JP2012137954A - License management system, license management method and license management program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a license management system capable of avoiding a license violation.SOLUTION: A license management system comprises; a license management table 4 storing software and a license condition; a virtual server management table 6 storing a virtual server and software used in the virtual server; a physical server management table 8 storing a physical server and the virtual server provided on the physical server; a fault detection part 12 detecting a fault of the virtual server; a license management part 2 referring to the three tables and determining whether or not the state of the virtual server when it uses the software violates the license condition; and a virtual server management part 1 querying the license management part 2 whether or not the state of software usage when the virtual server is rearranged in a physical server different from the time of fault detection violates the license condition, and rearranging the virtual server, when a notification of the fault detection is received.

Description

  The present invention relates to a license management system that manages licenses of software used in a virtual server in a cloud environment.

  Conventionally, in a cloud environment, an application generally operates on a virtual server, and the virtual server operates on a physical server whose hardware specifications are not constant. Software used in such a cloud environment usually has a license fee determined by the number of CPUs used and the number of CPUs (Central Processing Units) of the physical servers used. It is a license violation when used on a server. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique for assigning a virtual server to a physical server so as to satisfy a license condition in consideration of environmental load and the like in a grid system.

  In addition, when a load on a certain virtual server increases, a change is generally made to redeploy from the current physical server to another physical server with higher performance. For example, Patent Document 2 below discloses a technique for redeploying a virtual server according to a preset group condition or the like in a system composed of a plurality of physical servers provided with a virtual server when the load is high. ing.

JP 2007-265193 A JP 2009-199395 A

  However, according to the above-described conventional technology, when live migration is set as a countermeasure in the event of a failure or when the server is under heavy load, the virtual server is automatically redeployed to another physical server to provide a stable service. However, if the virtual server is deployed on a physical server having a higher specification than the current state, there is a possibility of causing a software license violation. That is, there is a problem that a license violation may occur when a virtual server is redeployed in response to a failure or the like.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to obtain a license management system capable of avoiding a software license violation when a virtual server is redeployed in the event of a failure or the like. Objective.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a license management system that detects a software license violation when the software is operated and used on a virtual server provided on a physical server. A license management table for storing the software and the license conditions of the software in association with each other, a virtual server management table for storing the virtual server and software used in the virtual server in association with each other, A physical server management table for associating and storing a physical server and a virtual server provided on the physical server; a failure detection unit that monitors a state of the virtual server and detects a failure of the virtual server; By referring to the three tables, a virtual server provided on the physical server uses the software. The license management means that determines whether or not the status of the software violates the license conditions of the software, and the virtual server is different from that at the time of failure detection when a notification that a failure has been detected is received from the failure detection means The license management means is inquired whether the status when using software by redeploying on a physical server violates the license condition, and the virtual server is physically different from that at the time of failure detection so as not to violate the license condition. Virtual server management means for redeploying on the server.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid a software license violation when a virtual server is redeployed in the event of a failure or the like.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a license management system. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the S / W usage number management table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the license management table. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the virtual server management table. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the physical server management table. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the load status management table. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a license violation confirmation process. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an idle license confirmation process. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electronic computer capable of executing a license management program.

  Embodiments of a license management system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a license management system according to the present embodiment. The license management system includes a virtual server management unit 1, a license management unit 2, an S / W (software) usage number management table 3, a license management table 4, a license information input unit 5, and a virtual server management table 6. A virtual server information collection unit 7, a physical server management table 8, a physical server information collection unit 9, a load status management table 10, a load status management unit 11, a failure detection unit 12, an alert notification unit 13, Is provided.

  When the virtual server management unit 1 newly deploys a virtual server or detects a high load or failure of the virtual server, the virtual server management unit 1 queries the license management unit 2 to deploy the virtual server on the physical server so that there is no software license violation. To do.

  The license management unit 2 refers to the license management table 4, the virtual server management table 6, and the physical server management table 8, and compares the owned license with the used license to detect a license violation. Also, the number of software used is recorded in the S / W used number management table 3, and the idle software is determined by comparison with the owned license.

  The S / W used number management table 3 is a storage unit for recording and managing the number of software used.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the S / W usage number management table 3. The S / W used number management table 3 includes S / W and used number. For example, “Oracle” software is “2” on 11/8, “1” on 11/9, “1” on 11/10, “2” on 11/11, “2” on 11/12, 1 ”indicates that the book has been used. Note that, as an example, the interval for recording the number of use is one day, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number used may be recorded a plurality of times within a day (for example, every hour within business hours).

  The license management table 4 is a storage unit for recording and managing which user owns how many licenses of which software.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the license management table 4. The license management table 4 includes a virtual server administrator, S / W, owned license form, number of licenses, and alert notification destination. The software stores license conditions for each software. For example, the virtual server administrator of “Admin1” owns “2” pieces of “Oracle” software, and the owned license form is “CPU license”. It also indicates that the alert notification destination when there is a license violation in the software is “ABC@AAA.co.jp”.

  The license information input unit 5 is an input unit for the user to register information on software owned by the user in the license management table 4. Although there is a keyboard in an electronic computer or the like, it is not limited to this.

  The virtual server management table 6 is a table for recording and managing which software is used by which virtual server.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the virtual server management table 6. The virtual server management table 6 includes a virtual server, a virtual server administrator, and a usage S / W. Each virtual server stores the software used in association with each other. For example, the virtual server “Virtual1” indicates that the virtual server administrator “Admin1” is using the “Oracle” software.

  The virtual server information collection unit 7 is an agent that collects information about which software is used on the virtual server.

  The physical server management table 8 is a table for recording and managing which virtual server is operating on which physical server.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the physical server management table 8. The physical server management table 8 includes a physical server, a used CPU, and a used virtual server. For each physical server, a virtual server provided on the physical server is stored in association with the physical server. For example, the physical server “Physical1” has the number of CPUs “2”, and the two virtual servers “Virtual1 and Virtual2” are currently in use.

  The physical server information collection unit 9 is an agent that collects information about which virtual server is operating on the physical server.

  The load status management table 10 is a table for recording and managing the load status of the virtual server.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the load status management table 10. The load status management table 10 includes a virtual server, a load status (CPU), a load status (memory), and a load status (number of users). For example, in the virtual server “Virtual 1”, the CPU usage status is “70%”, the memory usage status is “80%”, and the number of used users is “50000”. As an example, the load status is determined based on the three items of CPU, memory, and the number of users. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any one or two items may be used. Also good.

  The load status management unit 11 collects the load status from the virtual server, records it in the load status management table 10 and manages the load status.

  The failure detection unit 12 monitors the state of the virtual server and detects a failure that has occurred in the virtual server. As a failure detection method, for example, there is a method of periodically transmitting a signal to a virtual server that is running software and determining a failure based on a response. Further, there is a method of determining a failure by checking the resources (memory, CPU, DISC, etc.) of the virtual server, but the method is not limited to these, and other methods may be used.

  The alert notification unit 13 notifies the user of an alert when a license violation is detected. The notification method includes e-mail and pop-up on the screen, but is not limited thereto.

  Next, a license violation confirmation process in the license management system will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a license violation confirmation process.

  First, the license information input unit 5 inputs information into the license management table 4, or the virtual server information collection unit 7 collects information about the virtual server and records it in the virtual server management table 6, and the physical server information collection unit 9 Collects information related to the physical server and records it in the physical server management table 8, and the load status management unit 11 acquires the load status of each virtual server and records it in the load status management table 10. In addition, it is not necessary to input or record information all at the same time, and any one of them may be used.

  In the virtual server management unit 1, the virtual server information collection unit 7 collects information about the virtual server to determine whether there is an input from the license information input unit 5 to the license management table 4 via the license management unit 2. It is confirmed whether it has been recorded in the table 6, whether the physical server information collection unit 9 has collected information on the physical server and recorded it in the physical server management table 8, and the load status management unit 11 has Whether the load status is acquired and recorded in the load status management table 10 is confirmed (step S101).

  Next, when the virtual server management unit 1 does not create a new virtual server (step S102: No), the virtual server management unit 1 further has a failure such as redeployment of the virtual server based on the input information, or a high It is confirmed whether or not a load is detected (step S103).

  When a failure or a high load is detected (step S103: Yes), the virtual server management unit 1 sets deployment of the virtual server (step S104). In other words, the virtual server in which a failure or high load is detected is set to which other physical server different from the physical server when the current failure or high load is detected. If no failure or high load is detected (step S103: No), the process returns to step S101 to check the information.

  Then, the virtual server management unit 1 inquires of the license management unit 2 whether there is a software license violation in the deployment set in step S104 (step S105). The license management unit 2 compares the information recorded in the license management table 4, the virtual server management table 6, and the physical server management table 8 to check whether there is a license violation, Notification to the unit 1 (step S106). For example, if the license condition is the number of owned licenses, check whether the number of software used at that time is less than the number of owned licenses. If the license condition is the number of CPUs, use the software. The number of CPUs of the physical server on which the virtual server is provided is confirmed.

  When there is a license violation (step S107: Yes), the virtual server management unit 1 further checks whether redeployment to another physical server is possible (step S108). If redeployment is possible (step S108: Yes), the process returns to step S104, and it is set again to which physical server the virtual server in which a failure or high load is detected is deployed (step S104). As a result of executing the above processing (steps S104 to S107), when redeployment to another physical server is not possible (step S108: No), the virtual server management unit 1 uses the alert notification unit 13 to An alert notification is sent to the administrator that a license violation has occurred (step S109).

  On the other hand, if there is no violation of the license in step S107 (step S107: No), the virtual server management unit 1 actually deploys the virtual server to the set physical server and ends the process. That is, the operation of the virtual server can be started.

  Returning to step S102, when the virtual server management unit 1 creates a new virtual server (step S102: Yes), the virtual server management unit 1 creates a new virtual server and deploys it to the physical server (step S110). . Then, the process proceeds to step S105, and the subsequent processing is as described above.

  As described above, the virtual server management unit 1 deploys a virtual server to a physical server when a failure or high load of the virtual server is detected or when a new virtual server is created. At this time, the virtual server management unit 1 checks with the license management unit 2 whether or not there is a software license violation in a state where the virtual server is deployed on the physical server. Confirm that there is no actual deployment and start operation.

  The license management system can also check whether there is an idle license, that is, a license that is not used, for the license of the software that it owns. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an idle license confirmation process.

  First, the license management unit 2 checks the number of software used in the virtual server (step S201). Wait until the predetermined confirmation time comes (step S201: No), and when the confirmation time comes (step S201: Yes), refer to the virtual server management table 6 (step S202) and are used at that time The number of software used is recorded in the S / W used number management table 3 for each software (step S203).

  When the number of used licenses is not recorded a predetermined number of times for determining an idle license (step S204: No), the license management unit 2 repeatedly executes the process between the above steps S201 to S203, When the use number is recorded a predetermined number of times for the determination (step S204: Yes), the idle license is determined (step S205). Specifically, the license management unit 2 compares the number of used records recorded in the S / W used number management table 3 with the number recorded in the license management table 4 for each software.

  It is assumed that the software whose usage number recorded in the S / W usage number management table 3 has reached the number recorded in the license management table 4 is not idle software (step S205: No), and in step S201. The process returns to step S201 to S204 repeatedly.

  On the other hand, software whose number used in the S / W used number management table 3 does not reach the number recorded in the license management table 4 is set as idle software (step S205: Yes), and virtual server management is performed. The alert notification unit 13 sends an alert notification to the license administrator via the unit 1 (step S206). The alert notification destination is the alert notification destination described in the license management table 4 (see FIG. 3).

  In this way, the license management unit 2 periodically checks the number of software that is owned, and notifies the license manager of software that has not been used for a certain period of time as idle software. Thereby, the license manager can review the license agreement.

  Note that the method of determining idle software is not limited to the above method, and a predetermined ratio (for example, 80%: when the number is 5) with respect to the number recorded in the license management table 4 If it does not reach 4), it may be determined as idle software. As a result, the idle software can be determined with a margin with respect to the number of owned software.

  Moreover, although the method for automatically determining idle software has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the processing up to recording the number of software used in the S / W usage number management table 3 (step S203) may be performed by the license management system, and the recorded result may be confirmed by the license manager as needed. The license manager can review the license agreement and the like by checking the record when necessary (for example, at the end of the period or at the time of inventory).

  In addition, both the license violation and the idle software are notified from the alert notification unit 13 to the administrator. However, the notification is not limited to this, and different notification means (for example, a screen display means and a printer) (Output means).

  As described above, in this embodiment, in the license management system, the virtual server management unit 1 makes a virtual server a physical server when a failure or high load of the virtual server is detected or when a new virtual server is created. After confirming that there was no software license violation in the deployed state, the virtual server was actually deployed and operated. Thereby, when a failure or the like occurs, the virtual server can be moved to another physical server, and a license violation can be avoided.

  In addition, the license management unit 2 periodically checks the number of software that is owned, and notifies the license manager of the software that has not been used for a certain period of time as idle software. As a result, the license manager can review the license agreement of software that is not being used.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electronic computer that has a function as the license management system according to the present embodiment and can execute the license management program according to the present embodiment.

  The computer includes, for example, a control unit 101 including a CPU (the virtual server management unit 1, the license management unit 2, the virtual server information collection unit 7, the physical server information collection unit 9, the load status management unit 11, and the failure detection unit 12). ), A memory unit 102 (corresponding to the S / W usage number management table 3, the license management table 4, the virtual server management table 6, the physical server management table 8, and the load status management table 10), and a display unit 103 ( The alert notification unit 13), an input unit 104 (corresponding to the license information input unit 5), a CD-ROM drive unit 105, a disk unit 106, and an external I / F unit 107. Each unit is connected via a system bus A.

  In FIG. 9, the control unit 101 executes the license management program. The memory unit 102 includes various memories such as RAM and ROM, and stores programs to be executed by the control unit 101, necessary data obtained in the course of processing, and the like. The display unit 103 is composed of a CRT, LCD (liquid crystal display panel), or the like, and displays various screens to the user of the electronic computer. The input unit 104 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a user of an electronic computer to input various information. The illustrated CD-ROM 200 stores a license management program describing the processing of the present embodiment.

  Here, an operation example of the electronic computer until the license management program becomes executable will be described. First, in the electronic computer configured as described above, a license management program is installed in the disk unit 106 from the CD-ROM 200 set in the CD-ROM drive unit 105. Then, the program read from the disk unit 106 is stored in the memory unit 102 when the electronic computer is activated or when the program is executed. In this state, the control unit 101 executes a license management process according to a program stored in the memory unit 102.

  In the present embodiment, the license management program is provided by the CD-ROM 200. However, the recording medium of the program is not limited to this, and may be, for example, according to the computer constituting the system. Other recording media such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk and DVD can also be used. Moreover, it is good also as using the program provided by transmission media, such as an email and the internet.

  As described above, the license management system according to the present invention is useful for a system that uses software on a virtual server in a cloud environment, and is particularly suitable when the use of software is restricted by license conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Virtual server management part 2 License management part 3 S / W use number management table 4 License management table 5 License information input part 6 Virtual server management table 7 Virtual server information collection part 8 Physical server management table 9 Physical server information collection part 10 Load Status management table 11 Load status management unit 12 Fault detection unit 13 Alert notification unit

Claims (12)

A license management system that detects a software license violation when the software is operated and used on a virtual server provided on a physical server,
A license management table for storing software and the license conditions of the software in association with each other;
A virtual server management table for storing a virtual server and software used in the virtual server in association with each other;
A physical server management table for storing a physical server and a virtual server provided on the physical server in association with each other;
Failure detection means for monitoring the status of the virtual server and detecting a failure of the virtual server;
A license management unit that refers to the three tables and determines whether a state in which the virtual server provided on the physical server uses the software violates the license condition of the software;
If the failure detection means receives a notification that a failure has been detected, does the status when using the software by redeploying the virtual server on a different physical server from when the failure was detected violates the license conditions? The virtual server management means for re-deploying the virtual server on a physical server different from that at the time of failure detection so as to inquire the license management means and not violate the license conditions;
A license management system comprising: further,
Load status management table for storing the load status of the virtual server,
With
When the virtual server management means checks the load status management table and detects a high-load virtual server, when the software is used by redeploying the virtual server on a physical server different from that at the time of detecting the high load Whether or not the license condition violates the license condition, and redeploys the virtual server on a physical server different from that at the time of detecting a high load so as not to violate the license condition.
The license management system according to claim 1. When the virtual server management unit newly deploys a virtual server, the virtual server management unit inquires of the license management unit whether the state when the virtual server is deployed on the physical server and the software is used violates the license condition. Deploy virtual servers on physical servers to avoid violating license conditions
The license management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein further,
A license violation notification means for notifying the administrator that a license violation has occurred when the virtual server management means cannot deploy the virtual server on the physical server without violating the license conditions;
The license management system according to claim 1, 2, or 3. further,
Software usage number management table for recording the number of software usages,
Idle license notification means for notifying the administrator that there is an idle license;
With
The license management means refers to the virtual server management table at predetermined intervals to check the number of software used, records the number of software used in the software usage number management table, and records the number of software used a predetermined number of times. After that, for each software, the number of owned included in the license condition of the license management table is compared with the number of used of the software used number management table, and as a result of comparison, the number of used is specified for the number of owned Software that has not reached the ratio is set as idle software, and the administrator is notified using the idle license notification means.
The license management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the system is a license management system. The idle license notification means and the license violation notification means are the same notification means.
The license management system according to claim 5, wherein: A license management method in a license management system for detecting a software license violation when a software is operated and used on a virtual server provided on a physical server,
The license management system is
A license management table for storing software and the license conditions of the software in association with each other;
A virtual server management table for storing a virtual server and software used in the virtual server in association with each other;
A physical server management table for storing a physical server and a virtual server provided on the physical server in association with each other;
If you have
A failure detection step in which the license management system monitors a state of the virtual server and detects a failure of the virtual server;
When the license management system detects a failure of the virtual server, the state when the software is used by redeploying the virtual server on a physical server different from that at the time of failure detection is referred to the three tables. A license management step to determine whether the software license conditions are violated;
A virtual server management step in which the license management system redeploys the virtual server on a physical server different from that at the time of failure detection so as not to violate the license condition according to the determination of the license management step;
A license management method comprising: Further, the license management system includes:
Load status management table for storing the load status of the virtual server,
With
The license management system confirms the load status management table and detects a high load virtual server;
Including
In the license management step, when a high load of the virtual server is detected, the license management table, the virtual server management table, and the physical server management table are referred to, and the virtual server is detected when the high load is detected. Determines if the state of using the software by redeploying on a different physical server violates the license terms,
In the virtual server management step, according to the determination in the license management step, the virtual server is redeployed on a physical server different from that at the time of detecting a high load so as not to violate the license condition.
The license management method according to claim 7. In the license management step, referring to the three tables of the license management table, the virtual server management table, and the physical server management table, a state in which the virtual server is newly deployed on the physical server and the software is used Determines whether it violates the license terms,
In the virtual server management step, according to the determination in the license management step, a virtual server is newly deployed on the physical server so as not to violate the license conditions.
9. The license management method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein further,
A license violation notification step for notifying the administrator that a license violation has occurred when the license management system fails to deploy a virtual server on a physical server without violating a license condition in the virtual server management step;
The license management method according to claim 7, 8, or 9. Further, the license management system includes:
Software usage number management table for recording the number of software usages,
If you have
The license management system checks the number of software used by referring to the virtual server management table at a predetermined interval, and records the number of software used in the software used number management table;
After the license management system records the number of uses for a predetermined number of times, for each software, the number of possessions included in the license conditions of the license management table and the number of uses of the software use number management table are compared and compared. As a result, an idle software determination step in which the software whose used number does not reach a prescribed ratio with respect to the owned number is idle software;
The license management system notifying the administrator that there is an idle license;
The license management method according to claim 7, further comprising:   A license management program for causing a computer to execute the license management method according to claim 7.

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