Method and System for Determining Software License Compliance

• US 20090248428A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bash, Lee B., Wu, Nan, Disciascio, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for determining license compliance includes receiving data regarding a plurality of licenses, including at least first and second licenses. The first license has a corresponding first license count that applies to a first software product. The second license has a corresponding second license count that applies to the first software product. An instance count of the first software product is determined. A determination is made regarding whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

Claims

1. A method for determining license compliance, comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of licenses, including at least first and second licenses, the first license having a corresponding first license count that applies to a first software product, and the second license having a corresponding second license count that applies to the first software product;

determining an instance count of the first software product; and

determining whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising apportioning the instance count to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising apportioning the instance count to the first and second licenses, such that a minimum number of first and second license counts are applied to the instance count of the first software product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of licenses further includes a third license having a corresponding third license count that applies to a second software product, and further comprising:

determining an instance count for the second software product;

determining whether the instance count for the second software product can be apportioned to the third license, such that the third license count is not exceeded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of licenses further includes a third license having a corresponding third license count that applies to the first software product; and

the determining whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses further comprises determining whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first, second, and third licenses, such that neither the first, second, or third license counts are exceeded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data is stored within computer-readable medium in the form of a data table comprising first and second axes, the first and second licenses each represented by respective partitions of the first axes, and the first and second software products each represented by respective partitions of the second axis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an output indicating whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether and how many one or more additional license counts are needed such that neither the first or second licenses counts are exceeded.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses comprises apportioning all of the instance count to the second license.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses comprises applying a stair-stepping algorithm to the received data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data regarding the plurality of licenses is received in response to a detected event.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second software product is a later version of the first software product.

13. Logic encoded in tangible computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

receive data regarding a plurality of licenses, including at least first and second licenses, the first license having a corresponding first license count that applies to a first software product, and the second license having a corresponding second license count that applies to the first software product;

determine an instance count of the first software product; and

determine whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

14. The logic of claim 13, wherein the logic is further operable to apportion the instance count to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

15. The logic of claim 13, wherein the logic is further operable to apportion the instance count to the first and second licenses, such that a minimum number of first and second license counts are applied to the instance count of the first software product.

16. The logic of claim 13, wherein the plurality of licenses further includes a third license having a corresponding third license count that applies to a second software product, and wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine an instance count for the second software product;

determine whether the instance count for the second software product can be apportioned to the third license, such that the third license count is not exceeded.

17. The logic of claim 13, wherein the plurality of licenses further includes a third license having a corresponding third license count that applies to the first software product;

and the logic is further operable to determine whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first, second, and third licenses, such that neither the first, second, or third license counts are exceeded.

18. The logic of claim 13, wherein the received data is stored within computer-readable medium in the form of a data table comprising first and second axes, the first and second licenses each represented by respective partitions of the first axes, and the first and second software products each represented by respective partitions of the second axis.

19. The logic of claim 13, the logic further operable to generate an output indicating whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.

20. The logic of claim 13, the logic further operable to determine whether and how many one or more additional license counts are needed such that neither the first or second licenses counts are exceeded.