System, method and program to manage software licenses

• US 20070106622A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smalley, Thomas, Boomershine, Marna, Marsnik, Jamie
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

Computer system, method and program for estimating an increase in software license cost for executing a computer program with a first processor(s) instead of a second, less powerful processor(s). An identification is made of a plurality of computers in which the computer program is currently installed. The total processor power of the plurality of computers is determined. The existing license cost(s) for executing the computer program in the plurality of computers is determined. The existing license cost(s) is divided by the total processor power of the plurality of computers to determine license cost per unit of processor power. The difference of processor power between the first processor(s) and the second processor(s) is multiplied times the license cost per unit of processor power to estimate the increase in software license cost. Alternatives to paying the upgrade license fee are also considered. For example, a determination is made whether the computer program should be deleted from another computer to provide available processor power under an existing software license for the computer program to be executed with the first processor(s).

Claims

1. A method for estimating an increase in software license cost for executing a computer program with a first processor(s) instead of a second, less powerful processor(s), said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of computers in which said computer program is currently installed;

determining total processor power of said plurality of computers;

identifying existing license cost(s) for executing said computer program in said plurality of computers;

dividing said existing license cost(s) by said total processor power of said plurality of computers to determine license cost per unit of processor power; and

multiplying a difference of processor power between said first processor(s) and said second processor(s), times said license cost per unit of processor power to estimate said increase in software license cost.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining total processor power of said plurality of computers comprises the step of automatically querying configuration files of said plurality of computers.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of repeating the foregoing steps for another computer program currently executed with said second processor(s) to estimate an increase in software license cost for executing said other computer program on said first processor(s) instead of said second processor(s).

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

determining whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from said plurality of computers based on a low level of utilization of said either computer program.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

determining whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from one of said plurality of computers to provide available processor power under an existing software license for said either computer program to be executed with said first processor(s).

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said computer program executes in an LPAR in one of said plurality of computers, and the step of determining processor power of said plurality of computers is based on a processor time-share of total processor power of said one computer used to execute said computer program, not the total processor power of said one computer.

7. A system for estimating an increase in software license cost for executing a computer program with a first processor(s) instead of a second, less powerful processor(s), said system comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of computers in which said computer program is currently installed;

means for determining total processor power of said plurality of computers;

means for identifying existing license cost(s) for executing said computer program in said plurality of computers;

means for dividing said existing license cost(s) by said total processor power of said plurality of computers to determine license cost per unit of processor power; and

means for multiplying a difference of processor power between said first processor(s) and said second processor(s), times said license cost per unit of processor power to estimate said increase in software license cost.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the means for determining total processor power of said plurality of computers comprises means for automatically querying configuration files of said plurality of computers.

9. A system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising means for initiating the multiplying means for another computer program currently executed with said second processor(s) to estimate an increase in software license cost due to executing said other computer program on said first processor(s) instead of said second processor(s).

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:

means for determining whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from said plurality of computers based on a low level of utilization of said either computer program.

11. A system as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:

means for determining whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from one of said plurality of computers to provide available processor power under an existing software license for said either computer program to be executed with said first processor(s).

12. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said computer program executes in an LPAR in one of said plurality of computers, and the step of determining processor power of said plurality of computers is based on a processor time-share of total processor power of said one computer used to execute said computer program, not the total processor power of said one computer.

13. A computer program product for estimating an increase in software license cost for executing a computer program with a first processor(s) instead of a second, less powerful processor(s), said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable media;

first program instructions to identify a plurality of computers in which said computer program is currently installed;

second program instructions to determine total processor power of said plurality of computers;

third program instructions to identify existing license cost(s) for executing said computer program in said plurality of computers;

fourth program instructions to divide said existing license cost(s) by said total processor power of said plurality of computers to determine license cost per unit of processor power; and

fifth program instructions to multiply a difference of processor power between said first processor(s) and said second processor(s), times said license cost per unit of processor power to estimate said increase in software license cost; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

14. A computer program product as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second program instructions determine total processor power of said plurality of computers comprises by automatically querying configuration files of said plurality of computers.

15. A computer program product as set forth in claim 13 further comprising sixth program instructions to initiate the fifth program instructions for another computer program currently executed with said second processor(s) to estimate an increase in software license cost due to executing said other computer program on said first processor(s) instead of said second processor(s);

and wherein said sixth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

16. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:

seventh program instructions to determine whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from said plurality of computers based on a low level of utilization of said either computer program; and

wherein said seventh program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

17. A computer program product as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:

seventh program instructions to determine whether either of said computer programs currently executed with said second processor should be deleted from one of said plurality of computers to provide available processor power under an existing software license for said either computer program to be executed with said first processor(s); and

wherein said seventh program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

18. A computer program product as set forth in claim 13 wherein said computer program executes in an LPAR in one of said plurality of computers, and said second program instructions determine processor power of said plurality of computers based on a processor time-share of total processor power of said one computer used to execute said computer program, not the total processor power of said one computer.