Methods and systems for managing software development

• US 9,489,687 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black Duck Software, Inc. (Synopsys Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Black Duck Software, Inc. (Synopsys Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Palle M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEIKH, ASFAND M
• Application Number:
  US11/961,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,246 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/18 Licensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods and systems to manage software development. Embodiments of the present invention allow a programmer to specify the software packages, services, and other materials used in a particular software project. As development of the software project proceeds, the materials associated with the project are reviewed to identify the materials actually used in the project and to identify any discrepancies between what has been specified and what materials are actually used. Metadata, for example license and contractual terms and other policies relating to the specified materials and the materials actually used in the project may optionally be retrieved and analyzed to identify conflicting metadata.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing processors, cause the one or more computing processors to:

receive a specification of materials to be included in a software product thereby generating an inventory of materials included in the software product, wherein the materials included in the software product include a source code component;

receive a specification of metadata for at least one of the materials in the inventory, the metadata comprising licensing terms governing the distribution of the at least one of the materials;

store the licensing terms in a profile in a database;

verify that the materials included in the software product match the specified materials in the inventory, including comparing a first set of tokens generated for the source code component to a second set of tokens stored in the database for a corresponding component in the specified materials in the inventory, wherein the first set of tokens and the second set of tokens are generated by a same code compiler;

verify that each of the licensing terms represented in the profile, for the materials used in the software product, are either compliant with a specified license policy or are mutually compatible with the licensing terms for the other materials used in the software product;

intermittently receive additional metadata comprising new or revised licensing terms governing the distribution of at least some of the specified materials in the inventory and update the licensing terms stored in the profile based on the received additional metadata; and

verify that each of the licensing terms represented in the updated profile, for the materials used in the software product, are either compliant with the specified license policy or are mutually compatible with the licensing terms for the other materials used in the software product.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computing processors to provide a graphical user interface to receive a specification of materials to be included in the software product.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to verify compatibility of the distribution terms associated with each of the materials with the distribution terms associated with others of the materials.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to receive approval of the materials in the inventory.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 further storing instructions to store information regarding the approval of the materials in the inventory.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to receive a restriction on the use of materials in the inventory.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 further storing instructions to verify that the restriction has not been violated.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to store metadata about at least one of the materials, the metadata comprising at least one of a web site for such materials;

a version of such materials, information regarding the use of such materials, security vulnerability information, patch availability, patent information, support information, or coding standards.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions to verify the materials used in the product comprise instructions to examine source code of the software product and compare the source code to a library of software components.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the instructions to compare the source code to a library comprise instructions to compare data derived from the source code of the software product to a library of data derived from the source code of a plurality of software components.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to provide an indication that at least one of the materials specified in the inventory is missing from the software product.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to providing provide an indication that at least one of the materials specified in the inventory has been modified.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to verify the version of each of the materials in the inventory.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to identify materials in the software product that have not been specified in the inventory.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing instructions to:

receive a notification concerning at least one of the materials specified in the inventory; and

provide an indication concerning the received notification.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the notification comprises at least one of the availability of a newer version of at least one of the materials specified in the inventory, a security vulnerability in at least one of the materials specified in the inventory, or pending litigation affecting at least one of the materials specified in the inventory.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the profile is provided by an author or owner of the materials.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to search one or more of the materials included in the software product for license text or license information.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to verify that each of the licensing terms represented in the profile, for the materials used in the software product, are either compliant with the specified license policy or are mutually compatible with the licensing terms for the other materials used in the software product by evaluating the profile for attributes and attribute values indicating compatibilities or incompatibilities.

20. A system for managing software development, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

a computing device operatively coupled to the non-transitory memory, a receiver, and an interface, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computing device, provide;

a specification module for specifying materials to be included in a software product and generating an inventory of materials included in the software product, wherein the materials included in the software product include a source code component;

a licensing module identifying licensing terms governing the distribution of specifying metadata for at least one of the materials in the inventory and storing the licensing terms in a profile; and

a verification module for

verifying that the materials included in the software product match the specified materials in the inventory,

comparing a first set of tokens generated for the source code component to a second set of tokens stored in the database for a corresponding component in the specified materials in the inventory, wherein the first set of tokens and the second set of tokens are generated by a same code compiler, and

verifying that each of the licensing terms represented in the profile, for the materials used in the software product, are either compliant with a specified license policy or are mutually compatible with the licensing terms for the other materials used in the software product, and

wherein the receiver is configured to;

intermittently receive additional metadata comprising new or revised licensing terms governing the distribution of at least some of the specified materials in the inventory, update the stored profile with the received additional metadata, and notify the verification module to verify that each of the licensing terms represented in the updated profile, for the materials used in the software product, are either compliant with the specified license policy or are mutually compatible with the licensing terms for the other materials used in the software product.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the materials are one or more of software code and services.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the metadata identified by the licensing module includes one of contractual terms and specified policies.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the verification module verifies the compatibility of the distribution obligations associated with each of the materials.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the interface receives approval of the materials in the inventory.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the memory stores information regarding the approval of the materials in the inventory.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the interface receives a restriction on the use of materials in the inventory.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the verification module verifies that the restriction has not been violated.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the memory stores metadata about at least one of the materials, the metadata comprising at least one of a web site for such materials;

a version of such materials, information regarding the use of such materials, security vulnerability information, patch availability, patent information, support information, or coding standards.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the verification module verifies the materials used in the product by examining source code of the software product and comparing the source code to a library of software components.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the verification module compares the source code to a library by comparing data derived from the source code of the software product to a library of data derived from the source code of a plurality of software components.

31. The system of claim 20 wherein the interface provides an indication that at least one of the materials specified in the inventory is missing from the software product.

32. The system of claim 20 wherein the interface provides an indication that at least one of the materials specified in the inventory has been modified.

33. The system of claim 20 wherein the verification module verifies the version of each of the materials in the inventory.

34. The system of claim 20 wherein the verification module identifies materials in the software product that have not been specified in the inventory.

35. The system of claim 20 wherein the receiver is configured to receive a notification concerning at least one of the materials specified in the inventory and the interface provides an indication concerning the received notification.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the notification comprises at least one of the availability of a newer version of at least one of the materials specified in the inventory, a security vulnerability in at least one of the materials specified in the inventory, or pending litigation affecting at least one of the materials specified in the inventory.