Software licensing management system

• US 20020169625A1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cadence Design Systems Incorporated (Cadence Group)
• Original Assignee: Cadence Design Systems Incorporated (Cadence Group)
• Inventors: Yang, Eric, Baeder, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

A contract management mechanism is disclosed for managing contracts in the software licensing arena. The management mechanism may be used, for example, to manage one or more fulfillment contracts. In operation (assuming a software licensing implementation for the sake of example), the management mechanism receives an inquiry regarding licensing of a particular set of software under a particular contract (the contract entitles a customer to consume a certain quota of resources under the contract). In response to the inquiry, the management mechanism determines a licensing amount. This licensing amount may be determined based upon many factors, including the set of software selected, other parameters specified in the inquiry, and the terms associated with the contract. Once the licensing amount is determined, and the customer commits to licensing the software, the management mechanism reduces the quota parameter of the contract by the licensing amount and allows the software to be used under the contract. Licensing of the software under the fulfillment contract is thus achieved and managed. Using the same process, other sets of software may be licensed under the same contract.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a contract, comprising:

receiving a first inquiry regarding licensing of a first set of software under a particular contract;

accessing information pertaining to said particular contract, said information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract;

determining a first licensing amount attributable to licensing said first set of software;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said first licensing amount; and

allowing said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding licensing of a second set of software under said particular contract;

determining a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said second set of software;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

allowing said second set of software to be used under said particular contract.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first set of software and said second set of software are different sets of software.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said second set of software is an upgraded version of said first set of software.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding obtaining a service under said particular contract;

determining a service amount attributable to obtaining said service;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said service amount; and

allowing said service to be rendered under said particular contract.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said service comprises technical support.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding purchasing a product under said particular contract;

determining a purchasing amount attributable to purchasing said product;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said purchasing amount; and

allowing said product to be purchased under said particular contract.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding licensing a set of property under said particular contract;

determining a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said property;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

allowing said property to be used under said particular contract.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said property comprises intellectual property.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said property comprises proprietary information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein updating said quota parameter comprises:

reducing said quota parameter by said first licensing amount.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first inquiry specifies one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein said first licensing amount is determined based, at least partially, upon at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters is specifiable by a sender of said first inquiry.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many users may concurrently use said first set of software.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many copies of said first set of software are desired.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing said first set of software to be used comprises:

granting a license to use said first set of software for a period of time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request to terminate said license before said period of time has elapsed;

determining a refund amount; and

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

disallowing further use of said first set of software under said particular contract.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein updating said quota parameter comprises:

increasing said quota parameter by said refund amount.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon an unused portion of said license.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to deploy said first set of software; and

deploying said first set of software to a host, wherein said host may be any host specified by a sender of said request.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding licensing of a second set of software under said particular contract;

accessing said information pertaining to said particular contract;

determining a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said second set of software, said second licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

allowing said second set of software to be used under said particular contract.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said first set of software and said second set of software are different sets of software.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said second set of software is an upgraded version of said first set of software.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more contract terms applied to determine said first licensing amount are different from the one or more contract terms applied to determine said second licensing amount.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more contract terms applied to determine said first licensing amount are the same as the one or more contract terms applied to determine said second licensing amount.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding obtaining a service under said particular contract;

determining a service amount attributable to obtaining said service;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said service amount; and

allowing said service to be rendered under said particular contract.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said service comprises technical support.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said service amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding purchasing a product under said particular contract;

determining a purchasing amount attributable to purchasing said product;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said purchasing amount; and

allowing said product to be purchased under said particular contract.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said purchasing amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a second inquiry regarding licensing a set of property under said particular contract;

determining a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said property;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

allowing said property to be used under said particular contract.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said property comprises intellectual property.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said property comprises proprietary information.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said second licensing amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises an uplift.

39. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises a discount.

40. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises a multiplier.

41. The method of claim 23, wherein updating said quota parameter comprises:

reducing said quota parameter by said first licensing amount.

42. The method of claim 23, wherein said first inquiry specifies one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein said first licensing amount is determined based, at least partially, upon at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters is specifiable by a sender of said first inquiry.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many users may concurrently use said first set of software.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many copies of said first set of software are desired.

47. The method of claim 23, wherein said first inquiry specifies a set of inquiry parameters, which include a reference to said first set of software and one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein determining said first licensing amount comprises:

determining, based at least partially upon one or more of said inquiry parameters, which of said one or more contract terms to apply to said first inquiry.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said set of inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

49. The method of claim 23, wherein allowing said first set of software to be used comprises:

granting a license to use said first set of software for a period of time.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

receiving a request to terminate said license before said period of time has elapsed;

determining a refund amount; and

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

disallowing further use of said first set of software under said particular contract.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount comprises:

increasing said quota parameter by said refund amount.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon an unused portion of said license.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein said refund amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

55. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a request to deploy said first set of software; and

deploying said first set of software to a host, wherein said host may be any host specified by a sender of said request.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said one or more applicable contract terms may be derived from said first set of information or from any of said one or more other sets of information.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the contract terms associated with each contract may differ, and wherein processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

reconciling said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information to extract therefrom said one or more applicable contract terms.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein reconciling comprises:

processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information in a particular order;

searching, as each set of information is processed, for a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

upon finding a first contract term that applies to said inquiry, including said first contract term as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said first contract term may be found in said first set of information, or in any of said one or more other sets of information.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

determining whether said first set of information comprises a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

in response to a determination that said first set of information does not comprise a contract term that applies to said inquiry, deriving said one or more applicable contract terms from said one or more other sets of information.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein deriving said one or more applicable contract terms further comprises:

in response to a determination that said first set of information does comprise a contract term that applies to said inquiry, including the contract term that applies to said inquiry as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information in a particular order;

searching, as each set of information is processed, for a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

upon finding a contract term that applies to said inquiry, including the contract term that applies to said inquiry as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the contract term that applies to said inquiry may be found in said first set of information, or in any of said one or more other sets of information.

23. A computer-implemented method for managing a contract, comprising:

receiving a first inquiry regarding licensing of a first set of software under a particular contract;

accessing information pertaining to said particular contract, said information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract, and one or more contract terms associated with said particular contract;

determining a first licensing amount attributable to licensing said first set of software, said first licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said first licensing amount; and

allowing said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

56. A computer-implemented method for managing a contract, comprising:

receiving an inquiry regarding licensing of a set of software under a particular contract;

accessing a first set of information pertaining to said particular contract, said first set of information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract, and one or more contract terms associated with said particular contract;

accessing one or more other sets of information pertaining to one or more other contracts related to said particular contract, each of said other sets of information comprising one or more contract terms associated with one of said other contracts;

processing said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information to derive one or more applicable contract terms that apply to said inquiry;

determining a licensing amount attributable to licensing said set of software, said licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying said one or more applicable contract terms;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said licensing amount; and

allowing said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

65. A computer-implemented method for managing a contract, comprising:

receiving a request to terminate a license on a set of software;

accessing information pertaining to said license, said information comprising a reference to a contract under which said license was granted, said contract having a quota parameter associated therewith which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said contract;

determining a refund amount;

updating said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount; and

disallowing further use of said set of software under said contract.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein updating said quota parameter comprises:

increasing said quota parameter by said refund amount.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein said contract has one or more contract terms associated therewith, and wherein said refund amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein said information pertaining to said license further comprises a licensing amount attributable to licensing said set of software, and wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon said licensing amount.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein said refund amount is a portion of said licensing amount, and wherein said portion is proportional to an unused portion of said license.

70. The method of claim 65, wherein disallowing further use of said set of software comprises:

preventing further execution of said set of software.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein preventing comprises:

invalidating an authorization parameter which is required for proper execution of said set of software.

72. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage a contract, said computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a first inquiry regarding licensing of a first set of software under a particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access information pertaining to said particular contract, said information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a first licensing amount attributable to licensing said first set of software;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said first licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

73. The computer readable medium of claim 72, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding licensing of a second set of software under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said second set of software;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said second set of software to be used under said particular contract.

74. The computer readable medium of claim 73, wherein said first set of software and said second set of software are different sets of software.

75. The computer readable medium of claim 73, wherein said second set of software is an upgraded version of said first set of software.

76. The computer readable medium of claim 72, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding obtaining a service under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a service amount attributable to obtaining said service;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said service amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said service to be rendered under said particular contract.

77. The computer readable medium of claim 76, wherein said service comprises technical support.

78. The computer readable medium of claim 72, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding purchasing a product under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a purchasing amount attributable to purchasing said product;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said purchasing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said product to be purchased under said particular contract.

79. The computer readable medium of claim 72, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding licensing a set of property under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said property;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said property to be used under said particular contract.

80. The computer readable medium of claim 79, wherein said property comprises intellectual property.

81. The computer readable medium of claim 79, wherein said property comprises proprietary information.

82. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to reduce said quota parameter by said first licensing amount.

83. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said first inquiry specifies one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein said first licensing amount is determined based, at least partially, upon at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters.

84. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters is specifiable by a sender of said first inquiry.

85. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

86. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many users may concurrently use said first set of software.

87. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many copies of said first set of software are desired.

88. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said first set of software to be used comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to grant a license to use said first set of software for a period of time.

89. The computer readable medium of claim 88, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a request to terminate said license before said period of time has elapsed;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a refund amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount.

90. The computer readable medium of claim 89, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to disallow further use of said first set of software under said particular contract.

91. The computer readable medium of claim 89, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to increase said quota parameter by said refund amount.

92. The computer readable medium of claim 89, wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon an unused portion of said license.

93. The computer readable medium of claim 72, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a request to deploy said first set of software; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to deploy said first set of software to a host, wherein said host may be any host specified by a sender of said request.

94. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage a contract, said computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a first inquiry regarding licensing of a first set of software under a particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access information pertaining to said particular contract, said information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract, and one or more contract terms associated with said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a first licensing amount attributable to licensing said first set of software, said first licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said first licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

95. The computer readable medium of claim 94, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding licensing of a second set of software under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access said information pertaining to said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said second set of software, said second licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said second set of software to be used under said particular contract.

96. The computer readable medium of claim 95, wherein said first set of software and said second set of software are different sets of software.

97. The computer readable medium of claim 95, wherein said second set of software is an upgraded version of said first set of software.

98. The computer readable medium of claim 95, wherein the one or more contract terms applied to determine said first licensing amount are different from the one or more contract terms applied to determine said second licensing amount.

99. The computer readable medium of claim 95, wherein the one or more contract terms applied to determine said first licensing amount are the same as the one or more contract terms applied to determine said second licensing amount.

100. The computer readable medium of claim 94, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding obtaining a service under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a service amount attributable to obtaining said service;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said service amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said service to be rendered under said particular contract.

101. The computer readable medium of claim 100, wherein said service comprises technical support.

102. The computer readable medium of claim 100, wherein said service amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

103. The computer readable medium of claim 94, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding purchasing a product under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a purchasing amount attributable to purchasing said product;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said purchasing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said product to be purchased under said particular contract.

104. The computer readable medium of claim 103, wherein said purchasing amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

105. The computer readable medium of claim 94, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a second inquiry regarding licensing a set of property under said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a second licensing amount attributable to licensing said property;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said second licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said property to be used under said particular contract.

106. The computer readable medium of claim 105, wherein said property comprises intellectual property.

107. The computer readable medium of claim 105, wherein said property comprises proprietary information.

108. The computer readable medium of claim 105, wherein said second licensing amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

109. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises an uplift.

110. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises a discount.

111. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said one or more contract terms comprises a multiplier.

112. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to reduce said quota parameter by said first licensing amount.

113. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said first inquiry specifies one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein said first licensing amount is determined based, at least partially, upon at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters.

114. The computer readable medium of claim 113, wherein at least one of said one or more additional inquiry parameters is specifiable by a sender of said first inquiry.

115. The computer readable medium of claim 113, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

116. The computer readable medium of claim 113, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many users may concurrently use said first set of software.

117. The computer readable medium of claim 113, wherein said one or more additional inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating how many copies of said first set of software are desired.

118. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said first inquiry specifies a set of inquiry parameters, which include a reference to said first set of software and one or more additional inquiry parameters, and wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to determine said first licensing amount comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine, based at least partially upon one or more of said inquiry parameters, which of said one or more contract terms to apply to said first inquiry.

119. The computer readable medium of claim 118, wherein said set of inquiry parameters comprises a parameter indicating a desired amount of time for which said first set of software is to be licensed.

120. The computer readable medium of claim 94, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said first set of software to be used comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to grant a license to use said first set of software for a period of time.

121. The computer readable medium of claim 120, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a request to terminate said license before said period of time has elapsed;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a refund amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount.

122. The computer readable medium of claim 120, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to disallow further use of said first set of software under said particular contract.

123. The computer readable medium of claim 121, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to increase said quota parameter by said refund amount.

124. The computer readable medium of claim 121, wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon an unused portion of said license.

125. The computer readable medium of claim 121, wherein said refund amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

126. The computer readable medium of claim 94, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a request to deploy said first set of software; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to deploy said first set of software to a host, wherein said host may be any host specified by a sender of said request.

128. The computer readable medium of claim 127, wherein said one or more applicable contract terms may be derived from said first set of information or from any of said one or more other sets of information.

129. The computer readable medium of claim 127, wherein the contract terms associated with each contract may differ, and wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to reconcile said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information to extract therefrom said one or more applicable contract terms.

130. The computer readable medium of claim 129, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to reconcile comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information in a particular order;

instructions for causing one or more processors to search, as each set of information is processed, for a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to, upon finding a first contract term that applies to said inquiry, include said first contract term as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

131. The computer readable medium of claim 130, wherein said first contract term may be found in said first set of information, or in any of said one or more other sets of information.

132. The computer readable medium of claim 127, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine whether said first set of information comprises a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to, in response to a determination that said first set of information does not comprise a contract term that applies to said inquiry, derive said one or more applicable contract terms from said one or more other sets of information.

133. The computer readable medium of claim 132, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to derive said one or more applicable contract terms further comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to, in response to a determination that said first set of information does comprise a contract term that applies to said inquiry, include the contract term that applies to said inquiry as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

134. The computer readable medium of claim 127, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information in a particular order;

instructions for causing one or more processors to search, as each set of information is processed, for a contract term that applies to said inquiry; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to, upon finding a contract term that applies to said inquiry, include the contract term that applies to said inquiry as one of said one or more applicable contract terms.

135. The computer readable medium of claim 134, wherein the contract term that applies to said inquiry may be found in said first set of information, or in any of said one or more other sets of information.

137. The computer readable medium of claim 136, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to increase said quota parameter by said refund amount.

138. The computer readable medium of claim 136, wherein said contract has one or more contract terms associated therewith, and wherein said refund amount is determined, at least partially, by applying one or more of said contract terms.

139. The computer readable medium of claim 137, wherein said information pertaining to said license further comprises a licensing amount attributable to licensing said set of software, and wherein said refund amount is determined based, at least partially, upon said licensing amount.

140. The computer readable medium of claim 139, wherein said refund amount is a portion of said licensing amount, and wherein said portion is proportional to an unused portion of said license.

141. The computer readable medium of claim 136, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to disallow further use of said set of software comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to prevent further execution of said set of software.

142. The computer readable medium of claim 141, wherein said instructions for causing one or more processors to prevent comprises:

instructions for causing one or more processors to invalidate an authorization parameter which is required for proper execution of said set of software.

127. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage a contract, said computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive an inquiry regarding licensing of a set of software under a particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access a first set of information pertaining to said particular contract, said first set of information comprising a quota parameter, which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said particular contract, and one or more contract terms associated with said particular contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access one or more other sets of information pertaining to one or more other contracts related to said particular contract, each of said other sets of information comprising one or more contract terms associated with one of said other contracts;

instructions for causing one or more processors to process said first set of information and said one or more other sets of information to derive one or more applicable contract terms that apply to said inquiry;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a licensing amount attributable to licensing said set of software, said licensing amount determined, at least partially, by applying said one or more applicable contract terms;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said licensing amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to allow said first set of software to be used under said particular contract.

136. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage a contract, said computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a request to terminate a license on a set of software;

instructions for causing one or more processors to access information pertaining to said license, said information comprising a reference to a contract under which said license was granted, said contract having a quota parameter associated therewith which specifies a quota of resources that can be consumed under said contract;

instructions for causing one or more processors to determine a refund amount;

instructions for causing one or more processors to update said quota parameter based, at least partially, upon said refund amount; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to disallow further use of said set of software under said contract.