Method and System for Determining Software License Compliance

• US 20090249494A1
• 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: Caley, Erika M., Bash, Lee B., Wu, Nan, Disciascio, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method includes providing one or more selectable criteria that each characterize a respective software license restriction. One or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria are received. A license metric is generated. The license metric corresponds to one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria. A total number of instances of one or more software products is determined using the generated license metric.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing one or more selectable criteria that each characterize a respective software license restriction;

receiving one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria;

generating a license metric corresponding to the one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria; and

determining a total number of instances of one or more software products using the generated license metric.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated license metric measures the determined total number of instances of the one or more software products based at least partially on a definition selected from the group consisting of:

a single install that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to a single installation of the one or more software products on a respective client;

a multiple install that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to at least first and second installations on respective clients of the one or more software products;

a fixed number of installs that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to installations of the one or more software products independent of whether one or more of the total number of instances are installed on the same client; and

an unlimited install that specifies an unlimited number of instances.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable criteria are hierarchically organized.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein first and second selectable criteria of the one or more selectable criteria characterize the respective software license restriction as installation-based and usage-based, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable criteria are provided in the form of one or more categories selected from the group consisting of:

quantity criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of number;

entity criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of user, location, enterprise, or organization within an enterprise; and

hardware criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of hardware characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a description that summarizes each of the one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria.

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

provide one or more selectable criteria that each characterize a respective software license restriction;

receive one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria;

generate a license metric corresponding to the one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria; and

determine a total number of instances of one or more software products using the generated license metric.

8. The logic of claim 7, wherein the generated license metric measures the determined total number of instances of the one or more software products based at least partially on a definition selected from the group consisting of:

a single install that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to a single installation of the one or more software products on a respective client;

a multiple install that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to at least first and second installations on respective clients of the one or more software products;

a fixed number of installs that considers each instance of the total number of instances according to installations of the one or more software products independent of whether one or more of the total number of instances are installed on the same client; and

an unlimited install that specifies an unlimited number of instances.

9. The logic of claim 7, wherein the one or more selectable criteria are hierarchically organized.

10. The logic of claim 7, wherein first and second selectable criteria of the one or more selectable criteria characterize the respective software license restriction as installation-based and usage-based, respectively.

11. The logic of claim 7, wherein the one or more selectable criteria are provided in the form of one or more categories selected from the group consisting of:

quantity criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of number;

entity criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of user, location, enterprise, or organization within an enterprise; and

hardware criteria that control the total number of instances in terms of hardware characteristics.

12. The logic of claim 7, wherein the logic is further operable to generate a description that summarizes each of the one or more selections of the one or more selectable criteria.