Method to provide on-demand resource access

• US 20040236852A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grimm, Randall Lane, Lewis, David Otto, Schardt, Terry Lyle, Birkestrand, Daniel Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/508 Monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for on-demand access to computerized resources. A resource-time value includes a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component. The resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity. Upon verifying the resource-time value, a quantity of the resource is enabled. The enabled resources may then be placed into service for specified time periods, wherein the quantity of resources placed into service and the time periods are delimited by the usage limit component.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling resources on a computerized apparatus, comprising:

receiving a resource-time value comprising a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component, wherein the resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource; and

enabling a quantity of the resource of the given type specified by the resource-identifying component based on the usage limit component.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the usage limit component defines the maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the resource-time value specifies the quantity of the resource to be enabled.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein enabling comprises inputting the resource-time value into the computerized apparatus.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein enabling comprises inputting the resource-time value into the computerized apparatus via a user interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising validating the resource-time value.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the resource-time value is a machine-specific code unique to the computerized apparatus.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the given type of the resource comprises software.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein enabling comprises enabling the quantity of the resource of the given type specified by the resource-identifying component for a time period, wherein the quantity and the time period are delimited by the usage limit component.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein a mathematical product of the quantity and the time period must be less than or equal to the maximum allowable usage value.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component is a processor and the time period is a number of days.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component is a processor and the time period is a number of days, and wherein the resource-time value is the product of the resource-identifying component and the time component.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising using the enabled quantity of the resource during operation of the computerized apparatus.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining the expiration of the time period; and

disabling the enabled quantity of the resource upon determining the expiration of the time period.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component comprises computer hardware.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component is a processor.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the given type of the resource identified by the resource-identifying component is a processor and wherein the enabled quantity of the resource comprises a plurality of processors partitioned within at least two logical partitions.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component comprises at least one of memory and storage.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein enabling comprising making the quantity of the resource available to be placed into use, the method further comprising placing at least a portion of the enabled quantity of the resource into service for a specified time period.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining the expiration of the time period; and

disabling at least the portion of the enabled quantity of the resource upon determining the expiration of the time period.

21. A computer-implemented method for enabling resources on a computerized apparatus, comprising:

receiving a resource-time value comprising a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component, wherein the resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity;

enabling the resource of the given type specified by the resource-identifying component;

placing a specified quantity of the enabled resource into service for a specified time period, wherein the product of the quantity and the time period must be less than or equal to the maximum allowable usage value; and

disabling the specified quantity of the enabled resource upon expiration of the time period.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the resource-time value specifies a quantity of the resource to be enabled.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein enabling comprises unlocking the one or more resources and making them available for use upon request.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein placing the specified quantity of the enabled resource into service for the specified time period is done in response to a user request specifying the specified quantity and the specified time period.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the given type of the resource is a processor.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the given type of the resource is computer hardware.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the given type of the resource is selected from one of processors, memory and storage.

28. A computer-implemented method for providing resource-enabling values, comprising generating a resource-time value having a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component, wherein the resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource of a computerized apparatus and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 28 wherein the usage limit component is the product of a quantity value and a time value, the quantity value specifying a quantity of the resource and the time value specifying a duration of time for which the quantity of the resource may be used.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 28 wherein generating the resource-time value comprises encrypting the resource-time value.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 28 wherein the resource-time value is a machine-specific code unique to the computerized apparatus.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 28 wherein the given type of the resource identified by the resource-identifying component comprises computer hardware.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein the given type of the resource identified by the resource-identifying component comprises a processor.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein the given type of the resource identified by the resource-identifying component comprises a processor and the time period is a number of days.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein the given type of the resource identified by the resource-identifying component comprises at least one of memory and storage.

36. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation, comprising:

receiving a resource-time value comprising a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component, wherein the resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity; and

enabling a quantity of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component for a time period, wherein the quantity and the time period are delimited by the usage limit component.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein enabling comprises unlocking the quantity of the resource and making it available for use upon request.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, the operation further comprising processing a request to use at least a portion of the enabled quantity of the resource during operation of the apparatus.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, the operation further comprising placing the portion of the enabled quantity of the resource into service, whereby the portion of the enabled quantity of the resource is used by an operating system during operation of the apparatus.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the product of the quantity and the time period must be less than or equal to the maximum allowable usage value.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the given type of the resource specified by the resource-identifying component comprises at least one of processors, memory and storage.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

determining an expiration of the time period; and

disabling the enabled quantity of the resource upon determining the expiration of the time period.

43. The-computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the resource-time value is a machine-specific code unique to the computerized apparatus, the method further comprising validating the resource-time value.

44. A computerized apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of resources including hardware and software; and

a capacity manager configured to at least;

receive a resource-time value comprising a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component, wherein the resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity;

enable the resource specified by the resource-identifying component;

place a specified quantity of the enabled resource into service for a specified time period, wherein the product of the quantity and the time period must be less than or equal to the maximum allowable usage value; and

disable the specified quantity of the enabled resource upon expiration of the time period.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the enabled quantity of the resource comprises at least one processor.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the enabled quantity of the resource comprises at least one of storage and memory.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the capacity manager configured to enable by unlocking the resource and making it available for use upon request.

48. The system of claim 44, further comprising a user interface and wherein the capacity manager further configured to place the specified quantity of the enabled resource into service for the specified time period in response to a user request, made via the user interface, and specifying the specified quantity and the specified time period.

49. The system of claim 44, wherein the capacity manager enables a quantity of the resource, the quantity being specified by the resource-identifying component.

50. A computer-implemented method for enabling resources on a computerized apparatus, comprising:

receiving an enablement code;

verifying the enablement code; and

in response to verifying the enablement code, enabling a quantity of the resources with a time restriction on use.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein he enablement code comprises a resource identifier.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the quantity of resources is specified in the enablement code.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the enablement code is unique to the computerized apparatus.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the resources are located in unsecured environment.

55. The method of claim 50, further comprising receiving a request to use at least a portion of the enabled quantity of resources for a period of time limited by the time restriction.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising disabling the portion of the resources upon expiration of the period of time.

57. A computer-implemented method for allowing enablement of resources on a computer, comprising:

generating an enablement code configured to enable the resources on the computer and make the resources available for use for a limited period of time upon request; and

sending the enablement code to a user of the computerized apparatus.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising charging a fee for the enablement code.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the resources comprise at least one processor.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the enablement code includes a processor-day value which is decremented by requests for use of a specified number of processors for a specified number of days.