Mini appliance ensuring software license compliance

• US 9,396,311 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kacin, Martin, Kloba, David Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bechtel, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/182,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20130019316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises: collecting software information from one or more network devices; and analyzing the software information to ensure software license compliance for the one or more network devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

customizing a network appliance via a web-browser, wherein the customizing the network appliance is based, at least in part, on a specific user, wherein the network appliance comprises a first and a second network port, wherein the web-browser connects to a web-based interface of the network appliance over an internet protocol (IP) address provided with the first network port of the network appliance, wherein the IP address of the first network port is alterable via the web-based interface, wherein the IP address of the second network port is assigned and not changeable by a user, and wherein the second network port is dedicated for recovery and enables a reset of the network appliance;

receiving, by the network appliance, a list of one or more network devices from a discovery device;

deploying, by the network appliance, agent software to the one or more network devices, the agent software being configured to provide software information from the network device to the network appliance;

receiving, by the network appliance, software information from the agent software indicative of a type of software application installed on the one or more network devices associated with the agent software, wherein the software information comprises at least one of a title, a version, a release date, a manufacturer, and a current license status;

storing, by the network appliance, the received software information;

analyzing, by the network appliance, the software information to ensure software license compliance for the one or more network devices,

wherein analyzing the software information comprises utilizing at least one of a license model, an authorization model, and a license key model, and wherein analyzing the software information further comprises;

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining a total number of copies of the software application installed on the one or more network devices;

comparing the total number of copies of the software application with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

collecting a license violation for each instance where the total number of copies of the software application is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application;

generating a compliance report, wherein the compliance report comprises each collected license violation for each software application;

receiving, by the network appliance, at least one of a selection and scheduling of a piece of software to update or a patch to download and install; and

wherein the network appliance is not connected to a keyboard, a mouse, or a monitor, wherein the network appliance has no hardware component that physically moves while the network appliance is in operation, and wherein the network appliance uses natural convection for cooling the network appliance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

determining all software applications installed on each network device;

grouping the software applications installed on the or more network devices into one or more groups, such that each group comprises one or more related software applications;

for each group of related software applications;

determining a total number of the related software applications in the group;

comparing the total number of the related software applications with a total number of licenses for the group; and

if the total number of the related software applications is greater than the total number of licenses for the group, then reporting a license violation for the group of related software applications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining a total number of network devices on which the software application is installed;

comparing the total number of network devices with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

if the total number of network devices is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then reporting a license violation for the software application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining all network devices on which the software application is installed; and

for each network device on which the software application is installed;

determining if a license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device; and

if no license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device, then reporting a license violation for the software application in connection with the network device.

5. A system comprising:

one or more network devices; and

a network appliance, wherein the network appliance is customized via a web-browser based, at least in part, on a specific user, wherein the network appliance comprises a first and a second network port, wherein the web-browser connects to a web-based interface of the network appliance over an internet protocol (IP) address provided with the first network port of the network appliance, wherein the IP address of the first network port is alterable via the web-based interface, wherein the IP address of the second network port is assigned and not changeable by a user, and wherein the second network port is dedicated for recovery and enables a reset of the network appliance, the network appliance further comprising;

one or more processors; and

a memory with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receive a list of one or more network devices from a discovery device;

deploy agent software to the one or more network devices;

receive software information from the agent software indicative of a type of software application installed on the one or more network devices associated with the agent software, wherein the software information comprises at least one of a title, a version, a release date, a manufacturer, and a current license status;

store the received software information; and

analyze the software information to ensure software license compliance for the one or more network devices;

receive at least one of a selection and scheduling of a piece of software to update or a patch to download and install;

wherein the network appliance is not connected to a keyboard, a mouse, or a monitor, wherein the network appliance has no hardware component that physically moves while the network appliance is in operation, and wherein the network appliance uses natural convection for cooling the network appliance; and

wherein analyzing the software information comprises utilizing at least one of a license model, an authorization model, and a license key model, and wherein analyzing the software information further comprises;

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

 

determining a total number of copies of the software application installed on the one or more network devices;

 

comparing the total number of copies of the software application with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

 

if the total number of copies of the software application is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then collecting a license violation for the software application; and

generating a compliance report, wherein the compliance report comprises each collected license violation for each software application.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

determining all software applications installed on each network device;

grouping the software applications installed on the or more network devices into one or more groups, such that each group comprises one or more related software applications;

for each group of related software applications;

determining a total number of the related software applications in the group;

comparing the total number of the related software applications with a total number of licenses for the group; and

if the total number of the related software applications is greater than the total number of licenses for the group, then reporting a license violation for the group of related software applications.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining a total number of network devices on which the software application is installed;

comparing the total number of network devices with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

if the total number of network devices is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then reporting a license violation for the software application.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining all network devices on which the software application is installed; and

for each network device on which the software application is installed;

determining if a license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device; and

if no license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device, then reporting a license violation for the software application in connection with the network device.

9. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that,when executed by one or more computer systems associated with a network appliance, cause the network appliance to perform operations comprising:

receive customizations via a web-browser based, at least in part, on a specific user, wherein the network appliance comprises a first and a second network port, wherein the web-browser connects to a web-based interface of the network appliance over an internet protocol (IP) address provided with the first network port of the network appliance, wherein the IP address of the first network port is alterable via the web-based interface, wherein the IP address of the second network port is assigned and not changeable by a user, and wherein the second network port is dedicated for recovery and enables a reset of the network appliance;

receive a list of one or more network devices from a discovery device;

deploy agent software to the one or more network devices, the agent software being configured to provide software information from the network devices to the network appliance;

receive software information from the agent software indicative of a type of software application installed on the one or more network devices associated with the agent software, wherein the software information comprises at least one of a title, a version, a release date, a manufacturer, and a current license status;

store the received software information;

analyze the software information to ensure software license compliance for the one or more network devices;

receive at least one of a selection and scheduling of a piece of software to update or a patch to download and install; and

wherein the network appliance is not connected to a keyboard, a mouse, or a monitor, wherein the network appliance has no hardware component that physically moves while the network appliance is in operation, and wherein the network appliance uses natural convection for cooling the network appliance; and

wherein analyzing the software information comprises utilizing at least one of a license model, an authorization model, and a license key model, and wherein analyzing the software information comprises;

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining a total number of copies of the software application installed on the one or more network devices;

comparing the total number of copies of the software application with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

if the total number of copies of the software application is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then collecting a license violation for the software application; and

generating a compliance report, wherein the compliance report comprises each collected license violation for each software application.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

determine all software applications installed on each network device;

group the software applications installed on the or more network devices into one or more groups, such that each group comprises one or more related software applications;

for each group of related software applications;

determine a total number of the related software applications in the group;

compare the total number of the related software applications with a total number of licenses for the group; and

if the total number of the related software applications is greater than the total number of licenses for the group, then report a license violation for the group of related software applications.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determine a total number of network devices on which the software application is installed;

compare the total number of network devices with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

if the total number of network devices is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then report a license violation for the software application.

12. The media of claim 9, wherein analyzing the software information further comprises:

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determine all network devices on which the software application is installed; and

for each network device on which the software application is installed;

determine if a license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device; and

if no license key of the software application has been assigned to the network device, then report a license violation for the software application in connection with the network device.

13. A network appliance comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receive customizations via a web-browser, wherein the customizing the network appliance is based, at least in part, on a specific user, wherein the network appliance comprises a first and a second network port, wherein the web-browser connects to a web-based interface of the network appliance over an internet protocol (IP) address provided with the first network port of the network appliance, wherein the IP address of the first network port is alterable via the web-based interface, wherein the IP address of the second network port is assigned and not changeable by a user, and wherein the second network port is dedicated for recovery and enables a reset of the network appliance;

receive a list of one or more network devices from a discovery device;

deploy agent software to one or more network devices;

receive software information from the agent software indicative of a type of software application installed on the one or more network devices associated with the agent software, wherein the software information comprises at least one of a title, a version, a release date, a manufacturer, and a current license status;

store the received software information; and

analyze the software information to ensure software license compliance for the one or more network devices;

receive at least one of a selection and scheduling of a piece of software to update or a patch to download and install; and

wherein the network appliance is not connected to a keyboard, a mouse, or a monitor, wherein the network appliance has no hardware component that physically moves while the network appliance is in operation, and wherein the network appliance uses natural convection for cooling the network appliance; and

wherein analyzing the software information utilizes at least one of a license model, an authorization mode, and a license key model, and wherein analyzing the software information comprises;

for each software application installed on the one or more network devices;

determining a total number of copies of the software application installed on the one or more network devices;

comparing the total number of copies of the software application with a total number of licenses of the software application; and

if the total number of copies of the software application is greater than the total number of licenses of the software application, then collecting a license violation for the software application; and

generating a compliance report, wherein the compliance report comprises each collected license violation for each software application.