Managing data storage capacity on a headless computer entity

• US 20020116589A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gold, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 6,662,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A headless computer entity is provided with a license key data stored on a raw disk sector separate from a system disk and a data disk. The license key data is used to control the available data storage capacity within the headless computer entity, and protect the computer entity from unauthorized upgrade to a higher product specification. The license key data is encrypted and protected from hacking via software updates introduced on an external data carrier such as CD ROM.

Claims

1. A computer entity comprising:

a data processor; and

a data storage device, said data storage device configured as at least one logical disk;

wherein said computer entity stores a license data describing limitations on usage of said data storage device, in a data storage region outside said logical disk area.

2. The computer entity as claimed in claim 1, comprising a web administration interface, said web administration interface configured to display one or more error messages if a configuration of said headless computer entity does not match a configuration specified by said license data.

3. The computer entity as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a self starting operating system, wherein said operating system refers to said license data during start up, to compare a configuration of said computer entity with a licensed configuration specified by said license data, and halts start up if a significant discrepancy between said configuration of said computer entity and said licensed configuration is found.

4. A physical data storage device containing:

an operating system; and

a license data,

wherein said operating system is stored in a logical disk area of said physical data storage device, and said license data is stored in an area of said data storage device outside said logical disk area.

5. A method of operating a computer entity, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a license data describing a licensed configuration of said computer entity;

determining an actual configuration of said computer entity; and

comparing said actual configuration with said license data to;

determine whether said actual configuration of said computer entity lies within said licensed configuration, within pre-determined limits.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

if said actual configuration does not lie within said licensed configuration, preventing operation of said computer entity.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

if said actual configuration lies within said licensed configuration, allowing boot up of said computer entity.

8. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, comprising the step of:

comparing a number of logical disks present on said computer entity, with an authorised number of logical disks read from said license data.

9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, comprising the step of:

comparing an actual data storage capacity of said computer entity with a licensed data storage capacity of said computer entity.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

if said actual data storage capacity lies outside a pre-determined percentage of said licensed data storage capacity, prohibiting boot up of said computer entity.

11. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, comprising the step of:

determining a number of actual logical disks present on said computer entity;

comparing said number of actual logical disks with a licensed number of logical disks.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, comprising the steps of:

if an actual number of logical disks present on said computer entity does not correspond with a licensed number of logical disks according to said license data, preventing operation of said computer entity.

13. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 12, comprising the steps of:

if a configuration of said computer entity is determined to be different, outside pre-determined limits, to a licensed configuration of said computer entity according to said license data, preventing further operation of said computer entity.

14. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 13, comprising the step of:

if an actual configuration of said computer entity is found to deviate from a licensed configuration of said computer entity as specified by said license data;

generating an error message; and

displaying said error message on an interface of said computer entity.

15. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 14, further comprising the step of:

interrogating an applications program, to determine a number of logical disks to which said application program stores application data;

comparing said determined number of logical disks used by said application program with a licensed number of logical disks according to said licensed data; and

if said determined number of logical disks used by a said application program differs from said licensed number of said logical disks according to said license data, reconfiguring said applications program to use a number of logical disks the same as said licensed number of logical disks.

16. The method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 15, comprising the steps of:

reading a licensed number of logical data disks from said license data;

interrogating a said computer entity to determine a number of actual logical data disks configured on said computer entity; and

if said logical disk configuration of said computer entity differs from said licensed logical disk configuration, generating an error message.

17. A method of generating a computer entity, said computer entity comprising:

at least one data processor;

at least one data storage device;

at least one application program;

said method comprising the steps of;

checking said application to determine a configuration of disks which said application is configured to store application data on;

comparing a said application disk configuration with a licensed logical disk configuration of said computer entity; and

if said application is configured to use a logical disk configuration which is different from said licensed logical disk configuration of said computer entity, re-configuring configuration settings of said application to correspond with said licensed logical disk configuration of said computer entity.