Identifying unutilized or underutilized software license

• US 9,117,057 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marsnik, Jamie Beth, Nalamwar, Omkar Ashok, Smalley, Thomas Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US11/157,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,717 Days
• Field of Search: 705/59, 705/16, 705/21, 705/71, 380/44, 380/262, 380/278, 380/279
• 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: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

System, method and program product for identifying at least one of a multiplicity of software licenses which are not needed by an entity. Each licenses a same type of software to the entity and includes at least one condition of installation or usage of licensed software. The multiplicity of software licenses are evaluated in a first sequence based on a first order of their respective types of conditions, by determining which installations or usages of the software can be considered licensed by an initial one of the software licenses in a first sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made which installations or usages of the software which could not be considered licensed by the initial software license in the sequence can be considered licensed by a next one of the software licenses in the first sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made if all installations or usages of the licensed software by the entity were considered licensed by prior software licenses in the first sequence and if there is at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence. The multiplicity of software licenses are also evaluated in a second sequence based on a second order of their respective types of conditions, by determining which installations or usages of the software can be considered licensed by an initial one of the software licenses in the second sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made which installations or usages of the software which could not be considered licensed by the initial software license in the first sequence can be considered licensed by a next one of the software licenses in the second sequence. Afterwards, a determination is made if all installations or usages of the licensed software by the entity were considered licensed by prior software licenses in the second sequence and if there is at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence.

Claims

1. A method for identifying at least one of a multiplicity of software licenses which are not needed by an entity, each of the multiplicity of software licenses licensing a same type of software to the entity, the method comprising the steps of:

creating, by a computer, a first sequence of software licenses based on a first order of types of installations or usage conditions of the software licenses, wherein the first sequence contains multiple software licenses;

determining, by the computer, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in an initial software license in the first sequence of the software licenses;

determining, by the computer, which installations or usages of the software do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the first sequence;

determining, by the computer, from installations or usages of the software that do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the first sequence, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in a next one of the software licenses in the first sequence;

determining, by the computer, whether all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in a prior software license located in in the first sequence;

determining, by the computer, whether at least one subsequent software license remains in the first sequence;

creating, by the computer, a second sequence of the software licenses based on a second order of types of installations or usage conditions of the software licenses, wherein the second sequence contains multiple software licenses;

determining, by the computer, which installations or usages of the software match the installation or usage conditions in an initial software license in the second sequence of the software licenses;

determining, by the computer, which installations or usages of the software do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the second sequence;

determining, by the computer, from installations or usages of the software that do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the second sequence, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in a next one of the software licenses in the second sequence;

determining, by the computer, whether all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in a prior software license located in in the second sequence; and

determining, by the computer, whether at least one subsequent software license remains in the second sequence.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the subsequent steps of:

determining, by the computer, a cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence; and

determining, by the computer, a cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

comparing, by the computer, the cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence to the cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the usage conditions is selected from a group consisting of:

a geographic location of a specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used, a total number of copies of the licensed software that can be installed or used, and the specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the initial software license in the first sequence of the software licenses has a usage condition on a geographic location of a specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the initial software license in the first sequence of the software licenses has a usage condition on a total number of copies of the licensed software that can be installed or used on the specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the prior software licenses in the first sequence licenses a fixed number of installations or usages greater than one of copies of the licensed software, and determining that all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in the prior software licenses in the first sequence, further comprises the step of determining, by the computer, whether the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein determining that less than the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses of the first sequence, further comprises the steps of:

determining, by the computer, how much less than the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses of the first sequence; and

notifying, by the computer, an operator that the one of the prior software license licenses of the first sequence is not fully utilized.

9. A method for identifying at least one of a multiplicity of software licenses which are not needed by an entity, each of the multiplicity of software licenses licensing a same type of software to the entity, the method comprising the steps of:

creating, by a computer, a plurality of sequences of software licenses based on a plurality of orders of types of installations or usage conditions of the software licenses, wherein each of the plurality of sequences contain multiple software licenses;

determining, by the computer, for each of the plurality of sequences of the software licenses which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in an initial software license of the respective sequence of the software licenses;

determining, by the computer, for each of the plurality of sequences which installations or usages of the software do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the respective sequence;

determining, by the computer, from installations or usages of the software that do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software licenses in the respective sequences, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in a next one of the software licenses in the respective sequences; and

determining, by the computer, for each of the plurality of sequences whether all installations or usages of the software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in prior software licenses in the respective sequence and there is at least one subsequent software license in the respective sequence.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising subsequent steps of:

determining, by the computer, a cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in each of the plurality of sequences.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of:

comparing, by the computer, the cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in each of the plurality of sequences to each other.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of the usage conditions is selected from a group consisting of:

a geographic location of a specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used, a total number of copies of the licensed software that can be installed or used, and the specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein, the initial software license of each sequence of software licenses has a usage condition on a geographic location of a specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the initial software license of each sequence of software licenses has a usage condition on a total number of copies of the licensed software that can be installed or used on the specified CPU on which the licensed software can be installed or used.

15. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein one of the prior software licenses in each sequence of the plurality of sequences of licenses includes a fixed number of installations or usages greater than one of copies of the licensed software, and determining that all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in the prior software licenses in each sequence, further comprises the step of determining, by the computer, whether the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein determining that less than the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses, further comprises the steps of:

determining, by the computer, how much less than the fixed number of installations or usages match installation or usage conditions in the one of the prior software licenses; and

notifying, by the computer, an operator that the one of the prior software licenses is not fully utilized.

17. A non-transitory medium, containing stored instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:

creating a first sequence of software licenses based on a first order of types of installations or usage conditions of the software licenses, wherein the first sequence contains multiple software licenses;

determining which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in an initial software license in the first sequence of the software licenses;

determining which installations or usages of the software do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the first sequence;

determining from installations or usages of the software that do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the first sequence, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in a next one of the software licenses in the first sequence;

determining whether all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in a prior software license located in the first sequence;

determining whether at least one subsequent software license remains in the first sequence;

creating a second sequence of the software licenses based on a second order of types of installations or usage conditions of the software licenses, wherein the second sequence contains multiple software licenses;

determining which installations or usages of the software match the installation or usage conditions in an initial software license in the second sequence of the software licenses;

determining which installations or usages of the software do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the second sequence;

determining from installations or usages of the software that do not match the installation or usage conditions in the initial software license in the second sequence, which installations or usages of the software match installation or usage conditions in a next one of the software licenses in the second sequence;

determining whether all installations or usages of the licensed software, by the entity, match installation or usage conditions in a prior software license located in in the second sequence; and

determining whether at least one subsequent software license remains in the second sequence.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, comprising the steps of:

determining a cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence; and

determining a cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, comprising the steps of:

comparing the cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the first sequence to the cost savings that occurs by terminating the at least one subsequent software license in the second sequence.