Once the pricing statements are established, embodiments of the present invention enable the data center management sub-entity 216 to enter the pricing statements into the billing engine 228. For example, the accounting engine 228 includes data 234, which is shown in exploded view 236 for exemplary purposes. Exploded view 236 shows an example of pricing statement details, where a portion of the database is leased at $ 1000/month and server usage is priced at $0.10 per unit. For example, storage may be priced at $0.05 GB/month, such that 20,000GB of storage per month is offered for rental at $ 1000/month. Furthermore, the unit used by the server may be defined by a unit of time or by a unit of data (e.g., GB) that is incoming and outgoing.

Another embodiment of the present invention allows a currently booted IT administrator to uniquely target a particular account. For example, a special internal-only flag may be set by the IT administrator per employee account. In one embodiment, the token is a multipart token that may give different levels of access to different operating system clusters (each possibly with different permissions or geographic distributions). Access may be determined based on various factors, such as security checks, privacy checks, efficiency checks, and budget checks. In one embodiment, the security check determines the ease with which code, i.e., those requested by the sub-entity to execute using the data center resource, can be hacked and altered. In another embodiment, the privacy check determines the extent to which data is available for unauthorized disclosure. In a further embodiment, the efficiency check measures the resources required for executing an application of the sub-entity. The budget check determines whether the sub-entity has a budget to pay for use of the data center resource. Based on any one or combination of these checks, the account can be uniquely flagged to allow a particular level of access to the data center resource. For example, if a determination is made that data to be used by an account is highly sensitive based on a privacy check, access by the account to data center resources that are not properly certified to store highly sensitive data may be blocked. Another example includes a situation where budget checks reveal that an account only possesses a limited amount of funds for paying for data center resources, in which case the functionality of the application of the account is limited or restricted. In yet another example, based on state or other control principles, a type of content may not be allowed to be hosted such that one type of mark includes legal coverage.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a billing relationship is established between the data center usage sub-entity 214 and the data center management sub-entity 216. One exemplary billing relationship includes a fee return system whereby funds are transferred internally from the DC usage sub-entity 214 to the DC management sub-entity 216. In an embodiment, establishing a billing relationship allows multiple sub-entity employees to be authorized to request use of data center resources under the same account.

In an embodiment, account information is maintained by the account manager 226. For example, account manager 236 includes data 238, which is shown in exploded view 240 for exemplary purposes. Exploded view 240 includes exemplary details describing the depiction of "account number 123 abc" assigned to the R & D department (an exemplary sub-entity of entity 210). Exploded view 240 depicts that the account administrator has been established to pay the fees incurred due to the use of data center resources by account No.123abc for "mr. Jones" and a fee-return plan.

These described setup steps of creating accounts with customized access, establishing pricing rules, and establishing account relationships can be performed using various techniques. In one embodiment of the invention, the user interface enables a user of the DC usage sub-entity 214 to submit and view information during the setup process, such as by using an internal IT department landing page. The user interface may also be available to an administrator of the DC management sub-entity 216 to facilitate the setup process.

Once the DC uses the sub-entity 214 to be reviewed and approved, and the payment device has been set up, the sub-entity 214 is allowed to begin using the data center resources (e.g., server 222 and storage 224). In embodiments of the invention, the data center 212 includes data of sub-entities that facilitate computing operations, and the performance of the computing operations consumes an amount of data center resources (e.g., storage, processing, broadband, or a combination thereof). For example, server 222 includes a portion 260, which is shown in an exploded view 262 for illustrative purposes. Exploded view 262 depicts disk collection 1 of server 221 being used to execute an application (e.g., computer program) associated with account number 123 abc. As yet another example, storage 224 includes portion 264, which is shown in exploded view 266. Exploded view 266 depicts database X98L storing data for account number 123 abc. Various consumption metrics may be generated by subsystems of the data center 212 during use by the sub-entity 214, such as by executing an application of the sub-entity 214. Examples of consumption metrics include CPU hours, bandwidth, storage capacity, and storage transactions. In embodiments of the present invention, each of these metrics is collected based on a schedule (e.g., hourly, daily, weekly). For example, consumption tracker 230 is used to track and log consumption metrics. FIG. 2 depicts consumption tracker 230 including data 242, which is shown in exploded view 244 for exemplary purposes. Exploded view 244 includes exemplary consumption metrics generated as a result of using server 222 and store 224. For example, exploded view 244 depicts that 10K units have been consumed in tray set 1, and DB X98L has been used for 1 month.

In yet another embodiment, the collected consumption metrics are sent to a billing aggregation system in data center 210 that includes a fee generator 232. Cost generator 232 processes the consumption metrics by applying pricing rules stored in billing engine 228. For example, FIG. 2 depicts fee generator 232 as including information 246, which is shown in exploded view 248 for illustrative purposes. Exploded view 248 illustrates the costs incurred as a result of applying the pricing rules depicted in exploded view 236 (i.e., $0.10 per unit and database $ 1000/month rental) to the collected consumption metrics shown in exploded view 244 (i.e., 10K units and 1 month). Thus, the exemplary fees in exploded view 248 include $1000 for use by the corresponding server and $1000 for storage. Once processed, the billing records (e.g., hourly billing records, daily billing records, etc.) can be viewed by properly authorized billing owners, such as budget owners within a particular sub-entity (e.g., "AA: mr. Jones"). In addition, billing records may also be available for viewing, downloading, and enterprise intelligence reporting to DC management sub-entity 216.

Once the fee generator 232 has determined the fee, the fee generator 232 interacts with the entity accounting application 218. In an embodiment of the present invention, charge generator 232 includes a billing device driver 233 that enables interfacing with entity accounting application 218. Fee generator 232 may include a plurality of billing device drivers that are each customized to interface with a particular type or brand of entity accounting application. In this regard, the data center 212 is pre-equipped to interface with various accounting applications, thereby allowing the computing center 212 to integrate with the entity's existing accounting software without having to interface in an ad hoc manner. That is, without the billing device driver 233, the internal data center may have to customize the interaction with the accounting software on a case-by-case basis. The billing device driver 233 provides various pre-configured methods for communicating with the entity's accounting software so that the billing device driver does not need to be customized by the internal data center in order to implement the present invention.

In an embodiment of the invention, the charging is done for all data center resources used and services implemented over a scheduled period (e.g., each month) due to the DC usage sub-entity 214. For example, exploded view 248 depicts account number 123abc as having a total cost of $2000.00 over the scheduled time period. By using the billing device driver 233, the entity accounting application 218 is accessed and charge return is facilitated. For example, the entity accounting application 218 includes a data center usage sub-entity financial report 250. Financial report 250 illustrates that the total cost $2000.00 generated by cost generator 232 is calculated as the cost of the sub-entity 214 and subtracted from the budget of the sub-entity 214. The financial data depicted in fig. 2 is for exemplary purposes only, and in other embodiments of the present invention, multiple fees may be incurred by the DC using multiple accounts of the sub-entity 214 and multiple users under a single account. The multiple separate fees enable the DC usage sub-entity 214 to track individual projects and individual employee funding (funding). In an alternative embodiment, all charges may be combined and presented in one bill.

In yet another embodiment, "revenue" returned based on departmental costs of using sub-entities of data center resources is credited to the data center management sub-entity 216 (credit). For example, arrow 270 and financial report 252 depict crediting the sub-entity 216 with $2000.00 returned based on the fee from the sub-entity 214. However, since the internal charge refund is not "revenue" in the traditional accounting sense, steps are taken to accurately describe (i.e., encode) the internal charge refund. Furthermore, it is recognized that accounting principles (GAAP) suggest that money received from external sources should be reported separately from internal cost or expense transfers. Proper coding of internal fee returns helps to avoid inappropriate taxation and compliance issues, such as those that may arise due to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or other similar regulations. By taking the step of accurately encoding (i.e., marking) the charge back, the entity accounting application 218 can be used for reporting purposes. For example, financial report 254 depicts a report identifying the return of spending from sub-entity 214 to sub-entity 216 as an internal cost transfer, as opposed to revenue or spending from an external source.

Referring now to fig. 3, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is depicted by a flowchart and is generally identified by the reference numeral 300. An embodiment of the invention includes a method 300 of processing internal use of an entity's data center by a sub-entity of the entity. Method 300 includes a step 310 of tracking consumption of an amount of data center resources that are consumed in order to perform a computing operation of a sub-entity. Step 312 includes applying a pricing model to the quantity to determine an amount to charge the sub-entity. Further, step 314 includes interfacing, by the computing device, with an accounting application of the entity to perform a charge back from the sub-entity equal to the amount reported by the accounting application as an internal cost transfer of the entity.

Referring now to fig. 4, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is depicted by a flowchart and is generally identified by the reference numeral 400. Embodiments of the invention include one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method 400 of processing internal use of an entity's data center by sub-entities of the entity. The method 400 includes a step 410 that includes receiving account information that can be used to establish an account with a first sub-entity, wherein the account associates the first sub-entity with a data center. Pricing rules are stored in the billing engine at step 412, which are applied to the consumption of data center resources attributed to the account. Step 414 includes receiving a first verification that an application of the first sub-entity is compliant with the policy of the entity and a second verification that the payment method has been established for use when the data center resource is consumed. The method 400 also includes a step 416 of tracking consumption of an amount of data center resources that are consumed in order to perform a computing operation of a sub-entity. In step 418, pricing rules in the billing engine are referenced to determine an amount to be charged to the first sub-entity in exchange for execution of the application. Step 420 includes interfacing with the entity's accounting application to perform a charge back from the first sub-entity equal to the amount. The charge back transfers the amount from the first sub-entity to a second sub-entity of the entity and the accounting application reports the amount as an internal cost transfer of the entity.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The embodiments have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to the reader of this invention after or as a result of reading this invention. Alternative means of accomplishing the foregoing may be accomplished without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.

Claims (15)

1. A method of processing internal use of an entity's data center by a sub-entity of the entity, the method comprising:

tracking consumption of a quantity of data center resources consumed to perform a computing operation of the sub-entity;

applying pricing information to the quantity to determine an amount to be charged to the sub-entity; and

interfacing, by a computing device, with an accounting application of the entity to perform a charge back from the sub-entity equal to the amount, wherein the accounting application reports the amount as an internal cost transfer of the entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a computational operation comprises executing a computer program of the sub-entity using a processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer program comprises a cloud application that utilizes the data center resource.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing computing operations comprises communication between components of a data center of the entity, and wherein the data center resources comprise consumed bandwidth.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein pricing information includes internal pricing options that are available to apply to consumption of data center resources due to only sub-entities of the entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pricing information includes a rate per resource consumed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pricing information includes a flat fee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pricing information includes different pricing for different geographic regions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein interfacing comprises executing a billing device driver customized to enable communication with the accounting application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the fee refund facilitates a transfer of the amount of money from the sub-entity to another sub-entity of the entity.

11. A system comprising a server, a processor, and a computer readable medium for performing a method of processing internal use of an entity's data center by a sub-entity of the entity, the system comprising:

the computer-readable medium having stored thereon data (264) of the sub-entity, the data facilitating a computing operation, wherein execution of the computing operation consumes an amount of a data center resource;

a resource consumption tracker that measures an amount of the data center resource consumed to perform the computing operation;

a fee generator that applies a pricing model to the quantity to determine an amount to charge the sub-entity; and

a billing device driver that interfaces with an accounting application of the entity to refund from executing a charge of the sub-entity equal to the amount.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data center housing the data center resources comprises a modular data center that is pre-fabricated in a shipping container to include the necessary components of a functional data center.

13. The system of claim 11,

the data is a private cloud application, and

wherein the data center provides a private cloud that executes the private cloud application.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the billing device driver is customized to enable communication with the accounting application.

15. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method of processing internal use of an entity's data center by a sub-entity of the entity, the method comprising:

receiving account information usable to establish an account with a first sub-entity, wherein the account associates the first sub-entity with the data center;

storing pricing rules in a billing engine, the pricing rules being applied to consumption of data center resources attributed to the account;

receiving a first verification that an application of the first sub-entity is following an entity's policy and a second verification that a payment method has been established for use when a data center resource is consumed;

tracking consumption of an amount of data center resources consumed to perform a computing operation of the first sub-entity;

referencing the pricing rules in the billing engine to determine an amount to be charged to the first sub-entity in exchange for performance of the computing operation; and

interfacing with an accounting application of the entity to perform a charge back from the first sub-entity equal to the amount,

wherein the fee refund transfers the amount of money from the first sub-entity to a second sub-entity of the entity, and

wherein the billing application reports the amount as an internal cost transfer of the entity.