Utility computing system having co-located computer systems for provision of computing resources

1. A method for providing computer resources to users, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of co-located computing systems at a first location, wherein the plurality of co-located computing systems comprises a hierarchy of computer resources based on performance, and wherein each of the plurality of co-located computing systems lacks a local human interface system, wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises:

software application cost; and

software application computational demands;

establishing a plurality of remote human interface systems at different respective second locations, wherein the second locations are remote from the first location, and wherein the plurality of remote human interface systems are coupled to the plurality of co-located computing systems over a wide area network (WAN);

providing computer resources of two or more of the co-located computing systems respectively to two or more users of the plurality of remote human interface systems on a one-to-one basis over the WAN in accordance with the computer resource performance needs of the users;

charging for usage of the computer resources;

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to at least one of the two or more users or their representatives, wherein the GUI presents available computer resources, wherein the GUI comprises a slider control, wherein the slider control allows the at least one of the two or more users or their representatives to increase or decrease resources used;

receiving input to the GUI requesting use of one or more of the computer resources;

wherein said providing computer resources and said charging for usage are performed in accordance with the requested computer resources;

providing auxiliary services to a user of the two or more users, wherein the auxiliary services include debugging services for the user, and one or more of:

document proof-reading;

editing; or

commercial printing; and

charging for the auxiliary services.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving payment in response to said charging.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring computer resource usage by the users; and

determining charges for the computer resource usage based on said monitoring;

wherein said charging comprises charging the determined charges for the computer resource usage.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said determining charges for the computer resource usage based on said monitoring comprises determining the charges per user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing and said charging are performed in accordance with one or more of:

a subscription agreement with the users or their representatives; or

a metered use agreement with the users or their representatives.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer resources comprise one or more of:

computational resources; or

software programs.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises one or more of:

hardware computation capacity;

hardware memory capacity;

communication bandwidth; or

operating system attributes.

8. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said establishing a plurality of co-located computing systems, said providing, and said charging are performed by a first entity, and wherein the users of the plurality of remote human interface systems work for a second entity.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

providing auxiliary services to a user, wherein the auxiliary services further include one or more of:

task support for a user.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing computer resources and said charging for usage of the computer resources are performed on a task basis, wherein a task comprises a specified use of one or more computer resources.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of co-located computing systems comprise a plurality of co-located blade computers.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing an additional plurality of remote human interface systems at different respective third locations, wherein the third locations are remote from the first location, and wherein the additional plurality of remote human interface systems are coupled to the plurality of co-located computing systems over the WAN;

providing computer resources to users of the additional plurality of remote human interface systems in accordance with the computer resource performance needs of the users; and

charging for usage of the computer resources.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to one or more users or their representatives, wherein the GUI presents computer resource provision agreement options; and

receiving input to the GUI selecting one or more of the computer resource provision agreement options;

wherein said providing and said charging are performed in accordance with the selected computer resource provision agreement options.

14. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said available computer resources are presented in terms of tasks; and

wherein said requesting use of one or more of the computer resources comprises requesting performance of at least one task.

15. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said charging is based on the performance of the computer resources used.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring computer resource usage by the two or more users; and

analyzing resource usage based on said monitoring;

wherein results of said analyzing are useable in managing the computer resources.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote human interface systems are not capable of general purpose computer functionality.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hierarchy of computer resources comprises hardware and/or software with a variety of performance levels.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of remote human interface systems includes a respective interface device interposed between human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface system and the WAN, wherein the interface device comprises one or more of:

network logic for interfacing to the WAN; and

human interface logic for sending and receiving human interface signals to and from the human interface devices.

20. A system for providing computer resources to users, comprising:

a plurality of computing systems each located at a first location, wherein the plurality of co-located computing systems comprises a hierarchy of computer resources based on performance, wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises one or more of:

software application cost; and

software application computational demands;

wherein each of the plurality of co-located computing systems lacks a local human interface system, and wherein each of the computing systems includes:

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor; and

a plurality of remote human interface systems at different respective second locations, wherein the second locations are remote from the first location, and wherein the plurality of remote human interface systems are coupled to the plurality of co-located computing systems over a wide area network (WAN);

wherein the plurality of computing systems includes at least one management computing system, wherein the at least one management computing system stores program instructions that are executable to:

manage the organization and allocation of computer resources, including provision of computer resources of two or more of the co-located computing systems respectively to two or more users of the plurality of remote human interface systems on a one-to-one basis over the WAN in accordance with the computer resource performance needs of the users, and provision of auxiliary services to a user of the two or more users, wherein the auxiliary services include debugging services for the user, and one or more of:

document proof-reading;

editing; or

commercial printing;

monitor resource usage and provide logging, analysis, and/or accounting functionality for the system, for assessing charges for usage of the computer resources and the auxiliary services;

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to at least one of the two or more users or their representatives, wherein the GUI presents available computer resources, wherein the GUI comprises a slider control, wherein the slider control allows the at least one of the two or more users or their representatives to increase or decrease resources used; and

receive input to the GUI requesting use of one or more of the computer resources;

wherein to provide computer resources and assess charges for usage, the program instructions are executable to provide and assess charges for usage in accordance with the requested computer resources.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the remote human interface systems are not capable of general purpose computer functionality.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein said plurality of co-located computing systems comprise a plurality of co-located blade computers.

23. The system of claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of remote human interface systems includes a respective interface device interposed between human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface system and the WAN, wherein the interface device comprises one or more of:

network logic for interfacing to the WAN; and

human interface logic for sending and receiving human interface signals to and from the human interface devices.

24. A method for providing computer resources to users, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of co-located computing systems at a first location, wherein the plurality of co-located computing systems comprises a hierarchy of computer resources based on performance, and wherein each of the plurality of co-located computing systems lacks a local human interface system, wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises one or more of:

software application cost; and

software application computational demands;

establishing a plurality of remote human interface systems at different respective second locations, wherein the second locations are remote from the first location, and wherein the plurality of remote human interface systems are coupled to the plurality of co-located computing systems over a local area network (LAN);

providing computer resources of two or more of the co-located computing systems respectively to two or more users of the plurality of remote human interface systems on a one-to-one basis in accordance with the computer resource performance needs of the users; and

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to at least one of the two or more users or their representatives, wherein the GUI presents available computer resources, wherein the GUI comprises a slider control, wherein the slider control allows the at least one of the two or more users or their representatives to increase or decrease resources used;

receiving input to the GUI requesting use of one or more of the computer resources;

wherein said providing computer resources is performed in accordance with the requested computer resources;

providing auxiliary services to a user of the two or more users, wherein the auxiliary services include development and/or debugging services for the user, and one or more of:

document proof-reading;

editing; or

commercial printing; and

charging for usage of the computer resources and the auxiliary services.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

monitoring computer resource usage by the two or more users; and

analyzing resource usage based on said monitoring;

wherein results of said analyzing are useable in managing the computer resources.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the remote human interfaces are not capable of general purpose computer functionality.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the computer resources comprise one or more of:

computational resources; or

software programs.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises one or more of:

hardware computation capacity;

hardware memory capacity;

communication bandwidth; or

operating system attributes.

29. The method of claim 24 ,

wherein said providing computer resources is performed on a task basis, wherein a task comprises a specified use of one or more computer resources.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the auxiliary services further include:

task support for the user.

31. The method of claim 24 , wherein said plurality of co-located computing systems comprise a plurality of co-located blade computers.

32. The method of claim 24 ,

wherein said available computer resources are presented in terms of tasks; and

wherein said requesting use of one or more of the computer resources comprises requesting performance of at least one task.

33. The method of claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of remote human interface systems includes a respective interface device interposed between human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface system and the LAN, wherein the interface device comprises one or more of:

network logic for interfacing to the LAN; or

human interface logic for sending and receiving human interface signals to and from the human interface devices.

34. A system for providing computer resources to users, comprising:

a plurality of computing systems each located at a first location, wherein the plurality of co-located computing systems comprises a hierarchy of computer resources based on performance, wherein the performance of the computer resources comprises one or more of:

software application cost; and

software application computational demands;

wherein each of the plurality of co-located computing systems lacks a local human interface system and wherein each of the computing systems includes:

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor; and

a plurality of remote human interface systems at different respective second locations, wherein the second locations are remote from the first location, and wherein the plurality of remote human interface systems are coupled to the plurality of co-located computing systems over a local area network (LAN);

wherein the plurality of computing systems includes at least one management computing system, wherein the at least one management computing system stores program instructions that are executable to:

manage the organization and allocation of computer resources, including provision of computer resources of two or more of the co-located computing systems respectively to two or more users of the plurality of remote human interface systems on a one-to-one basis over the LAN in accordance with the computer resource performance needs of the users, and provision of auxiliary services to a user of the two or more users, wherein the auxiliary services include debugging services for the user, and one or more of:

document proof-reading;

editing; or

commercial printing;

monitor resource usage and provide logging, analysis, and/or accounting functionality for the system, for managing the computer resources;

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to at least one of the two or more users or their representatives, wherein the GUI presents available computer resources, wherein the GUI comprises a slider control, wherein the slider control allows the at least one of the two or more users or their representatives to increase or decrease resources used; and

receive input to the GUI requesting use of one or more of the computer resources;

wherein said provision of computer resources is in accordance with the requested computer resources; and

charge for usage of the computer resources and the auxiliary services.