Abstract: A cloud services brokerage platform system includes a virtual data center (VDC) and an architecture management interface. The virtual data center (VDC) includes a plurality of resource groups. Each one of the resource groups includes one or more VDC resources. Each one of the VDC resources is associated with a respective set of resource group specification parameters. The architecture management interface enables an architectural layout of the one or more VDC resources to be displayed. The architectural layout includes a visual depiction of the one or more VDC resources of each one of the resource groups. An arrangement of the visual depiction is dependent upon the respective set of resource group specification parameters.

Abstract: A fulfillment bridge orchestrates various types of fulfillment that fall generally into three categories of fulfillment: CSB platform based automated provisioning; external automated provisioning; and manual workflow provisioning. External automated provisioning is implemented through fulfillment agents. The fulfillment agents can implements self-registration for allowing the fulfillment bridge to understand the capabilities of the fulfillment agent. Examples of such capabilities include, but are not limited to, supported actions and input/output parameters. Adapters of the fulfillment bridge interface with the fulfillment agents and fulfillment scripts that are independently operated with respect to the CSB platform can be use to interface with the fulfillment adapters.

Abstract: A cloud service brokerage system includes an electronic cloud service catalog containing cloud service defining information for a plurality of cloud services and a cloud service store coupled to the electronic cloud service catalog. The cloud service store includes cloud service publications each representing cloud service functionality corresponding to one or more of the cloud services. The cloud service store includes a user interface structure enabling generation of cloud service orders each including one or more of the cloud service publications.

Abstract: A system configured to facilitate brokering hybrid cloud services selects information requests for characterizing an information technology application. The system responses to the information requests and determines a plurality of sets of the responses each used for deriving a value of a respective one of a plurality of factor functions. The system determines a plurality of assessment results each derived using values for of a respective set of the factor functions. Each one of the assessment results characterizes a respective aspect of deploying the information technology application within a cloud environment.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method comprising creating a resource group for providing cloud services, receiving a request to increase a quantity of the virtual machines of the resource group; and instantiating one or more additional virtual machines within the resource group in response to receiving the request. The resource group includes one or more virtual machines that all have virtual machine specifications of a particular configuration. Instantiating the one or more additional virtual machines includes providing each one of the one or more additional virtual machines with virtual machine specifications of the particular configuration.

Abstract: A cloud services brokerage platform system includes a virtual data center (VDC) and an architecture management interface. The virtual data center (VDC) includes a plurality of resource groups. Each one of the resource groups includes one or more VDC resources. Each one of the VDC resources is associated with a respective set of resource group specification parameters. The architecture management interface enables an architectural layout of the one or more VDC resources to be displayed. The architectural layout includes a visual depiction of the one or more VDC resources of each one of the resource groups. An arrangement of the visual depiction is dependent upon the respective set of resource group specification parameters.

Abstract: A method is performed by a computer configured to facilitate brokering of cloud services. The method includes a plurality of operations. An operation of receiving a request for instantiating an instance of a cloud service budget for a customer is performed. An operation of receiving budget configuration information is performed after receiving the request for instantiating the instance of the budget. The budget configuration information specifies a cloud service budget threshold. An operation of determining a budgetary impact of the cloud service order is performed. An operation of receiving information defining a price of a cloud service order subject to the cloud service budget is performed. In response to the budgetary impact indicating that a price of the cloud order will cause a cloud service billing amount for the customer to exceed the budget threshold, an operation of implementing at least one budgetary action associated with the budgetary impact determination.

Abstract: A pricing rule is created for governing a manner in which pricing of cloud services is adjusted. The pricing rule includes pricing rule configuration information defining an outcome of the pricing rule when applied to cloud service prices and a pricing rule context defining a boundary within which the pricing rule must be implemented to thereby cause the pricing rule to be applied to the cloud service prices. The pricing rule configuration information can specify a pricing adjustment mode, a type of price upon which the pricing rule is to be applied, an entity to which the outcome of pricing rule is to be allocated, and a category of charge upon which the pricing rule is to be applied. The pricing rule context can include a context basis and one or more context basis selections.

Abstract: Implementation of cross provider security in accordance with the disclosures made herein enables users of a system (e.g., a cloud services brokerage platform) in a cloud environment provides for system-managed provisioning and management of keys to cloud resources thereby allowing the user to manage data security and enable secured access to their cloud resources. To this end, cross provider security management functionality in accordance with the disclosures made herein can include provisioning system-generated keys across different regions in a provider, provisioning cloud brokerage system-generated keys across different providers; and associating (i.e., managing) the keys from the system to a hardware security module. The keys can be managed by/though a variety of different resources (e.g., brokering system, VDC, user group concepts, etc).

Abstract: A policy is created for governing a manner in which a cloud service account task is performed. The policy can include one or more policy rules and one or more different types of policy contexts. The one or more policy rules define one or more outcomes of the cloud service account task for different conditions when the policy is applied thereto. The one or more policy contexts specify one or more parameters that define a boundary within which the cloud service account task must be implemented to thereby cause the policy to be applied thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of cloud computing systems each including cloud resources configurable to embody a plurality of virtual machines and a cloud services brokerage platform (CSB) having coupled thereto each one of the cloud computing systems. The CSB platform enables a plurality of cloud service consumers to selectively procure access to a respective portion of said cloud resources of a least one of the cloud computing systems and to configure said procured cloud resources to embody one or more virtual machines thereof. The CSB platform implements apportioning of cloud services charges for said procured cloud resources of a particular one of the cloud service consumers to respective cloud service entities thereof.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method comprising a plurality of operations. An operation of determining a plurality of cloud service offerings available for fulfilling cloud service resource requirements of a cloud service solution is performed. An operation of computing a standardized resource capacity parameter for each one of the cloud service offerings is performed. An operation of assessing the standardized resource capacity parameter of at least two of the cloud service offerings to characterize an ability thereof to fulfill the cloud service resource requirements of the cloud service solution is performed.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method comprising creating a resource group for providing cloud services, receiving a request to increase a quantity of the virtual machines of the resource group; and instantiating one or more additional virtual machines within the resource group in response to receiving the request. The resource group includes one or more virtual machines that all have virtual machine specifications of a particular configuration. Instantiating the one or more additional virtual machines includes providing each one of the one or more additional virtual machines with virtual machine specifications of the particular configuration.

Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing cloud services expenditures. The method determines and displays an amount spent on cloud services for a cloud account is performed. The amount spent includes an amount spent on the cloud services for a current day of the cloud services billing period and all days of the cloud services billing period prior to the current day. The method determines and displays an estimated billed amount for cloud services for the cloud account over an entire duration of the cloud services billing period is performed. The method determines and displays a capacity cost parameter indicating a relationship between the amount spent on the cloud services and a portion thereof that is allocated to capacity-specific contributors of the cloud services is performed.

Abstract: A system configured to facilitate brokering hybrid cloud services selects information requests for characterizing an information technology application. The system responses to the information requests and determines a plurality of sets of the responses each used for deriving a value of a respective one of a plurality of factor functions. The system determines a plurality of assessment results each derived using values for of a respective set of the factor functions. Each one of the assessment results characterizes a respective aspect of deploying the information technology application within a cloud environment.

Abstract: A cloud services brokerage platform system includes a virtual data center (VDC) and an architecture management interface. The virtual data center (VDC) includes a plurality of resource groups. Each one of the resource groups includes one or more VDC resources. Each one of the VDC resources is associated with a respective set of resource group specification parameters. The architecture management interface enables an architectural layout of the one or more VDC resources to be displayed. The architectural layout includes a visual depiction of the one or more VDC resources of each one of the resource groups. An arrangement of the visual depiction is dependent upon the respective set of resource group specification parameters.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of interconnected platform engine portions for providing cloud service brokerage functionalities. A first platform engine portion enables selection of cloud service offerings available from one or more cloud service providers through assessment of cloud service criteria. A second platform engine portion enables demand for cloud services to be modeled using selected ones of the cloud service offerings. A third second platform engine portion enables virtual data centers (VDCs) to be instantiated by provisioning resources of the selected ones of the cloud service offerings.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method for provisioning cloud resources. The method comprises creating an instantiation of a cloud service resource; associating the cloud service resource with each one of a virtual data center, a cloud resource application, a cloud resource application environment, and a cloud resource architectural layer; and provisioning the cloud service resource with at least one instance of a virtual machine.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method for enabling a user thereof to select one or more cloud service providers that offer cloud service resources fulfilling cloud service resource requirements of a cloud service solution, to procure the cloud service resources from the one or more cloud service providers and to provision the cloud service resources in accordance with the service resource requirements of the cloud service solution.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The instructions are configured for causing the at least one data processing device to perform a method of enabling a user to determine cloud service resource requirements of a modeled cloud service solution, deploy an actual cloud service solution having cloud service resources defined by the cloud service resource requirements of the modeled cloud service solution, and, after deploying the actual cloud service solution, access information characterizing utilization of the cloud service resources of the actual cloud service solution with respect to available capacity thereof.