METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OFFERING ADDITIONAL LICENSE TERMS DURING CONVERSION OF STANDARD SOFTWARE LICENSES FOR USE IN CLOUD COMPUTING ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20110213713A1
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferris, James Michael, Riveros, Gerry Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• 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 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1075 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A “Bring Your Own License” (BYOL) service can convert users'"'"' “off-the-shelf” (OTS) software licenses for use in public clouds according to rules provided by independent software vendors (ISVs). The BYOL service can offer additional license terms to the users during conversion of the OTS software license on behalf of the ISVs. The additional license terms can be an expansion of the use of the software, an expansion of the technical support offer by the new cloud license, and expansion of the duration of use.

Claims

1. A method for extending use of off-the-shelf software in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

receiving, from a software vendor, additional license terms to offer during conversion of a software license associated with a software program to be used in a cloud;

storing a record of the additional license terms in a computer readable storage medium;

converting the software license to a cloud software license, wherein the conversion is requested by an owner of the software license;

offering, to the owner of the software license, the additional license terms for purchase; and

modifying the cloud software license upon purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

notifying the software vendor of the purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the record comprises an identification of the software vendor, the additional license terms, and a charge to purchase the additional license terms.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

negotiating payment of a charge to purchase at least one of the additional license terms.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing an interface to offer the additional license terms.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional license terms comprise at least one of an increased usage of the software program, an increased duration of use of the software program, and technical support for the software program.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a fee from the software vendor for offering the additional license terms.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a processing system to perform a method, comprising:

receiving, from a software vendor, additional license terms to offer during conversion of a software license associated with a software program to be used in a cloud;

storing a record of the additional license terms in a computer readable storage medium;

converting the software license to a cloud software license, wherein the conversion is requested by an owner of the software license;

offering, to the owner of the software license, the additional license terms for purchase; and

modifying the cloud software license upon purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

notifying the software vendor of the purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the record comprises an identification of the software vendor, the additional license terms, and a charge to purchase the additional license terms.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

negotiating payment of a charge to purchase at least one of the additional license terms.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

providing an interface to offer the additional license terms.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the additional license terms comprise at least one of an increased usage of the software program, an increased duration of use of the software program, and technical support for the software program.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

receiving a fee from the software vendor for offering the additional license terms.

15. A system for extending use of off-the-shelf software in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

a network interface to a software vendor and a user;

a computer readable storage medium; and

a processor communicating with the network interface and executing a conversion module, the conversion module being configured to-

receive, from the software vendor, additional license terms to offer during conversion of a software license associated with a software program to be used in a cloud;

store a record of the additional license terms in the computer readable storage medium;

convert the software license to a cloud software license, wherein the conversion is requested by the user;

offer, to the user, the additional license terms for purchase; and

modify the cloud software license upon purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

16. The system of claim 15, the conversion module being further configured to-

notify the software vendor of the purchase of at least one of the additional license terms.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the record comprises an identification of the software vendor, the additional license terms, and a charge to purchase the additional license terms.

18. The system of claim 15, the conversion module being further configured to-

negotiate payment of a charge to purchase at least one of the additional license terms.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the additional license terms comprise at least one of an increased usage of the software program, an increased duration of use of the software program, and technical support for the software program.

20. The system of claim 15, the conversion module being further configured to-

receive a fee from the software vendor for offering the additional license terms.