System, method and program product to determine resolution when software installed on a computer is not property licensed

• US 20070016531A1
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boomershine, Marna, Henderlite, Jacque, Buzniak, Marie, Marsnik, Jamie
• Granted Patent: US 8,781,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

Computer system, computer implemented method and computer program product for determining a recommended course of action to resolve an unlicensed software installation of a type of software in a computer of a company. A determination is made as to an amount or level of use of the type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time. A determination is made if the type of software is currently installed on another computer of the company. A determination is made if the software of the unlicensed software installation can be relocated to the other computer of the company and encompassed under another existing license for the other computer. Alternately, automatic evaluations are made of characteristics of the company'"'"'s use of (a) the type of software which would permit removal of the type of software from all computers of the company, (b) the software installation which would permit removal of the software installation, and (c) the type of software which would permit relocation of the software from the unlicensed software installation to another computer of the company at which the software would be licensed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining a recommended course of action to resolve an unlicensed software installation of a type of software in a computer of a company, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time;

determining if said type of software is currently installed on another computer of said company; and

determining if the software of said unlicensed software installation can be relocated to said other computer of said company and encompassed under another existing license for said other computer.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the company has previously indicated an interest in discontinuing use of said type of software.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the company has previously indicated an interest in retaining said type of software, and in response, recommending renegotiation of an existing license or purchase of a new license to cover the unlicensed software installation.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining an amount or degree of problems with said type of software during a previous time period, and if said amount or degree exceeds a predetermined level, recommending decommissioning said software installation.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of estimating a cost for expanding an existing license to encompass said currently unlicensed software installation.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time comprises the steps of:

determining if said company has used said type of software in said computer or other computer(s) of the company in a previous predetermined period of time; and

determining if said company has substantially underutilized said type of software during a previous predetermined period of time.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of determining whether said company has other, functionally similar software currently installed on a computer of the company.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the step of determining if said type of software is currently installed on another computer of said company, is performed after the step of determining an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time; and

the step of determining if the software of said unlicensed software installation can be relocated to another computer of said company and encompassed under another existing license for said other computer, is performed after the step of determining if said type of software is currently installed on another computer of said company.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein in response to the step of determining that an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time is below a predetermined threshold, recommending decommissioning of said software installation.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein in response to the step of determining that said type of software is currently installed on another computer of said company, recommending decommissioning of said software installation.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein in response to the step of determining that the software of said unlicensed software installation can be relocated to another computer of said company and encompassed under another existing license for said other computer, recommending relocation of said software of said unlicensed software installation to said other computer and decommissioning said currently unlicensed software installation.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining if said other computer can add a workload of said unlicensed software installation.

13. A computer implemented method for determining a recommended course of action to resolve an unlicensed software installation of a type of software in a computer of a company, said method comprising the steps of:

automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit removal of said type of software from all computers of said company;

automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said software installation which would permit removal of said software installation; and

automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit relocation of said software from said unlicensed software installation to another computer of said company at which said software would be licensed.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software and existing license(s) of said company to determine whether one of such existing licenses could be extended through negotiation to cover said currenty unlicensed software installation with less cost than acquiring a new, separate license for said currently unlicensed software installation.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

the step of automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said software installation which would permit removal of said software installation, is performed after the step of automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit removal of said software from all computers of said company; and

the step of automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit relocation of said software from said unlicensed software installation to another computer of said company at which said software would be licensed, is performed after the step of automatically evaluating characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said software installation which would permit removal of said software installation.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein at least one of said automatic evaluating steps includes the step of determining an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time.

17. A computer program product for determining a recommended course of action to resolve an unlicensed software installation of a type of software in a computer of a company, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to automatically evaluate characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit removal of said type of software from all computers of said company;

second program instructions to automatically evaluate characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said software installation which would permit removal of said software installation; and

third program instructions to automatically evaluate characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software which would permit relocation of said software from said unlicensed software installation to another computer of said company at which said software would be licensed; and

wherein

said first, second and third program instructions are stored on said medium.

18. A computer program product as set forth in claim 17 further comprising:

fourth program instructions to automatically evaluate characteristics of said company'"'"'s use of said type of software and existing license(s) of said company to determine whether one of such existing licenses could be extended through negotiation to cover said currenty unlicensed software installation with less cost than acquiring a new, separate license for said currently unlicensed software installation; and

wherein said fourth program instructions are stored on said medium.

19. A computer program product as set forth in claim 17 wherein:

said third program instructions are executed after said second program instructions, and said second program instructions are executed after said first program instructions.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 17 wherein at least one of said first, second or third program instructions determines an amount or level of use of said type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time.