JP2004038652A - License server, client, and license management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a license server for efficiently operating and managing software, a client, and a license management system for software. <P>SOLUTION: In this system, when a failure occurs in a network 1, the number of licenses assignable to clients C1-C9 by license servers S1-S3 is changed, and the number of licenses assignable by the license servers S1-S3 is sorted to each license server S1-S3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a license server, a client, and a license management system for effectively utilizing a software license (right to use) when a plurality of license servers and client computers arranged on a network share software.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In a network environment such as a LAN (local area network), when a plurality of computers arranged on a network share software, the computer that uses the software is licensed after the software license (license) is granted. License management, such as the ability to use a license, was performed. For example, in a system in which a plurality of license servers and client computers are arranged on a network, a license server that has been granted the right to license software can request licenses from a plurality of clients using the software. Accordingly, the license is granted to the client within the range of the number of licenses that can be granted by the license server.
[0003]
In such software license management, if the license server on the network stops and the license cannot be given to the client, or if the network between the license server and the client is cut off, the license between the license server and the client is lost. If the communication of the request and the grant cannot be performed, the license cannot be granted to all or some of the clients arranged on the network, and the client uses the desired software. Was no longer possible.
[0004]
For example, if each of the multiple license servers on the network has multiple clients as the service area that can be licensed, a failure occurs and the license server can not grant licenses In this case, the license cannot be granted to all clients within the service range of the license server. On the other hand, other normal license servers can grant licenses to clients within their service range, but can grant licenses to clients within the service range of the failed license server. Even if there is room for the number of licenses, a license could not be granted because of the different service range.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in a conventional management system that manages software licenses in a system in which a large number of computers are connected via a network, if a failure occurs in a license server or a network to which a license is granted, the network is disconnected. A license cannot be given to some or all of the clients connected to the license server via the license server, and the client cannot use the software.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a license server, a client, and a license management system for efficiently operating and managing software.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first means for solving the problem is a license server disposed on a network and a license server used for a system for managing licenses of software shared by clients, the license server comprising: A license request counting unit that counts the number of clients that have given the license, a count value of the license request counting unit, and a license number monitoring unit that monitors the number of licenses given by the license server; and the network A communication failure detection unit that detects a communication failure of the license, and when the communication failure is detected, based on a monitoring result of the license number monitoring unit, the license is provided within a limited number of licenses that can be granted. License to server And the license number sorting unit for distributing the number, in the range of the number of licenses that the sorted, and having a licensing unit to grant the license to the client.
[0008]
The second means is a license server disposed on a network and a client used for a system for managing licenses of software shared by the client, the license storing a priority of the license server requesting a license of the software. A request priority storage unit, a license request unit that requests the license from the license server according to the priority, and a license that detects the license server that grants the license and receives the license from the detected license server And a server detection unit.
[0009]
The third means includes a license request counting unit, a count value of the license request counting unit, a license number monitoring unit that monitors the number of licenses, and a communication number detection unit that detects a communication failure based on a monitoring result of the license number monitoring unit. A license number allocation unit for allocating the number of licenses within the range of the number of licenses limited, and a license granting unit for granting the license to the client within the range of the number of allocated licenses. A license server, a license request priority storage unit that stores a priority of the license server that requests the license, a license request unit that requests a license from the license server according to the priority, the license that grants the license Detecting a Ba, and wherein from the license server it is detected that a plurality of clients with a license server detection unit for receiving the license are connected through a network to each other.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a license server in the system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the client shown in FIG.
[0012]
The management system of this embodiment is a system that dynamically divides and manages a license of software shared by a large number of computers arranged on the network 1. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion where three license servers S1 to S3 and nine clients C1 to C9 are arranged on the network 1 is extracted as an example, and a management system in the extracted network 1 will be described.
[0013]
The license servers S1 to S3 have a right to grant a software license to the clients C1 to C9, and also have a right to grant a license to themselves when the license servers S1 to S3 themselves use the software. are doing. When using the software, the clients C1 to C9 request the license of the software from the license servers S1 to S3, and can use the software after the license is granted from the license servers S1 to S3.
[0014]
Priorities are set for the clients C1 to C9 with respect to the license servers S1 to S3 that grant licenses. That is, in each of the clients C1 to C9, a priority order is set from which of the plurality of license servers S1 to S3 the license server S1 to S3 grants a license, and based on the set priority order. The license servers S1 to S3 are requested to grant licenses, and the license servers S1 to S3 capable of granting licenses are granted licenses as soon as they are found. The priorities of the license servers S1 to S3 that grant licenses to the clients C1 to C9 are set, for example, as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the clients C1 to C4 are set in order of priority (high order) license server 1 → license server 2 → license server 3 (low order), and clients C5 to C6 are assigned (high order) license server 2 The priorities are set in the order of → license server 1 → license server 3 (low order), and the clients C7 to C9 have the priority order of (high order) license server 3 → license server 2 → license server 1 (low order). Is set.
[0015]
In the setting of such priorities, if the total number of licenses that can be granted by the entire system (12 computers including 3 license servers S1 to S3 and 9 clients C1 to C9) is, for example, 10 The number of licenses that each of the license servers S1 to S3 can grant to the clients C1 to C9 depends on the number of computers in the entire system and the computers that request the licenses from the license servers S1 to S3 in the first priority order. The licenses are allocated according to the ratio of the number of license servers themselves to the number of clients, for example, as shown in FIG.
[0016]
In FIG. 5, four licenses are allocated to the license server 1 as licenses that can be granted, the license server 1 itself and the clients C1 to C4 are set as service ranges to which licenses are granted, and the license server 2 can be granted licenses. Three licenses are assigned as licenses, the license server 2 itself and the clients C5 to C6 are set as the service range to which the license is granted, and the license server 3 is assigned three licenses as the licenses that can be granted. The license server 3 itself and the clients C7 to C9 are set as service ranges to which licenses are granted.
[0017]
Next, the configuration of the servers S1 to S3 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0018]
2, the servers S1 to S3 each include a communication processing unit 20, a license request counting unit 21, a license number monitoring unit 22, a license number distribution unit 23, a license assignment unit 24, and a communication failure detection unit 25. .
[0019]
The communication processing unit 20 has a function of performing communication processing with other license servers S1 to S3 or clients C1 to C9 via the network 1. The license request counting unit 21 counts the number of clients C1 to C9 that have given licenses and the number of license servers S1 to S3 themselves. The license number monitoring unit 22 monitors the number counted by the license request counting unit 21 and the number of licenses assigned by the other license servers S1 to S3, and the number of licenses assigned to the license servers S1 to S3. (Shown in FIG. 5), and the limited number of licenses that can be granted in the entire system (10 in this embodiment).
[0020]
The license number distribution unit 23 determines the number of licenses monitored by the license number monitoring unit 22, the number of licenses allocated to the license servers S1 to S3, and the limited number of licenses that can be allocated in the entire system. When a failure occurs in the other license servers S1 to S3 or the network 1, it has a function of adjusting and changing the number of licenses to be provided within the limited number of licenses. The license granting unit 24 grants a license to the clients C1 to C9 requesting a license via the network 1.
[0021]
The communication failure detection unit 25 is in a state where the other license servers S1 to S3 are stopped and licenses cannot be granted, or a failure occurs on the network 1 between the license servers S1 to S3 or between the license servers S1 to S3 and the client. A state in which communication is disabled between C1 and C9 is detected, and the detection result is provided to the license number distribution unit 23.
[0022]
Next, the configuration of the clients C1 to C9 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0023]
3, the client includes a communication processing unit 30, a license request priority order storage unit 31, a license request unit 32, a license server detection unit 33, and an application software processing unit 34.
[0024]
The communication processing unit 30 has a function of performing communication processing with the license servers S1 to S3 via the network 1. The license request priority storage unit 31 stores the priorities of the license servers S1 to S3 requesting a license, as shown in FIG. 4 described above. The license request unit 32 requests the license servers S1 to S3 to grant a license in accordance with the priorities stored in the license request order storage unit 31. The application software processing unit 34 executes a desired process using the application software to which the license has been given.
[0025]
In such a configuration, for example, when the client C1 requests the grant of a license, the license is requested from the license request unit 32 to the network 1 according to the priority stored in the license request priority storage unit 31 of the client C1. Request through. The license server of the first priority in the client C1 is set to the license server S1 as shown in FIG. In the license server S1 that has received the license request from the client C1, the count value of the license request counting unit 21 has reached the number of licenses assigned to the license server S1 (four in this embodiment as shown in FIG. 5). If no license can be granted, the license is granted to the client C1 via the network 1. The license server S1 increments the count of the license request counting unit 21 by +1. The client C1 uses the license server detection unit 33 to detect that the license has been granted from the license server S1. As a result, the software to which the license has been assigned becomes available on the client C1.
[0026]
On the other hand, if the number of licenses assigned by the license server S1 has reached the already allocated four licenses and the license cannot be granted, the client C1 detects that the license has been granted from the license server 1 by the server detection unit 32. Since it is impossible, the license is requested to the license server 2 of the second priority, and if the license is not granted here, the license is requested to the license server 3 of the third priority. It should be noted that license requests and grants are also performed between the other license servers S1 to S3 and the clients C2 to C9 in accordance with the priority order as described above.
[0027]
As described above, the license servers S1 to S3 grant the licenses to the clients C1 to C9 within the limited range of the number of licenses in response to the license request, and communicate with the clients C1 to C9 capable of granting the license via the network 1. It monitors the managed clients C1 to C9 while constantly communicating with each other. In parallel with this, the license servers S1 to S3 communicate with the other license servers S1 to S3 via the network 1 at all times, and the license servers S1 to S3 are in the range of the license limit according to the license grant status of the entire system. To accommodate licenses.
[0028]
On the other hand, if communication between the license servers is interrupted due to a stoppage of the license server or a failure in the network 1, licenses cannot be exchanged among the license servers S1 to S3. Therefore, according to the license request status immediately before the communication is interrupted on both networks 1 across the cause of the failure and the status of the system immediately after the communication is interrupted, the number of licenses is sorted and the number of the license interrupted is determined. The license servers S1 to S3 independently manage the licenses on both sides so that the licenses can be continuously utilized.
[0029]
For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the license server S1 is stopped (shown by (1) in FIG. 6), or the license server S1 is disconnected from the network 1 (shown by (2) in FIG. 6). When the license server S1 becomes incapable of granting a license, the clients C1 to C4 are in the service range of the license server 2 according to the priority order of the license servers S1 to S3 from which the clients C1 to C4 request a license.
[0030]
As a result, for a total of 11 license servers S2 and S3 and clients C1 to C9 connected to the network, a total of 7 license servers S2 and clients C1 to C6 in the service range of the license server S2 and a license server S3 Considering the ratio of the license server S3 and the clients C7 to C9 in the service range of the total of three, the ratio of the number of licenses that can be granted in the license server S2 and the license server S3 is as shown in FIG. The licenses are distributed by the license number distribution unit 23 of each of the license servers S2 and S3 so as to satisfy 3).
[0031]
As a result of such distribution of licenses, the number of licenses that can be granted by the license server S2 increases from three to seven, and the clients C1 to C4 request the license server S2 to grant licenses and grant licenses from the license server S2. It will be possible for you to do it.
[0032]
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a failure occurs simultaneously at the location shown in FIG. 8 (3) and the location shown in FIG. 8 (4) on the network 1, and communication between the license servers S1 to S3 becomes impossible. In this case, the client C1 that can communicate with the license server S1 including the license server S1 via the network 1 is provided to a total of 12 license servers S1 to S3 and clients C1 to C9 connected to the network 1. To C4, five clients C5 to C8 capable of communicating with the license server S2 including the license server S2 via the network 1, and the license server S3 including the license server S3 via the network 1. Considering the ratio of two clients C9 that can communicate with the license server S1, The license number distribution units 23 of the license servers S1 to S3 distribute the licenses of the license servers S2 and S3 such that the ratio of the number of licenses that can be granted to the license servers S2 and S3 becomes (4: 5: 1) as shown in FIG. .
[0033]
Even if a failure occurs in the network 1 and communication between the license servers S1 to S3 becomes impossible due to such distribution of licenses, each of the clients C1 to C9 grants a license from the corresponding license server S1 to S3. You can get it.
[0034]
As described above, in the above embodiment, even if the license servers S1 to S3 are stopped or a failure occurs in the network 1, the number of licenses that can be granted in the entire system can be effectively used without wasting. Can be. This makes it possible to operate and manage software efficiently and stably for a long period of time.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a failure occurs in the network, the number of licenses that can be granted by the license server is changed, and the number of licenses that can be newly granted by the license server is changed by each license server. Since the number of licenses that can be granted in the entire system can be effectively utilized, software can be efficiently operated and managed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a license management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a license server.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a client.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a license request priority order of each client.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the number of licenses assigned in each license server.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a failure that has occurred in a network.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the number of licenses assigned in each license server.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating another example of a failure that has occurred in a network.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the number of licenses assigned in each license server.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Network S1-S3 License server C1-C9 Client

Claims (3)

A license server used for a license server arranged on a network and a system for managing licenses of software shared by clients,
A license request counting unit that counts the number of clients that have licensed the software,
A license value monitoring unit that monitors the count value of the license request counting unit, and the number of licenses provided by the license server;
A communication failure detection unit that detects a communication failure in the network,
When the communication failure is detected, based on the monitoring result of the license number monitoring unit, a license number distribution unit that distributes the number of licenses to the license server within a range of the limited number of licenses that can be granted. ,
A license granting unit that grants the license to the client within a range of the number of the sorted licenses. A client used for a system for managing licenses of software shared by a license server and a client arranged on a network,
A license request priority storage unit that stores a priority of the license server that requests the license of the software;
A license requesting unit for requesting the license from the license server according to the priority order;
A license server detecting unit for detecting the license server to which the license is to be granted and receiving the license from the detected license server. A license request counting unit, a count value of the license request counting unit, and a license number monitoring unit for monitoring the number of licenses, and when a communication failure is detected, the license limit number based on the monitoring result of the license number monitoring unit. A plurality of license servers having a license number allocating unit for allocating the number of the licenses, a license granting unit for allocating the license to the client within the range of the number of the allocated licenses,
A license request priority storage unit that stores a priority of the license server that requests the license, a license request unit that requests a license from the license server according to the priority, and the license server that grants the license is detected. A license server detecting unit for receiving the license from the detected license server; and a plurality of clients connected to each other via a network.

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