License Orchestrator Dynamic Activation Cost Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current licensing models, such as flat, per-use, and floating licensing schemes, are inefficient and costly due to their inability to effectively factor in the activation of licensed acceleration functions, especially in multi-tenant systems, leading to unnecessary costs when licensable resources are not used or are in excess.
Innovation Solution
A license orchestrator system that determines whether using a per-use licensing cost for a workload is less than the existing capabilities of a computing device, and if so, licenses and utilizes the licensable resource for execution, optimizing resource allocation and cost efficiency by comparing licensing costs with the device's own capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flat license scheme is used, then licensable resources are always available for use, but cost increases because licenses are paid for even when not used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic license activation based on workload detection. The system continuously monitors for incoming workloads and activates licenses only when needed, transitioning from a static always-available state to a dynamic on-demand state. This resolves the contradiction by making resource availability conditional rather than permanent, reducing costs while maintaining operational capability when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of license status from permanently active to conditionally active based on workload presence. By monitoring system state and adjusting license activation status dynamically, the patent transforms the fixed availability model into a flexible parameter-driven model that adapts to actual usage needs, eliminating unnecessary licensing costs.
2Loss of energy
If per-use licensing method is used, then licensing cost decreases for low utilization, but inefficiency and complexity increase due to counter tracking and license renewal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic license activation and deactivation based on workload detection without requiring manual counter tracking or renewal management. The system serves itself by monitoring its own state and autonomously adjusting license status, eliminating the complexity of manual per-use tracking while maintaining cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from workload detection to automatically adjust license status. When workloads are detected, licenses are activated; when no workloads are present, licenses are deactivated. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates the need for complex counter tracking and manual renewal processes inherent in traditional per-use licensing.
3Loss of energy
If floating licensing scheme is used, then licensing cost is optimized for shared resources, but inefficiency occurs when maximum licenses are assigned and resources remain unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic license allocation that responds to actual workload demands in real-time. Rather than pre-assigning a fixed pool of licenses, the system activates licenses dynamically when workloads are detected and deactivates them when not needed, creating a flexible allocation model that adapts to changing conditions and maximizes both cost efficiency and resource availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary workload detection and analysis before activating licenses. By monitoring for incoming workloads in advance and preparing license activation accordingly, the system ensures resources are available when needed while avoiding premature or unnecessary license assignment, thus resolving the contradiction between cost optimization and resource availability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for a license orchestrator to most efficiently distribute fee-based licenses includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to determine that a workload is scheduled to be executed by a computing device. The computing device includes a licensable resource available for execution of the workload. The code is executable to compare a per-use licensing cost associated with using the licensable resource for execution of the workload with a cost of using existing capabilities of the computing device for execution of the workload and license and use the licensable resource for execution of the workload in response to determining that the per-use licensing cost of the licensable resource is less than using the existing capabilities of the computing device.