Conceptualizing A Multi-Sided Platform For Cloud Computing Resource Trading

Abstract

Cost-effective and responsible use of cloud computing resources (CCR) is on the business agenda of many companies. Despite this strategic goal, two geopolitical strategy decisions mainly influence the continuous existence of overcapacity: Europe's General Data Protection Regulation and the US's Cloud Act. Given the circumstances, a typical data center produces approximately 30% overcapacity annually. This overcapacity has severe environmental and economic consequences. Our work addresses this overcapacity by proposing a multi-sided platform for CCR trading. We initiate our research by conducting a literature review to explore the existing body of knowledge which indicates a lack of recent and evaluated platform design knowledge for CCR trading. We address this research gap by deriving design requirements and design principles. We instantiate and evaluate the design knowledge in a respective platform framework. Thus, we contribute to research and practice by deriving and evaluating design knowledge and proposing a platform framework.