Abstract: A hardware pay-per-use system and corresponding method allow computer system operators to tailor their hardware utilization to more closely match changing customer demands. The hardware pay-per-use system includes one or more hardware products and a metering mechanism coupled to at least one of the hardware products. The metering mechanism includes a hardware device separate from the hardware products. The metering mechanism acquires metrics data from the hardware products, the metrics data related to an operation at the hardware products. The metering mechanism determines data to report on the operation of the hardware products. A usage repository coupled to the metering mechanism receives the determined data and generates usage reports related to the operation of the hardware products.

Abstract: A pay-per-use (PPU) software system uses reads metrics data from one or more PPU products and transmits the metrics data to a remote location for processing. The PPU system uses a utility metering appliance that monitors PPU software products on a given internal network through the use of software metering agents that reside on different computers. Metric gathering tools are supplied with the PPU software products and are registered with an agent. The utility metering appliance polls all of the software metering agents, which collect software metrics data from the registered tools. Each agent transmits the data back to the utility metering appliance, where it is stored for periodic transmission to a usage collection and billing system. The usage collection and billing system then forwards the metrics data to a billing computer so that a bill can be issued to the software product user. The software metrics data may also be forwarded to a portal for customer tracking of PPU product usage.

Abstract: A hardware pay-per-use system and corresponding method allow computer system operators to tailor their hardware utilization to more closely match changing customer demands. The hardware pay-per-use system includes one or more hardware products and a metering mechanism coupled to at least one of the hardware products. The metering mechanism includes a hardware device separate from the hardware products. The metering mechanism acquires metrics data from the hardware products, the metrics data related to an operation at the hardware products. The metering mechanism determines data to report on the operation of the hardware products. A usage repository coupled to the metering mechanism receives the determined data and generates usage reports related to the operation of the hardware products.

Abstract: A pay-per-use (PPU) software system uses reads metrics data from one or more PPU products and transmits the metrics data to a remote location for processing. The PPU system uses a utility metering appliance that monitors PPU software products on a given internal network through the use of software metering agents that reside on different computers. Metric gathering tools are supplied with the PPU software products and are registered with an agent. The utility metering appliance polls all of the software metering agents, which collect software metrics data from the registered tools. Each agent transmits the data back to the utility metering appliance, where it is stored for periodic transmission to a usage collection and billing system. The usage collection and billing system then forwards the metrics data to a billing computer so that a bill can be issued to the software product user. The software metrics data may also be forwarded to a portal for customer tracking of PPU product usage.