Software License Management System for End-User Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large business organizations face challenges in maintaining auditable records of software license assignments to ensure compliance, as failure to do so can result in legal issues and penalties, and existing systems lack efficient methods for managing software licenses tied to end users.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for managing software licenses that includes an authentication and license checking server, which searches a repository for required licenses and combines user authentication with license checking to grant or deny access, and a procurement license server to order missing licenses, ensuring compliance and maintaining auditable records.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual license tracking methods are used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but compliance accuracy and auditability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary license management system that acts as a mediator between the software resource, authentication server, and procurement server. This intermediary automatically tracks license assignments, maintains auditable records, and enforces compliance rules, thereby achieving high compliance accuracy without requiring complex manual tracking processes throughout the organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms where the authentication server regularly checks license status and compliance rules, and the procurement server receives automated notifications when license thresholds are approached or exceeded. This feedback loop ensures real-time compliance monitoring and automatic reordering, maintaining high measurement precision through systematic information flow.
2Extent of automation
If automated license management systems are implemented, then compliance monitoring improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the license management functionality into three distinct modular components: a repository for license information, an authentication server for compliance checking and user authentication, and a procurement server for automatic reordering. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication server performs multiple functions including user authentication, license verification, compliance rule enforcement, and procurement triggering. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional server, the system achieves high automation without proportionally increasing the number of separate system components.
3Measurement precision
If licenses are assigned to individual end users, then compliance tracking accuracy improves, but administrative overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automation where the procurement server automatically monitors license usage patterns, identifies when reordering is needed based on predefined rules, and places reorder requests without human intervention. The authentication server automatically assigns and tracks licenses to individual users based on their authentication records, eliminating manual administrative tasks while maintaining precise tracking accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively monitoring license usage trends and automatically initiating reorder processes before license exhaustion occurs. Compliance rules are pre-configured with threshold values that trigger automated procurement actions, allowing the system to maintain accurate tracking without requiring reactive administrative intervention when compliance issues arise.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system and method for automatically managing software licenses that are specifically tied to end users. A repository located on an authentication and license checking server contains the license requirements needed for each application. The repository is searched to determine which license(s) the requester needs to get access to an application. A user authentication is combined with a license checking at the server to grant or deny access to the application. A procurement license server may also be coupled to the license authentication and checking server to order any missing license(s).