Cluster License Replication via Multicast Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clustered computing environments, detecting illegal software license usage is challenging due to centralized license management configurations, which often deny external access, making it difficult for field operators to validate and enforce licenses across multiple nodes, leading to potential undetected license abuse.
Innovation Solution
A multicast-based cluster-wise license information transfer protocol replicates license information across all nodes in a computer cluster, allowing field operators to use a smartphone application to detect abuses, and encryption ensures data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If license information is stored in a centralized node, then license management is simplified, but external access is denied and field operators cannot validate licenses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized license information into distributed copies across multiple cluster nodes. Each node stores a portion of the license data, allowing field operators to access and validate licenses at any node without needing to access a centralized repository, thus resolving the contradiction between management simplicity and access accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates replicated copies of license information and distributes them across cluster nodes. This copying approach maintains the simplicity of centralized management while enabling decentralized access, as operators can retrieve license data from any node copy without compromising the central化管理 structure.
2Reliability
If conventional license management software is used, then license validation is possible, but software complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables cluster nodes to perform self-validation of license information using distributed cryptographic signatures. Each node can independently verify license authenticity without requiring complex external validation software, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable license validation through decentralized self-service mechanisms.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If field operators access centralized node, then license abuse can be detected, but end-user site denies access to centralized node
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments license information access across multiple distributed nodes rather than requiring access to a single centralized node. Field operators can query license information at any cluster node, enabling abuse detection without needing permission to access the centralized node, thus resolving the access permission contradiction.
4Ease of operation
If license information is distributed across nodes, then access is easier, but data integrity and security become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cryptographic copying where each node receives an authenticated copy of license information with embedded digital signatures. This ensures that while license data is distributed across nodes for easy access, the cryptographic copying mechanism guarantees data integrity and prevents tampering, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for replicating and enforcing license information in a computer cluster are described. The method may include: receiving, by a core-node in the computer cluster, a plurality of peer-license-info from a plurality of peer-nodes selected from a plurality of cluster nodes. Each of the plurality of peer-license-info may include license-info collected by and associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of peer-nodes. The method may include generating, by the core-node, a first cluster-license-info based on the plurality of peer-license-info. The method may further include propagating, by the core-node, the first cluster-license-info to each of the plurality of peer-nodes. The first cluster-license-info is configured for detecting license violations among the plurality of cluster nodes.