WO2007132474A2

WO2007132474A2 - An intelligent system for software license management

Info

Publication number: WO2007132474A2
Application number: PCT/IN2007/000152
Authority: WO
Inventors: George John Thekkethil
Original assignee: M/S Trinity Future-In Pvt Ltd
Priority date: 2006-05-15
Filing date: 2007-04-19
Publication date: 2007-11-22
Also published as: WO2007132474A3

Abstract

An intelligent system for software license management is one in which the system manages software license distribution and management within a group of computer systems on a network. This intelligent system for software license management will centralize software distribution to the client system (6), control software licenses, alert usage of unauthorized software by any user to the system administrator and prompt the system administrator of free unused licenses, requirement of additional licenses and handle complete software license management.

Description

TITLE: "AN INTELLIGENT SYSTEM FOR SOFTWARE LICENSE MANAGEMENT"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention provides a new means for software license

Management System.

The present invention provides a new means for Software Compliance management.

The present invention provides a new means for software rights management.

The present invention provides a new means to centralize software distribution

The present invention provides a new means to Control Software licenses.

The present invention provides a new means to prompt the System

Administrator of free unused licenses.

Particularly, the present invention provides an electronic mechanism to block unauthorized software Downloads through Internet.

More particularly, the present invention provides an electronic means of managing the file system over the Internet.

The present invention provides a new means to ensure security of

Software License Database.

The present invention provides a new means to monitor the operations of the system through the handheld standalone device.

More particularly, the present invention provides a new means to ensure security of licensed software from unauthorized duplication . More particularly, the present invention provides a new means to permit

Automated Installation of the software into the Client machine from the server.

More particularly, the present invention provides a new means to permit automatic Un-installation based on software utility from the Client machine.

BACKGROUND ART:

Software Compliance Irregularity refers to legally purchased software licenses that are not being used appropriately based on the software publisher's terms and conditions. It also refers to software which is being used without legally purchasing them, hence violating the software publisher's terms and conditions. Software piracy can subject an individual to arrest and criminal prosecution, with fines up to US$250,000 and prison term of up to five years.

Reference may be made to the US Publication No. 2004/0045000 Al, Hara, Yutaka, wherein it has been disclosed that: Upon receiving a request to install a software package, a user device running an installer builder contained in a medium connects to a seller's server, requests the installer from the seller's server, and thereby checks whether the software package contained in the medium has already been installed, where the seller's server manages installation information in an installation management database on a medium-by-medium basis. If it is found that the software package has not been installed, the user device installs the software package from the medium by executing an installer downloaded from the seller's server. After the installation, the software package in the medium is managed as having been installed.

In the above prior art, it is mentioned that this would do remote installation and uhinstallation of the softwares through the Internet, but their database will be in the server, but these license details are not secured in the server system. This doesn't provide any alarm to the administrator about the misuse of softwares in the client system. This doesn't provide any hardware protection to the license details.

Reference may also be made to the US Publication No. 2005/0071281 Al, Faur, Adrian; et al. wherein it has been disclosed that: A computer system for managing and deploying a plurality of software with a plurality of associated licenses in the computer system. Software allocation workflow requests are obtained from a requester for a target server referencing specific software and then redirected to a license broker. The license broker determines availability of the plurality of associated licenses referenced in the request and provisions the target server with said plurality of software. The requester of software allocation is then notified of the results. The workflow need not be concerned with monitoring resource status and providing requester feedback. Provisioning is handled on a just-in-time basis by the license broker as requested by the workflow making necessary licenses available (and software) only on as needed basis.

Here we can see that this prior art is also a software method for software license management. They are storing all the software and software license details in the server system. They haven't applied any hardware mechanism to protect software license details. They haven't provided any hardware interface for the administrator.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:

Main object of the present invention is to provide a new means of an intelligent system for software Asset management, which obviates the drawbacks of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic mechanism for monitoring and blocking the unauthorized software downloads through Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to manage software compliance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a handheld standalone device to monitor the operations of the system.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic based system for managing software distribution over server-client architecture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

In the drawing accompanying this specification, Fig (1) represents the Intelligent System for Software License Management, wherein (1) is the Software License Storage Device, (2) is the Network Server, (3) is the software content from a CD, (4) is Server Manager, (5) is Client Agent, (6) is the Client System, (7) is the System Administrator Interface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Accordingly the present invention provides an Intelligent System for Software License Management, which comprises: - a software license storage device (1) is an electromechanical device, which stores the license details of the softwares with the required security. This software license storage device (1) stores license details in the storage zone which may be a Memory Flash, a memory flash card, a hard disk, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a RAM, a disc on chip etc. This software license storage device (1) will be updated using a Server Manager (4) within the Network Server (2) when the software contents of a CD (3) are transferred to it.

Software License Storage Device (1) will be interfaced with the Network Server (2) through ISA, PCI/PCI-X, PCI-E, VME, USB, Network, etc Also, when the Client system (6) requests for download of particular software from the network server (2), the network server (2) communicates with the Server Manager (4) for the availability of software license from the Software License Storage Device (1). Database in the Network Server (2) contains over all records of the network, license details of the software in the network, individual machine details on the existing network, installed application details on the network, inventory details of each machine.

Server Manager (4) manages over all administration of an Intelligent

System for Software License Management. Add license for a new product can be carried out by this unit.

Server Manager (4) has two parts: 1). Server Agent, 2). Server

Application.

Server Agent communicates with Client Agent regularly to establish communication between Server System and Client System. Here, Network Server will be a computer, a laptop, a desktop, a notebook. This Server manages all protocols of Scanning & Software Usage, it manages Database Operations, it enforces scanning at Client machine on network. This server is explicitly requested by Administrator.

Server Agent scans the client system with the help of Client Agent and keeps the entire inventory in the Software License Storage Device (1). Client Agent (5) is installed at client computer, it monitors activities of the system on which it is installed. It connects Server (2) from Server Manager (4). It extracts the System Inventory Report of the System and pushes the inventory report to Network Server (2). This Client Agent (5) is deployed from the Network Server (2) remotely.

According to the availability of the license of that particular software the Software License Storage Device (1) communicates with the server agent of the Server Manager (4) to deliver the download to the client system (6) through the client agent (5). When the software is delivered to the client system (6), the client agent (5) picks the system information and stores this information in the license database of the software license storage device (1). During tininstallation of the software, the system information stored in the license database will be removed from the software license storage device (1) for the availability of more licenses in the server-client architecture.

Server Application of Server Manager (4) has two separate centers: a) Service Center and b). Message Center.

Service Center downloads the installer file of the software requested by the client system (6) after confirming that the software package has not been installed in the client system and also it removes the software from the client system (6) once the duration of that particular software for that particular client system (6) expires or when Administrator decides to remove license from that client system (6).

Message center sends the message to the client system (6) if the requested software is already installed in the client system (6) and other user-friendly messages.

This software license storage device (1) communicates to the system administrator interface (7) on a periodic basis through alerts.

This system administrator interface (7) will be a handheld device or may also be a dedicated computer, which has the functions such as Add

License, License Details, View Machine List, View Requested License List, etc.

EXAMPLE:

Consider a Corporate Network having a number of computer systems interconnected through a local LAN to a central Server system. In this server system all the softwares required by the company will be stored. License details of these softwares will be stored in a separate hardware device where adequate security for these license details is assured. If the client wants to use particular software, for example MEMSPro, he has to request the server system the same through Client Agent. Then Server Agent of Server Manager contacts the database details of that particular client to check out whether that client is already installed MEMSPro software or not and is he authorized to use that software. If he is authorized and if it is not installed, administrator sends installer file from server agent to the client and installs remotely. Then in the client system, user or the administrator follows the installation procedures of that software. Now the database details in the server system and the license details in the mentioned hardware device will be updated accordingly. If the particular software already present in the client system, administrator sends the same message to the client through Message Center of Server Application

If the client wants to uninstall the MEMSPro software after usage he has to send a uninstall request to Server. When Administrator wants to uninstall the particular software or time period dedicated for that MEMSPro software expires, the server system automatically uninstall MEMSPro software from the client system so that, MEMSPro software license will then be available to other clients.

After uninstallation of MEMSPro software, license details in the hardware device will be increased and the system information of the client from where this MEMSPro software is uninstalled will be updated accordingly. All these license details will be available to the Administrator on his handheld device or dedicated computer for effective software license management.

ADVANTAGES:

1) Software Rights Management.

2) Monitors software usage.

3) Software Compliance management.

4) Centralized Software Distribution

5) Accept or rejects the license requested.

6) Administrator Alerts / Alarms.

7) Reports on illegal software used in the network.

8) Un-installation from client machine automatically updates the license database.

9) Periodic Monitoring of software utilization

Claims

10) Monitors and notifies system Administrator of Illegal Software downloads11) It assures that the usage of licensed software does not exceed the number of licenses purchased.12) Remote installation and un-installation of software is possible.13) Managing intellectual property value chain.14) System administrator interface on hand held device for effective software managementCLAIMS:

1. An Intelligent System for Software License Management contains: Software License Storage Device (1), Network Server (2), Server Manager (4), Client Application (5), Client System (6), and System Administrator Interface (7).

2. Software license storage device (1) claimed in claim 1 is an electromechanical device, which stores the license details of the softwares with the required security.

3. Software license storage devices (1) claimed in claim 1 and 2, stores license details of the softwares in the storage zone, which may be a memory flash, a memory card, a hard disk, a EPROM, a EEPROM, a RAM, a disc on chip, etc.,

4. Software license storage device (1) claimed in claim 1 to 3 will be interfaced with the Network Server (2) through ISA, PCI/PCI-X, PCI-E, VME, USB, Network, etc.

5. Network Server (2) claimed in claim 1 will be a computer, a laptop, a desktop, a notebook etc and this Network Server (2) manages all protocols of Scanning & Software Usage, it manages Database Operations, it enforces scanning of Client machine on network. This server is explicitly requested by Administrator.

6. All the licensed softwares from input source (CD, DVD, etc,) will be transferred into the Network Server (2) through Server Manager (4).

7. Network Server (2) claimed in claim land claim 5, maintains a database of the details of each client system informations, which includes over all records of the network, license details of the software in the network, individual machine details on the existing network, installed application details on the network, inventory details of each machine.

8. Server Agent of Server Manager (4) claimed in claim 1 collects the software details from the client system update the Software License Storage Device (1) through the Network Server (2).

9. Server Application of Server Manager (4) claimed in claim 1 & claim 9, has two separate centers: a) Service Center and b). Message center.

10. Service Center claimed in claim 9, downloads the installer file of the requested software to the client system after confirming that the software package has not been installed in the client system and also it removes the software from the client system (6) once the duration of that particular software for that particular client system (6) expires or when Administrator decides to remove license from that client system (6) through Server Agent.

11. Message center claimed in claim 9, sends the message to the client system if the requested software is already installed in the client system and other user-friendly messages.

12. Client system (6) claimed in claim 1 and claim 10, communicates with the Network Server (2) via Client Agent (5) and Server Manager (4).

13. Client Agent (5) claimed in claim 1 and claim 12 is configured to request the required software and its license from the Network Server (2).

14. Client Agent (5) claimed in claim 1, claim 12 and claim 13 is further configured to get all the system informations of the Client system (6) for each request and update these details to the Server application (4) then finally to Software license storage device (1).

15. Client System (6) claimed in claim 1, claim 10, claim 12 and claim 14 will be a computer, a laptop, a desktop, a notebook and this will be deployed from the Network Server (2) remotely.

16. When the Network Server (2) claimed in claiml and claim 5 to 7 downloads the installer file of requested software by the client system after confirming that the software package has not been installed in the client system, the software will be automatically installed in the client system directly from the Network Server (2).

17. When the duration of any installed software in the client system (6) expires or Administrator decides to remove any software license from client system (6), Server application (4) commands Client Agent (5) to uninstall the particular software from the client system (6). Hence it offers remote uninstallation.

18. During uninstallation of the software the client system (6) system information stored in the license database will be removed from the software license storage device (1) for the availability of increased licenses in the server-client architecture.

19. Software license storage device (1) claimed in claim 1 to 4, communicates to the system administrator interface (7) on a periodic basis through alerts.

20. System Administrator Interface (7) claimed in claim 1 and claim 19 will be a computer, a laptop, a desktop, a notebook, a mobile device.

21. System Administrator Interface (7) claimed in claim 1, claim 19 and claim 20, communicates with Software license storage device (1) through ISA, PCI/PCI-X, PCI-E, VME, USB, Network, RF communication, Wireless, Bluetooth, etc.

22. An Intelligent System for Software License Management claimed in claim 1 to 21, manage software inventories, manage software compliance, monitors software usages, manage software installations, monitors usage of unauthorized software, abstract software installation files.