Cloud Pricing and Markets

Abstract

Price wars among cloud service providers have received a lot of press, with providers lowering prices due to reductions in cost structure, but also in an effort to gain share, receive publicity, and signal their aggressiveness in the market to competitors. Cloud pricing models, such as reserved instances, sustained-use pricing, and spot instances, however, are also of interest. They're a means of competitive differentiation as well as creating value for both customers and providers.