JP2002073195A - Method and server for managing license - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively perform the license management of a program product to be used by a server placed on a network. SOLUTION: A license registration from a licensee server LS is accepted by a license managing server MS. In the case of license registration, the IP address of the licensee server LS is automatically acquired by the license managing server MS. A license registering processing part 13 makes a license ID correspond to the IP address of the licensee server LS and registers them to a license managing database 12. When the request of license updating is received from the licensee server LS, after the license ID and the IP address are collated, an updating module is transmitted from an updating module transmitting processing part 18. Since an unauthorized user server US has an IP address different from that of the licensee server LS, the server US can not acquire the updating module.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention manages a license of a program product used in a licensee server provided with an address (for example, an IP (Internet Protocol) address) uniquely determined on a network represented by the Internet. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus (server) for performing the above, and a computer-readable recording medium which records a program for license management.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, license management of a program product executed by a computer has been performed by various methods. For example, a method of registering a label on which a license ID (such as a serial number) is recorded on a package of a CD-ROM as a recording medium storing a program product, and using this license ID to register the user on a postcard or online is available. One of them. To the user who has performed the user registration procedure, product version up information is sent from the program product supplier.

An update module of a program product is often supplied from a homepage opened on the Internet. Therefore, the update module can be downloaded and obtained by accessing a predetermined homepage on the Internet, regardless of whether the user is an authorized user or an unauthorized user. Conventionally, it is also attempted to prevent an unauthorized user from downloading an update module by supplying the update module on a homepage that is restricted from being viewed by a user ID and a password. However, if the user ID and the password are known to a third party, it becomes impossible to prevent an unauthorized user from acquiring the update module.

Further, a program product supplier issues a password to the purchaser of the program product, and by entering this password on a predetermined user registration screen of the program product, the program function restriction is released. In some cases, license management is performed. Also in this case, if the password is leaked to a third party, the unauthorized user can release the function restriction.

[0005]

A server connected to the Internet is often used for business due to its nature. Therefore, many of the program products installed on the server will be used for business purposes. Therefore, prevention of unauthorized use of a program product in a server connected to the Internet is more necessary than prevention of unauthorized use of general individuals.

[0006] On the other hand, a server connected to the Internet is assigned an IP address, which is an address uniquely determined on the Internet. Focusing on this point, the present inventor has considered performing license management of a program product used by a server placed on a network. That is, an object of the present invention is to solve the above technical problems and to provide a license management method and a license management server capable of effectively managing a license of a program product used by a server placed on a network. It is to be.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium on which a computer-readable program used for license management as described above is recorded.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a licensee server (LS) provided with an address uniquely determined on a network (N). A license management method for a program product (P) to be used, wherein a license registration request including a license ID unique to the program product is transmitted from a licensee server to a license placed on the network via the network. A registration accepting step (19) accepted by the management server (MS), and a step (11) of acquiring the address of the licensee server that has issued the license registration request through the network from the license management server side (11). ) And sent from the licensee server In association with the license ID, and address of the licensee server is registered in the license management database (12) Step (13)
And a license management method.
The alphanumeric characters in parentheses represent the reference numerals of the corresponding components in the embodiments described later or the components for executing the process or the step. Hereinafter, the same applies in this section.

According to the present invention, an address uniquely determined on the network and a license ID are associated with each other and registered (license registration) in the license management server. Therefore, for example, when the license management server is accessed from a server on the network in order to download an update module or the like after the license registration, the license management server uses the proper license ID corresponding to the license ID of the program product. It can be determined whether or not the access is from the licensee server. In this way, a legitimate licensee server can be clearly distinguished from a server that is fraudulent with the program product, so that the license management of the program product used by the server placed on the network can be effectively performed. .

In addition, since the address of the server is obtained by processing from the license management server side, it is not possible to perform improper operation at the time of license registration. Note that the above method further includes the step of, when a license registration request is received, for the license ID registered with the license ID and a predetermined number (for example, one) of addresses in the license management database. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of rejecting the request (19).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a license management method for a program product used in a licensee server (LS) to which an address uniquely determined on a network (N) is assigned, wherein the license management method is provided on the network. In the license management server (MS), the license ID of the program product used in the licensee server and the licensee
A step (13) of registering the address of the server (preferably obtained by a process from the license management server side) with the license management database (12), and placing the server on the network. Service update request for the above program product from the server and the license ID of the program product
(15) by the license management server via the network, and the address of the server (LS, US) that has issued the service update request is transmitted from the license management server via the network. Step (11) obtained by processing
(16) determining whether the license management server has registered the license ID and the acquired address received together with the service update request in the license management database in association with each other; Assuming that the service update request is issued from the licensee server, provided that the license ID and the acquired address received together with the update request are registered in the license management database in association with each other, Delivering the data corresponding to the service update request to the licensee server via the network (18).

According to the present invention, when the service update request and the license ID of the program product are received from the server on the network by the license management server, the license management registering the license ID in association with the address of the authorized licensee server. The database is referenced. On the other hand, the server address is obtained by processing from the license management server side.
Then, a match / mismatch between the address of the authorized licensee server corresponding to the license ID received with the service update request and the address of the server that issued the service update request is determined.

If the addresses match, the access is from the authorized licensee server, and the data corresponding to the service update request is distributed to the authorized licensee server via the network. If the addresses do not match, the data corresponding to the service update request is not delivered, and for example, a message indicating that the service update is performed only for the registered user may be transmitted to the access source server. The same processing may be performed even when the license ID is not registered in the license management database.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to manage a license of a program product (P) used in a licensee server (LS) to which a uniquely determined address is assigned on the network (N), A license management server (MS) placed on the server, the registration receiving means (1) receiving, via the network, a license registration request including a license ID unique to the program product from the licensee server.
9) an address acquisition unit (11) for acquiring the address of the licensee server, for which the license registration request has been accepted by the registration acceptance unit, via the network by processing from the license management server side; A license registration unit (13) for associating the license ID transmitted from the licensee server with the licensee server address acquired by the address acquisition unit and registering the license ID in the license management database (12). A license management server characterized in that:

With this configuration, the license management method according to the first aspect can be realized. When the license management server further receives a license registration request for the license ID registered with the license ID and a predetermined number (for example, one) of addresses in association with each other in the license management database, Means for rejecting license registration request (19)
It is preferable to further include

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to manage a license of a program product (P) used in a licensee server (LS) to which a uniquely determined address is assigned on the network (N), the license is managed on the network (N). A license management server (MS) placed in the license server, the license registration registering a license ID of the program product used in the licensee server and an address of the licensee server in a license management database. Means (13)
And a server (LS, U
A service update accepting means (15) for accepting, via the network, a service update request for the program product and a license ID of the program product from S), and the address of the server that issued the service update request to the network , An address acquisition unit (11) acquired by a process from the license management server side, and a license ID accepted by the service update acceptance unit together with a service update request and an address acquired by the address acquisition unit. A registration judging unit (16) for judging whether or not the license is registered in the license management database; and a license I received by the service update receiving unit by the registration judging unit.
D and the obtained address are determined to be registered in the license management database in association with each other, and the service update request is considered to have been issued from the licensee server, and the service update is performed. A service update data distribution means (18) for distributing data corresponding to the request to the licensee server via the network.

With this configuration, the license management method described in claim 2 can be realized. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, for license management of a program product (P) used in a licensee server (LS) provided with a uniquely determined address on a network (N),
A recording medium recording a computer-readable program recording a program to be executed by a license management server (MS) as a computer placed on the network, wherein a license unique to the program product is transmitted from a licensee server. A registration accepting process (19) for accepting a license registration request including the ID via the network, and the address of the licensee server that has issued the license registration request is processed by the license management server through the network. (11), and the license I transmitted from the licensee server
D is a recording medium on which a program for causing the license management server to execute a process (13) of associating the license management server with the address of the licensee server and registering the license management database in the license management database (12).

By executing the program recorded on the recording medium on a license management server placed on a network, the license management method according to the first aspect can be performed. In addition, when the program further receives a license registration request for the license ID registered with the license ID and a predetermined number (for example, one) of addresses in association with the license management database, Processing to reject license registration request (19)
Is preferably performed by the license management database server.

[0019] The invention according to claim 6 is a program for managing a license of a program product (P) used in a licensee server (LS) to which an address uniquely determined on the network (N) is assigned. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program to be executed by a license management server (MS) as a computer placed in the license server, the license ID of the program product used in the licensee server, and the licensee A process (13) of associating with the address of the server and registering it in the license management database (12), a service update request for the program product from the server placed on the network and a license ID of the program product, The above network Receives through the work process (19), the address of the server that issued the service update request, by the processing from the license management server, the process to get through the network (1
1) a process (16) of determining whether or not the license ID and the acquired address received with the service update request are registered in association with each other in the license management database (16); and received with the service update request. On condition that the license ID and the obtained address are registered in the license management database in association with each other, the service update request is considered to have been issued from the licensee server, and A recording medium storing a program for causing the license management server to execute a process (18) of distributing corresponding data to the licensee server via the network.

By executing the program recorded on the recording medium on a license management server placed on a network, the license management method according to the second aspect can be performed. In addition, as set forth in claim 7, the program further causes the license management server to perform a process of forming the license management database (12) in a storage area of a storage medium accessible by the license management server. Preferably.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a license management server for implementing a license management method according to one embodiment of the present invention. The license management server MS is a server located on the Internet N, and is a general server LS, US also located on the Internet N.
Has a function of managing the license of the program product P used in the.

In FIG. 1, the server LS is a server (hereinafter, referred to as a "licensee server") operated by an authorized license user to whom a license for the program product P is assigned, and the server US is a program product P It is assumed that the server is operated by an unauthorized user who uses illegally (hereinafter, referred to as “illegal user server”). All servers placed on the Internet N are assigned IP addresses, which are addresses uniquely determined on the Internet N. This IP address can be obtained by another server placed on the Internet N as long as the target server is operating.

The license management server MS uses a general W
A WWW server processing unit 11 storing data for realizing the functions of the WWW server, a license management database 12 storing data for license management of the program product P, and a license management database 12 A license registration processing unit 13 for registering data for license management, a license registration receiving unit 19 for receiving a license registration request from the servers LS and US placed on the Internet N, and a user interface at the time of license registration. Screen structure database 14 that stores functioning homepage images
And

The license management server MS further includes a service update reception processing unit 15 for receiving a service update request from the servers LS and US placed on the Internet N, and a license updating unit for receiving a service update request. A license registration determining unit 16 that determines whether or not the access is from a server to which a service update request is assigned; a provided service database 17 that records data (update module, additional module, file, etc. of a program product) corresponding to the service update request; An update module transmission processing unit 18 that reads data from the provided service database 17 and sends the data to the Internet N as an update module is provided.

The license management server MS has a basic form as a computer having a CPU, a hard disk, a memory, and the like. The license management database 12, the screen structure database 14, and the provided service database 17 are formed in a storage area on a storage medium such as a hard disk. Also, WWW
Server processing unit 11, license registration processing unit 13, service update reception processing unit 15, license registration determination unit 16,
Each function of the license registration receiving unit 19 and the update module transmission processing unit 18 is realized by the CPU executing a predetermined program installed in the license management server MS.

The license management database 12 stores the license ID of the program product P and this license ID.
Is recorded in association with the IP address ADD1 of the authorized licensee server LS corresponding to. License I
D is, for example, when the program product P is distributed in the form of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, is composed of a character string such as alphanumeric characters recorded on a label or the like attached to a package or the like of the recording medium. . This license ID
Is unique to each program product, and the license management database 12 stores one license I
Only one IP address is registered for D. Of course, license management database 1
2, a plurality of license IDs and a plurality of IP addresses are recorded in a one-to-one correspondence. In this case, not only the license ID of the same type of program product P, but also the license ID of another type of program product and the IP address of the authorized licensee server corresponding to this can be recorded in association with each other. Good.

The procedure when the authorized licensee server LS accesses the license management server MS to register a license is outlined below. The user of the licensee server LS activates a browser program on the licensee server LS. Using this browser, the URL of the license management server MS
(Uniform Resourse Locator). Thereby, the WWW server processing unit 11 of the license management server MS reads out the license registration screen from the screen structure database 14 and transmits the license registration screen to the licensee server LS via the Internet N. Thus, the license registration screen shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display provided in the licensee server LS.

This license registration screen is a license ID input field 2 for inputting the license ID of the program product P held by the user of the licensee server LS.
1, a host name input field 22 for inputting a host name which is the name of the licensee server LS, and an IP address input field 23 for inputting an IP address of the licensee server LS. Further, the license registration screen includes a license ID input field 21, a host name input field 22,
And the data entered in the IP address input field 23 are transferred to the license management server M via the Internet N.
An execution button 24 for transmitting to S is displayed.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 25 denotes a licensee server L
UR of the license management server MS in the browser of S
This is a URL entry field where L is entered.

When the execution button 24 is operated by a suitable input device such as a pointing device or a keyboard, the license ID, the host name and the IP address are displayed.
The data is transmitted to the WWW server processing unit 11 via the Internet N, and is sent to the license registration receiving unit 19. At this time, the WWW server processing unit 11 automatically acquires the IP address of the licensee server LS via the Internet N. If the automatically obtained IP address does not match the IP address entered by the user of licensee server LS in IP address input field 23, license registration receiving section 19 sets in WWW server processing section 11
Via the Internet N to the licensee server LS. This error message may be, for example, "The input is incorrect."

The IP address entered in the IP address input field 23
Address and IP automatically acquired by WWW server processing unit 11
If the addresses match, the license registration processing unit 13 is notified of this. In response, the license registration processing unit 13 registers the information received from the licensee server LS in the license management database 12. That is, the host name and the IP address are registered in association with the license ID.

After that, the license registration processing unit 13
Through the WW server processing unit 11, a notification (license registration completion notification) indicating that license registration has been completed is transmitted from the Internet N to the licensee server LS. Next, a service update procedure for acquiring an update module or the like of the program product P will be described.
The licensee server LS accesses a service update homepage of the license management server MS via the Internet N. That is, the licensee server L
The user of S starts up a browser in the licensee server LS and inputs the URL of the service update screen of the license management server MS in the URL input field.

As a result, the WWW server processing unit 11
The service update screen data is read from the screen structure database 14, and the data is transmitted to the licensee server LS via the Internet N. As a result, the service update screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the browser of the licensee server LS. This service update screen includes a license ID input field 31, a service selection field 31 for selecting a service content to be updated, and a send button 33 for transmitting the input content. Reference numeral 34 denotes a URL entry field where the URL of the service update screen is entered in the browser of the licensee server LS.

The service selection column 32 may have, for example, a form of a pull-down list box. In the service selection column 32, service contents such as "xx month xx day security measures" can be entered by selection from the list box. In the case of this example, transmission of an update module for security measures is requested to the license management server MS. When the transmission button 33 is operated by an appropriate input device such as a pointing device or a keyboard, the input content of the service update screen is sent to the WWW server processing unit 11 via the Internet N, and is given to the service update reception processing unit 15.

At the same time, the WWW server processing unit 11
Automatically obtains the IP address ADD1 of the licensee server LS that has generated the service update request. The automatically obtained IP address is provided to the license registration determination unit 16. The license registration determination unit 16 accesses the license management database 12 based on the license ID in the service update request received by the service update reception processing unit 15. Then, the IP address corresponding to the license ID is read from the license management database 12, and it is determined whether the IP address matches the IP address automatically acquired by the WWW server processing unit 11.

If the two IP addresses do not match, the license registration determination unit 16 transmits an error message from the Internet N to the licensee server LS via the WWW server processing unit 11. Since it is assumed that the authorized licensee server LS issues a service update request to the license management server MS, the license registration determination unit 16 determines the IP address and WWW read from the license management database 12.
It is determined that the IP address automatically acquired by the server processing unit 11 matches.

In response to the determination of the coincidence, the service update acceptance processing section 15 instructs the install module transmission processing section 18 to transmit an install module corresponding to the requested service. At this time, the update module transmission processing unit 1
8, a license ID of a service update request target;
The IP address corresponding to this is delivered. The update module transmission processing unit 18 reads data corresponding to the service instructed from the service update reception processing unit 15 from the provided service database 17. The read data is transmitted from the WWW server processing unit 11 to the licensee server LS via the Internet N.

However, in this embodiment, the install module transmission processing unit 18 requests the license registration determination unit 16 to re-determine the license registration before transmitting the install module. That is, the license registration determination unit 1
6 reads from the license management database 12 the IP address corresponding to the license ID of the program product P installed in the licensee server LS to which the update module is transmitted. On the other hand, the WWW server processing unit 11 automatically acquires the IP address of the licensee server LS again. The license registration determining unit 16 determines again whether the automatically acquired IP address and the IP address read from the license management database 12 match.

On the condition that a match between the two IP addresses is confirmed, the install module transmission processing unit 18 sends the install module from the WWW server processing unit 11 to the licensee server LS via the Internet N. If the two IP addresses do not match, the update module transmission processing unit 18 transmits an error message to the licensee server LS via the WWW server processing unit 11 and the Internet N.

The licensee receiving the update module
In the server LS, the system realized by the program product P is updated by using this update module. For example, the system may be automatically updated by expanding the received update module, or the system may be set to be executed at a predetermined time. The program product P is illegally installed and used in the unauthorized user server US. That is, the program product P installed on the licensee server LS and the program product P installed on the unauthorized user server US have the same license ID.

In this case, after the licensee server LS performs the license registration procedure via the Internet N, the unauthorized user server US cannot perform the license registration again. That is, the license registration receiving unit 19 can recognize that the license registration for the license ID has already been performed based on the contents of the license management database 12.
Therefore, the license registration receiving unit 19 rejects registration of two or more IP addresses for one license ID.

In this case, the unauthorized user server US is sent from the WWW server processing unit 11 via the Internet N.
, An error message will be sent. The error message in this case may be, for example, "the registration procedure of the received license ID has been completed". Unauthorized user server US
Makes a service update request to the license management server MS, the IP address ADD2 automatically acquired by the WWW server processing unit 11 does not match the IP address ADD1 registered in the license management database 12. In this case, the license registration determination unit 16 sends an error message, such as “Only a registered user can receive service updates” to the unauthorized user server US from the WWW server processing unit 11 via the Internet N. Send.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the license ID and the WW are stored in the license management database 12.
By registering the program product P in association with the IP address automatically acquired by the W server processing unit 11, the program product P
License management. This allows
Unauthorized user server US for the same license ID
Of course, the unauthorized user server US cannot receive the update module from the license management server MS. In this way, for the unauthorized user server US on which the program product P has been illegally installed,
Update modules and other files can be reliably prevented from providing system update services.

Note that the license management server MS according to this embodiment may be provided in a completed form as an apparatus having the above-described functions. For example, a program for realizing the above-described functions is recorded on the server. CD-ROM
Provided to the market in the form of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or an FD (Floppy (registered trademark) disk).
By installing S in a computer to be configured, the above-described functions may be realized by program processing executed by the computer. That is, from the recording medium, the license management server MS
By installing the program recorded in the recording medium on a computer that constitutes the database, the databases 12, 14, 1 are stored in a storage area such as a hard disk as a storage medium accessible by the computer.
7 are formed, and these databases 12, 14, 17
The respective functions of the WWW server processing unit 11, the license registration processing unit 13, the service update reception processing unit 15, the license registration determination unit 16, the license registration reception unit 19, and the update module transmission processing unit 18 are realized by software processing. It may be made possible.
Further, a program for realizing each of the above functions may be recorded on a hard disk on the Internet, and the program recorded on the hard disk may be downloaded to an Internet computer. In this case, the hard disk placed on the Internet corresponds to the recording medium on which the program is recorded.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in other forms. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is described in which the license management server MS is located on the Internet N, but the license management server MS is located on another type of network such as a LAN, and the license management server MS is also located on this LAN. The license management of the program product used in another server placed in the server may be performed.

Further, in FIG. 1 described above, the license management server MS is described as if it is realized by one computer, but the license management server MS is connected via a communication path such as a LAN, for example. It may be realized by a plurality of connected computers. Further, for example, a part related to license registration and a part related to service update may be distributed on the Internet N.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which only one IP address can be registered for one license ID. However, a plurality of predetermined IP addresses can be registered for one license ID. As an alternative, so-called group user license registration may be enabled. In the above-described embodiment, when registering a license, the IP address is transmitted to the license management server MS together with the license ID. However, since the IP address is automatically acquired by the license management server MS, the transmission of the IP address is performed. May be omitted.

In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a license management server for implementing a license management method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a license registration screen.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a service update screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 WWW server processing unit 12 License management database 13 License registration processing unit 14 Screen structure database 15 Service update reception processing unit 16 License registration judgment unit 17 Provided service database 18 Update module transmission processing unit 19 License registration reception unit LS Licensee server US Unauthorized User server MS License management server N Internet P Program product

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Kubouchi 2-9-13 Tateminami, Misato-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara F-term in the limited company L-Internet 5B049 DD05 EE23 FF09 GG04 GG07 5B076 BB06 FB06 FB20

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A license management method for a program product used in a licensee server to which an address uniquely determined on a network is assigned, the license registration including a license ID unique to the program product from the licensee server. A registration receiving step of receiving a request by a license management server placed on the network via the network; and transmitting the license management server issuing the license registration request to the license management server via the network. Acquiring by a process from the server side, and registering the license ID transmitted from the licensee server and the licensee server address in the license management database in association with each other. License management method according to claim Mukoto. 2. A license management method for a program product used in a licensee server provided with an address uniquely determined on a network, wherein the license management server is located on the network. Registering the license ID of the used program product with the address of the licensee server in association with the license management database; and requesting a service update for the program product from a server located on the network. Receiving the license ID of the program product by the license management server via the network; and updating the address of the server which has issued the service update request via the network. Acquiring by a process from the license management server; and determining whether the license ID and the acquired address received by the license management server together with the service update request are registered in the license management database in association with each other. The service update request is sent from the licensee server on the condition that the license ID and the obtained address received together with the service update request are registered in the license management database in association with each other. Distributing data corresponding to the service update request to the licensee server via the network, assuming that the license update has been issued. 3. A license management server placed on a network for managing a license of a program product used in a licensee server to which a uniquely determined address is assigned on the network, the license management server comprising: A registration receiving unit that receives a license registration request including a license ID unique to the program product via the network; and the address of the licensee server that has received the license registration request by the registration receiving unit.
The processing from the license management server side obtains the address acquisition means acquired through the network, the license ID transmitted from the licensee server, and the address of the licensee server acquired by the address acquisition means. A license registering means for registering the license in a license management database in association with the license management server. 4. A license management server placed on the network for managing a license of a program product used in a licensee server to which a uniquely determined address is assigned on the network, wherein the licensee server has License registration means for associating the license ID of the used program product with the address of the licensee server and registering the license ID in a license management database; and a service relating to the program product from a server placed on the network Service update receiving means for receiving an update request and a license ID of the program product via the network; and an address of a server which has issued the service update request, via the network. Address acquisition means acquired by processing from the service management server side, and a license ID accepted together with a service update request by the service update acceptance means and an address acquired by the address acquisition means are registered in the license management database in association with each other. Registration determining means for determining whether or not the license ID and the acquired address received by the service update receiving means are registered in the license management database in association with each other. On condition that it is determined, the service update request is regarded as being issued from the licensee server, and data corresponding to the service update request is transmitted to the licensee server via the network. A license management server comprising: service update data delivery means for delivering. 5. A program to be executed by a license management server as a computer placed on a network for license management of a program product used in a licensee server assigned an address uniquely determined on the network. A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer readable program, wherein a license registration request including a license ID unique to the program product is received from a licensee server via the network. A process of acquiring the address of the licensee server that has issued the request via the network by a process from the license management server side; and a process of acquiring the license I transmitted from the licensee server. When, in association with the address of the licensee server, a recording medium that the process of registering the license management database, recording a program to be executed by the license management server. 6. A program to be executed by a license management server as a computer placed on a network for managing a license of a program product used in a licensee server provided with a uniquely determined address on the network. A computer-readable recording medium recording a license ID of the program product used in the licensee server and an address of the licensee server, and registering the license ID in a license management database; A process of receiving, via the network, a service update request for the program product and a license ID of the program product from a server placed on the network, the server issuing the service update request; Of the address, the processing from the license management server,
A process of acquiring through the network, a process of determining whether or not the license ID and the acquired address received together with the service update request are registered in association with each other in the license management database; On the condition that the received license ID and the obtained address are registered in the license management database in association with each other, the service update request is considered to have been issued from the licensee server, and the A recording medium storing a program for causing the license management server to execute a process of distributing data corresponding to an update request to the licensee server via the network. 7. The program according to claim 7, further comprising the step of causing the license management server to perform a process of forming the license management database in a storage area of a storage medium accessible by the license management server. The recording medium according to claim 5.