Dynamic recommendations taken over time for reservations of information technology resources

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards providing dynamic recommendations of reserving information technology resources over time that may be visually displayed over that time. In one embodiment, the recommendations may be determined based on an analysis of actual usage data obtained over a prior time period and used to predict future resource demands. The subject innovations enable a user to dynamically perform various ‘what-if’ analysis to determine optimum purchase times, and configurations. In some embodiments, the user is further provided information about currently purchased resource under-utilizations to enable the user to redistribute work, release resources, or take other actions directed towards improving management of their IT budget. While subject innovations are may be directed towards managing IT resources obtained through one or more cloud computing service providers, some embodiments further allow the user to perform make/buy decisions such as when to use in-house resources versus using cloud-based resources.

1 . A method operating on a network device to perform actions, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of resources each of which are configured to be reserved for use over time, and having at least a variable rate fee over time;   tracking usage of each of the plurality of resources over time;   determining a trade-off percentage of a reservation period for each of the plurality of resources based on the tracked usage, wherein the trade-off percentage represents a time in the reservation period when a cost of purchasing reserved resources is less than using on-demand resources when amortized over the reservation period;   dynamically computing, by one or more hardware processors, based on the determined trade-off percentage and the tracked usage for each of the plurality of resources and the variable rate fee over time, a recommendation for reserving usage over a given time period for each of the plurality of resources; and   dynamically displaying a recommended reservation plan for the given time period for each of the plurality of resources.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises if a user selects at least one action regarding at least one resource, changing the recommendation based on at least one of historical usage data, a service level agreement, a contract, or a configuration of the at least one resource. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the variable rate fee over time for a resource includes at least a fixed rate fee, based on a contract purchase period, and wherein the variable rate fee is based in part on an actual usage of the resource. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises:
 receiving at least one input assumption change about at least one resource;   dynamically modifying recommendation for reserving the plurality of resources based in part on the input assumption change; and   dynamically displaying a graphical image of resource forecasts for the plurality of resources, the resource forecasts including at least a first graph over time of costs until action is taken for reserving a resource, and a second graph over time of costs if the modified recommendation is followed for reserving the plurality of resources.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises displaying for a selected time period, a reservation or a purchase list for the selected time period, and when at least one resource is determined to be used at a level below a threshold, further displaying a listing that includes the at least one resource that is used below the threshold. 
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of information technology (IT) resources each of which are configured to be reserved for use over time and having at least a variable rate fee over time; and   a processor that performs actions, including:
 tracking usage of each of the plurality of information technology resources over time; 
 determining a trade-off percentage of a reservation period for each of the plurality of information technology resources based on the tracked usage, wherein the trade-off percentage represents a time in the reservation period when a cost of purchasing reserved resources is less than using on-demand resources when amortized over the reservation period; 
 dynamically computing, based on the determined trade-off percentage and the tracked usage for each of the plurality of information technology resources and the variable rate fee over time, a recommendation for reserving usage over a given time period for each of the plurality of information technology resources; and 
 dynamically displaying a recommended reservation plan for the given time period for each of the plurality of information technology resources. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises if a user selects at least one action regarding at least one information technology resource, changing the recommendation based on at least one of historical usage data, a service level agreement, a contract, or a configuration of the at least one information technology resource. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the variable rate fee over time for an information technology resource includes at least a fixed rate fee, based on a contract purchase period, and wherein the variable rate fee is based in part on an actual usage of the information technology resource. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises:
 receiving at least one input assumption change about at least one information technology resource;   dynamically modifying the recommendation for reserving the plurality of information technology resources based in part on the input assumption change; and   dynamically displaying a graphical image of resource forecasts for the plurality of information technology resources, the resource forecasts including at least a first graph over time of costs until action is taken for reserving an information technology resource, and a second graph over time of costs if the modified recommendation is followed for reserving the plurality of information technology resources.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises displaying for a selected time period, a reservation or a purchase list for the selected time period, and when at least one information technology resource is determined to be used at a level below a threshold, further displaying a listing that includes the at least one information technology resource that is used below the threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A network device, comprising:
 a memory that is operative to store at least instructions; and   a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including:
 identifying a plurality of resources each of which are configured to be reserved for use over time, and having at least a variable rate fee over time; 
 tracking usage of each of the plurality of resources over time; 
 determining a trade-off percentage of a reservation period for each of the plurality of resources based on the tracked usage, wherein the trade-off percentage represents a time in the reservation period when a cost of purchasing reserved resources is less than using on-demand resources when amortized over the reservation period; 
 dynamically computing based on the determined trade-off percentage and the tracked usage for each of the plurality of resources and the variable rate fee over time, a recommendation for reserving usage over a given time period for each of the plurality of resources; and 
 dynamically displaying a recommended reservation plan for the given time period for each of the plurality of resources. 
   
     
     
         12 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one resource of the plurality of resources is an outsourced resource and at least one other resource of the plurality of resources is an in-house resource, and dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises providing at least one other recommendation about moving at least one in-house resource use to an outsourced resource use, or at least one outsourced resource use to an in-house resource use. 
     
     
         13 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein the variable rate fee over time for a resource includes at least a fixed rate fee, based on a contract purchase period, and wherein the variable rate fee is based in part on an actual usage of the resource. 
     
     
         14 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises:
 receiving at least one input assumption change about at least one resource;   dynamically modifying the recommendation for reserving the plurality of resources based in part on the input assumption change; and   dynamically displaying a graphical image of resource forecasts for the plurality of resources, the resource forecasts including at least a first graph over time of costs until action is taken for reserving a resource, and a second graph over time of costs if the modified recommendation is followed for reserving the plurality of resources.   
     
     
         15 . The network device of  claim 11 , wherein dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises displaying for a selected time period, a reservation or a purchase list for the selected time period, and when at least one resource is determined to be used at a level below a threshold, further displaying a listing that includes the at least one resource that is used below the threshold. 
     
     
         16 . A processor readable non-transitive storage media that includes instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor device enables actions, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of resources each of which are configured to be reserved for use over time, and having at least an effective rate fee that includes a variable rate fee component and a fixed rate fee over time;   tracking usage of each of the plurality of resources over time;   determining a trade-off percentage of a reservation period for each of the plurality of resources based on the tracked usage, wherein the trade-off percentage represents a time in the reservation period when a cost of purchasing reserved resources is less than using on-demand resources when amortized over the reservation period;   dynamically computing based on the determined trade-off percentage and the tracked usage for each of the plurality of resources and the effective rate fee over time, a recommendation for reserving usage over a given time period for each of the plurality of resources; and   dynamically displaying a recommended reservation plan for the given time period for each of the plurality of resources.   
     
     
         17 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises:
 receiving at least one input assumption change about at least one resource;   dynamically modifying the recommendation for reserving the plurality of resources based in part on the input assumption change; and   dynamically displaying a graphical image of resource forecasts for the plurality of resources, the resource forecasts including at least a first graph over time of costs until action is taken for reserving a resource, and a second graph over time of costs if the modified recommendation is followed for reserving the plurality of resources.   
     
     
         18 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises displaying for a selected time period, a reservation or a purchase list for the selected time period, and when at least one resource is determined to be used at a level below a threshold, further displaying a listing that includes the at least one resource that is used below the threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein at least one resource is an on-demand resource and at least one other resource is an reserved resource, and dynamically displaying the recommended reservation plan further comprises providing at least one other recommendation about moving at least one reserved resource use to an on-demand resource use, or at least one on-demand resource use to an reserved resource use. 
     
     
         20 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein dynamically computing the recommendation further comprises if a user selects at least one action regarding at least one resource, changing the recommendation based on at least one of historical usage data, a service level agreement, a contract, or a configuration of the at least one resource.