How does RightScale support Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances?

Answer

Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances allow you to pay up-front for servers, which drastically reduces costs over time if you know you are going to be running a server for a predetermined length of time. Reserved Instances can be purchased for 1- or 3-year terms. For complete pricing and billing details, please consult the Amazon EC2 and Amazon FAQ documentation.

RightScale's support for EC2 Reserved Instances is currently as follows:

1. RightScale's billing calculator properly adjusts estimated usage costs based upon the number of purchased reserved instances.
2. Launching an instance from the Dashboard is fully compatible with Reserved Instances; Amazon will optimally apply the cheapest rate that you are eligible for in the background. This lower rate will also affect instances that are already running. (The savings are not retroactive, however—they begin the moment you purchase the Reserved Instance).

More information can be found in the Amazon EC2 documentation.