System, method and program product to determine resolution when software installed on a computer is not properly licensed

• US 8,781,970 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Buzniak, Marie, Boomershine, Marna Jo, Henderlite, Jacque Lyne, Marsnik, Jamie Beth
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US11/179,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,290 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59, 705/50, 705/57, 705/58, 380/54
• US Class Current: 705/59
• 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 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

Computer system, computer implemented method and computer program product for determining a recommended course of action to resolve an unlicensed software installation of a type of software in a computer of a company. A determination is made as to an amount or level of use of the type of software by the company during a predetermined period of time. A determination is made if the type of software is currently installed on another computer of the company. A determination is made if the software of the unlicensed software installation can be relocated to the other computer of the company and encompassed under another existing license for the other computer. Alternately, automatic evaluations are made of characteristics of the company'"'"'s use of (a) the type of software which would permit removal of the type of software from all computers of the company, (b) the software installation which would permit removal of the software installation, and (c) the type of software which would permit relocation of the software from the unlicensed software installation to another computer of the company at which the software would be licensed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, said method comprising the steps of:

automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time;

automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software is currently installed on a second computer of said company;

automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer; and

based at least in part on (a) the determination that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer, and (b) the determination that said type of software has been used by the company more than said predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time, automatically determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation of said type of software on said first computer is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or said type of software is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company;

and wherein

said step of automatically determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation in said first computer of said type of software is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, is also based on said step of automatically determining that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of said software in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer;

and wherein

said step of automatically determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that the software of said unlicensed software installation can be removed from said first computer and installed on said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, is also based on said step of determining that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy said specified processor requirements for another copy of said software of said type in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said license permits multiple copies of said type of software to be installed on a single computer with less than a predetermined processor power, and further comprising the step of automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said second computer has less than said predetermined processing power.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein, in response to the step of automatically determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation of said type of software is to uninstall the unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, further comprising the step of uninstalling the unlicensed software from said first computer and installing another copy of the software in said second computer.

6. A computer program product for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time;

second program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software is currently installed on a second computer of said company;

third program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer; and

fourth program instructions, responsive at least in part to (a) the determination that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer, and (b) the determination that said type of software has been used by the company more than said predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time, to automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation of said type of software on said first computer is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer; and

wherein

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

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

fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or said type of software is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company; and

wherein

said fourth program instructions, automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation in said first computer of said type of software is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, based also on said fifth program instructions which automatically determine that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company; and

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media.

8. A computer program product as set forth in claim 6 further comprising fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of said software in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer;

and wherein

said fourth program instructions automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that the software of said unlicensed software installation can be removed from said first computer and installed on said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, based also on said fifth program instructions which determine that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy said specified processor requirements for another copy of said software of said type in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer; and

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media.

9. A computer program product as set forth in claim 6 wherein said license permits multiple copies of said type of software to be installed on a single computer with less than a predetermined processor power, and further comprising fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said second computer has less than said predetermined processing power;

and wherein

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media.

10. A computer system for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, said computer system comprising:

a CPU, a computer readable storage media and a memory;

first program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time;

second program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said type of software is currently installed on a second computer of said company;

third program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer; and

fourth program instructions, responsive at least in part to (a) the determination that said company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of said software to be installed on said second computer, and (b) the determination that said type of software has been used by the company more than said predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time, to automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation of said type of software on said first computer is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer; and

wherein

said first, second, third and fourth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media for execution by said CPU via said memory.

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

fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or said type of software is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company; and

wherein

said fourth program instructions, automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to said unlicensed installation in said first computer of said type of software is to uninstall said unlicensed software from said first computer and install another copy of the software in said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, based also on said fifth program instructions which automatically determine that said type of software has exhibited less than a threshold number of execution problems during a predetermined time period or is substantially different in function than other software installed in a computer of said company; and

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media for execution by said CPU via said memory.

12. A computer system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer record, that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of said software in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer;

and wherein

said fourth program instructions automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that the software of said unlicensed software installation can be removed from said first computer and installed on said second computer under said existing license in addition to the software of said type which is currently installed on said second computer, based also on said fifth program instructions which determine that said second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy said specified processor requirements for another copy of said software of said type in addition to software which is currently installed on said second computer; and

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media for execution by said CPU via said memory.

13. A computer system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said license permits multiple copies of said type of software to be installed on a single computer with less than a predetermined processor power, and further comprising fifth program instructions to automatically determine, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that said second computer has less than said predetermined processing power;

and wherein

said fifth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage media for execution by said CPU via said memory.