Offering additional license terms during conversion of standard software licenses for use in cloud computing environments

• US 9,053,472 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Qayyum, Zeshan
• Application Number:
  US12/714,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 comprising:

receiving, by a processor from a software vendor system, a rule for converting a software license associated with a software program to a cloud software license associated with using the software program in a cloud computing environment;

receiving, by the processor from an owner computer of the software license, a request to convert the software license to the cloud software license, the request comprising an identifier of the software vendor system and a license identifier, wherein the license identifier corresponds to the software license;

identifying, by the processor based on the received identifier of the software vendor system and the license identifier, the rule for converting the software license to the cloud software license;

converting, by the processor, the software license to the cloud software license, in response to the request by changing one or more terms of the software license, based on the rule, wherein the cloud software license controls the software program usage in the cloud computing environment; and

transmitting, by the processor, the cloud software license to the owner computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

modifying the cloud software license in response to the owner computer purchasing at least one of the additional license terms; and

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

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

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

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

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

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing an interface to offer the additional license terms.

6. The method of claim 2, 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 2, further comprising:

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

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the processor from a software vendor system, a rule for converting a software license associated with a software program to a cloud software license associated with using the software program in a cloud computing environment;

receiving, by the processor from an owner computer of the software license, a request to convert the software license to the cloud software license, the request comprising an identifier of the software vendor system and a license identifier, wherein the license identifier corresponds to the software license;

identifying, by the processor based on the received identifier of the software vendor system and the license identifier, the rule for converting the software license to the cloud software license;

converting, by the processor, the software license to the cloud software license, in response to the request by changing one or more terms of the software license, based on the rule, wherein the cloud software license controls the software program usage in the cloud computing environment; and

transmitting, by the processor, the cloud software license to the owner computer.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

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

modifying the cloud software license in response to the owner computer purchasing at least one of the additional license terms; and

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

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

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

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

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

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

providing an interface to offer the additional license terms.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, 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 non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

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

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive, from a software vendor system, a rule for converting a software license associated with a software program to a cloud software license associated with using the software program in a cloud computing environment;

receive, from an owner computer of the software license, a request to convert the software license to the cloud software license, the request comprising an identifier of the software vendor system and a license identifier, wherein the license identifier corresponds to the software license;

identify, based on the received identifier of the software vendor system and the license identifier, the rule for converting the software license to the cloud software license;

convert the software license to the cloud software license, in response to the request by changing one or more terms of the software license, based on the rule, wherein the cloud software license controls the software program usage in the cloud computing environment; and

transmit the cloud software license to the owner computer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

offer, to the owner computer, additional license terms for purchase;

modify the cloud software license in response to the owner computer purchasing at least one of the additional license terms; and

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

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

store a record of the additional license terms in the storage device, wherein the record comprises an identification of the software vendor system, the additional license terms, and a charge to purchase the additional license terms.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

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

19. The system of claim 16, 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 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

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