Pay-as-You-Go Instance

The Pay-as-You-Go plan is a dynamic billing option that allows you to pay only for the hours your virtual machine (VM) is actively used. Unlike fixed-cost plans, this model provides maximum flexibility, making it ideal for:

• Short-term projects

• Testing and development environments

• Spiky or unpredictable workloads

• Cost-conscious users seeking granular billing control

With no upfront commitments and on-demand pricing, you are always in control of your cloud expenses.

1. Log In to the Cloud Management Portal :

• Open your web browser and go to the Cloud Portal login page.

• Enter your username and password, then click Sign In.

2. Navigate to Compute Services :

From the main dashboard, go to:

• Compute → Create Instance

3. Configure Your VM :

• Set up the basic configuration for your new instance:

  • Zone : Choose the geographic region for your VM.

  • OS Type : Select the operating system, such as Linux or Windows.

  • Template : Choose from a list of available OS templates (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04, Windows Server 2019).

4. Pay-as-You-Go Billing Option :

Under the "Choose Your Instance Plan" section, you’ll see two billing models:

• Pay-as-You-Go (Select this option)

• Fixed/Bundle Plan

Click on Pay-as-You-Go to proceed.

5. Pay-as-You-Go Offering :

A list of available offerings will appear, displaying different combinations of vCPUs, RAM, and storage. Choose a plan that best fits your performance needs.

The portal will show:

• Estimated Hourly Rate (e.g., $0.10/hour)

• Monthly Equivalent – Approximate cost if the instance is active for the full month.

6. Confirm and Launch :

• Review all configuration settings and pricing details.

• Click Create Instance to deploy your VM with Pay-as-You-Go billing.

Your VM will be provisioned, and billing will begin only when the VM enters the running state.

7. Billing Details :

• Hourly Billing : Charges are based on actual hours of VM usage (running/stopped).

• Granular Tracking : Usage is monitored in real-time and billed accordingly.

• No Commitment : Stop or delete the instance at any time to pause billing.

  • Example: If your VM is active for 10 hours at $0.10/hour, your total charge will be $1.00.

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Pay-as-You-Go vs. Bundle Plan Comparison

S. No	Feature	Pay-as-You-Go	Bundle/Reserved Plan
1	Billing Model	Hourly (usage-based)	Monthly (fixed upfront fee)
2	Flexibility	Start/stop anytime	Locked into a 1-month term
3	Best For	Temporary/testing needs	Long-term/stable workloads
4	Cost Efficiency	Great for short bursts	More economical for 24x7 use

The Pay-as-You-Go plan offers unmatched flexibility and cost control for cloud users. Whether you're testing a new app, running a training lab, or spinning up a temporary workload, this billing model helps you:

• Pay only for what you use

• Scale usage dynamically

• Avoid unnecessary long-term commitments

Start optimizing your cloud spending today by choosing Pay-as-You-Go when creating your next virtual machine.