System, method and program to manage software licenses

• US 7,519,561 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boomershine, Marna J., Smalley, Thomas M., Marsnik, Jamie B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPSTEIN, BRIAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/272,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/35, 705/26, 705/59, 705/7, 717/177, 709/224, 710/200
• 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 computer program product for estimating an increase in total software license cost for executing a plurality of different computer programs in a first computer instead of executing said plurality of different computer programs in a plurality of existing, different computers, said computer program product comprising:

a tangible computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to identify in which of said plurality of existing computers each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by querying respective configuration files of said plurality of existing computers;

second program instructions to determine, for said each of said different computer programs, a total processor power in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by automatically querying respective configuration files of said plurality of existing computers and totaling the processing power for said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed;

third program instructions to identify, for said each of said different computer programs, an existing, total license cost in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed;

fourth program instructions to divide said existing, total license cost for said each of said different computer programs in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by said total processor power of said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed to determine a license cost per unit of processor power for said each of said different computer programs; and

fifth program instructions to multiply, for said each of said different computer programs, a difference between a processor power of said first computer and a total processor power of said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, times said license cost per unit of processor power for said each of said different computer programs, to estimate said increase in software license cost for installing said each of said different computer programs in said first computer; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

2. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of different computers is a logical partition of a computer, and the processing power of said one computer is the processing power of said logical partition, said processing power of said logical partition being, less than a total processing power of said computer in which said logical partition is formed.

3. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of different computer programs comprise an operating system, middle ware program and application program.

4. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 wherein, for each of said different computer programs, said existing, total license cost in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed is a total license cost per month, and said fifth program instructions also multiply said increase in software license cost for installing said each of said different computer programs in said first computer by a number of months remaining under a current license for said each of said different computer programs to determine an increase in total license cost for the remainder of a term of said current license.

5. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, and not to install said one computer program on said first computer, based on historical low-level of usage of said one computer program on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

6. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, install said one computer program on another computer with low enough processor power not to incur additional license cost, based on historical low-level of usage of said one computer program on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

7. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, and not to install said one computer program on said first computer, based on lack of usage of said one computer program in said one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, for more than a predetermined period; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

8. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, install said one computer program on another computer with low enough processor power not to incur additional license cost, based on usage of said one computer program below a threshold level on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

9. A computer program product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to query one or more files to determine a rate of failures associated with one of said computer programs and whether there is another functionally equivalent computer program in one of said plurality of existing computers, and determine, for said one computer program for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed and not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, based on said rate of failures being above a threshold level and the existence of said functionally equivalent computer program in one of said plurality of existing computers; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored on said tangible computer readable storage media.

10. A computer system for estimating an increase in total software license cost for executing a plurality of different computer programs in a first computer instead of executing said plurality of different computer programs in a plurality of existing, different computers, said computer system comprising:

a central processing unit, a storage, and a RAM;

first program instructions to identify in which of said plurality of existing computers each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by querying respective configuration files of said plurality of existing computers;

second program instructions to determine, for said each of said different computer programs, a total processor power in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by automatically querying respective configuration files of said plurality of existing computers and totaling the processing power for said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed;

third program instructions to identify, for said each of said different computer programs, an existing, total license cost in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed;

fourth program instructions to divide said existing, total license cost for said each of said different computer programs in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, by said total processor power of said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed to determine a license cost per unit of processor power for said each of said different computer programs; and

fifth program instructions to multiply, for said each of said different computer programs, a difference between a processor power of said first computer and a total processor power of said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed, times said license cost per unit of processor power for said each of said different computer programs, to estimate said increase in software license cost for installing said each of said different computer programs in said first computer; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are stored in said storage for execution by said central processing unit via said RAM.

11. A computer system as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of said plurality of different computers is a logical partition of a computer, and the processing power of said one computer is the processing power of said logical partition, said processing power of said logical partition being less than a total processing power of said computer in which said logical partition is formed.

12. A computer system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said plurality of different computer programs comprise an operating system, middle ware program and application program.

13. A computer system as set forth in claim 10 wherein, for each of said different computer programs, said existing, total license cost in said plurality of existing computers in which said each of said different computer programs is currently installed is a total license cost per month, and said fifth program instructions also multiply said increase in software license cost for installing said each of said different computer programs in said first computer by a number of months remaining under a current license for said each of said different computer programs to determine an increase in total license cost for the remainder of a term of said current license.

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

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, and not to install said one computer program on said first computer, based on historical low-level of usage of said one computer program on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored in said storage for execution by said central processing unit via said RAM.

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

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, install said one computer program on another computer with low enough processor power not to incur additional license cost, based on historical low-level of usage of said one computer program on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored in said storage for execution by said central processing unit said RAM.

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

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, and not to install said one computer program on said first computer, based on lack of usage of said one computer program in said one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, for more than a predetermined period; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are in said storage for execution by said central processing via said RAM.

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

sixth program instructions to determine, for one of said computer programs for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed, not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, install said one computer program on another computer with low enough processor power not to incur additional license cost, based on usage of said one computer program below a threshold level on one or more of said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored in said storage for execution by said central processing via said RAM.

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

sixth program instructions to query one or more files to determine a rate of failures associated with one of said computer programs and whether there is another functionally equivalent computer program in one of said plurality of existing computers, and determine, for said one computer program for which there would be said increase in software license cost for execution on said first computer, to un-install said one computer program from said plurality of different computers in which said one computer program is currently installed and not to install said one computer program on said first computer and instead, based on said rate of failures being above a threshold level and the existence of said functionally equivalent computer program in one of said plurality of existing computers; and

wherein

said sixth program instructions are stored in said storage for execution by said central processing via said RAM.