Amazon introduces new "micro" instances

ICPSR is taking advantage of a new "micro"-sized virtual machine offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Amazon describes the new instance this way:

Micro Instance 613 MB of memory, up to 2 ECUs (for short periodic bursts), EBS storage only, 32-bit or 64-bit platform

This looked like a good fit for the "stealth" DNS server that we run in Amazon's cloud, and so we converted it from a Small Instance - Reserved ($350 for a three year term + $0.03/hour) to a Micro Instance - Reserved ($82 for a three year term + $0.007/hour).

We have other lightly used instances running in Amazon's cloud, and we'll likely convert them over too.