Metadata Switch Licensing for Tenant-Specific Feature Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current platform licensing methods require significant time and labor to develop and update software product features manually, making it challenging to accommodate the individual needs of tenant organizations efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for configuring and managing metadata switches and platform licenses using a software application depot, allowing backend engineers to associate metadata switches with platform licenses, enabling automated updates and configurations without manual editing of each license.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If developers manually configure features to comply with platform licenses, then license accuracy and control are improved, but development time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses templates to store predefined feature configurations that can be copied and applied across multiple platform licenses. Instead of manually configuring each license from scratch, developers can reuse proven configurations, ensuring consistency and accuracy while dramatically reducing the time required to create new licenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automated feature configuration through metadata-driven approaches, where the platform automatically generates and updates license configurations based on predefined rules and metadata, reducing the need for manual developer intervention while maintaining accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If developers implement all feature additions, deletions, and updates manually, then complete control over license functionality is achieved, but the complexity and time required for license maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments license configuration into modular templates and metadata components. Each feature can be independently defined, enabled, or disabled through metadata switches, allowing developers to make targeted updates without affecting the entire license configuration. This modular approach reduces maintenance complexity while preserving complete control over functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses metadata parameters and switches to control feature states (enabled/disabled) without requiring structural changes to the license template. Developers can adapt license functionality by simply changing parameter values in the metadata, making maintenance straightforward while maintaining full adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration methods are used for each tenant organization's platform license, then customized license agreements can be created, but the time and labor required make large-scale deployment impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates universal templates that can serve multiple tenant organizations with different requirements. A single template can be instantiated multiple times with different metadata configurations, allowing the same base license structure to be adapted for various tenants without requiring separate manual configuration for each, thus enabling large-scale deployment while maintaining customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration work by pre-defining feature sets, metadata schemas, and template structures before actual license deployment. This advance preparation allows rapid instantiation of customized licenses for multiple tenants, dramatically increasing productivity while preserving the ability to meet individual tenant needs.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods are presented for configuring and managing metadata switches and platform licenses in a distributed system. Using metadata switches, a platform license can be developed for a software product without the need for an engineer to develop the platform license by hand. A software application depot can be used to configure metadata switches that provide configuration information for a particular aspect of the software product and, when associated to a platform license that utilizes metadata switches, generate an accessible platform license for use by tenant organizations.