title: Amazon AWS EC2 usage
body: <p>I have two questions on Amazon AWS EC2 usage computation:</p>
  
  <p>If I installed a packaged AMI that is fedora core 5, tomcat mysql based and configure it to point to my subdomain demo.mydomain.com, I am interested in finding out how computational hours are calculated. The application that I am publishing is not really mission critical, more towards a demo for a web based tutorial that I am hosting to showcase my application development portfolio. Therefore, it makes sense for me not to invest in a full blown remote virtual dedicated server or something similar.</p>
  
  <p>Say, in a 24 hour window:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>0000 (hours) - Accessed by one user for 15 mins</li>
  <li>0100 (hours) - Not accessed</li>
  <li>0200 (hours) - Not accessed</li>
  <li>0300 (hours) - Accessed by one user for 30 mins</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>1300 (hours) - Not accessed</li>
  <li>1400 (hours) - Accessed by one user for 15 mins</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>.</li>
  <li>2200 (hours) - Accessed by four users for 60 mins</li>
  <li>2300 (hours) - Accessed by eight users for 60 mins</li>
  <li>2400 (hours) - Not accessed</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p><strong>Total: 180 mins (3 hours)</strong></p>
  
  <p>Assuming that the average use is consistent based on the above hours for 30 days (to get a monthly total).</p>
  
  <p><strong>30days x 3 hours = 180 hours (per month)</strong></p>
  
  <p>Here are my questions:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Am I billed for the time that the service is not accessed although the web application is available online?</li>
  <li>Are the charges based on per block hour used or per minute based used mileage?
  i.e 0000 hours, the service used was for 15 minutes, am I getting charged for the rest of 45 minutes?</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Would anyone be able to advice?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>