JPH10111797A - Network license management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively use a software program with a license condition in accordance with the license condition. SOLUTION: Plural users or client machines are divided into the groups of a project unit and project information showing the belonging of the project unit are previously stored in a project information storage device 7. When a license is requested from a license software means 2 realized by mounting the software program with license condition, a project verification means 6 refers to project information of a project information storage device 7 and verifies that the user or the client machine belongs to the specified project. Thus, license distribution is managed in the project unit in accordance with project information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a network license management system for managing a license of a software program with license conditions installed on a computer on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an environment where computers are commonly connected to a network and resources are shared, a software program with license conditions (hereinafter referred to as a license program) is effectively used and managed according to license conditions. It is necessary.

Conventionally, in response to these demands,
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2-14321 and 5-3
No. 46851 has proposed a software license management system or device. FIG.
1 and FIG. 12 are a schematic block diagram of the system, a block diagram showing the operation thereof, and a flow chart of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-14321.
FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are a schematic configuration of the system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-346851, a block diagram showing the operation thereof,
It is a flowchart.

[0004] First, a description will be given by taking JP-A-2-14321 as an example.

[0005] Referring to FIG. 11, the system includes a license matching unit 4 mounted on a server machine 10.
A license storage device 5. Further, the license software means 2 realized by mounting the license program on the client machine 11 has a license request means 3 for making a use request of the license program.

The license checking means 4 controls the license use of the license software means 2 of each client machine 11 in accordance with the use conditions registered in the license storage device 5. The storage content of the license storage device 5 is composed of information such as the number of licenses that can be used simultaneously by each license software means 2 and the license use restriction of a specific user or machine.

The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the user 1 makes an execution request for the license software means 2. The license software means 2 activates the license request means 3 and makes a license request to the license matching means 4. The information transmitted at this time includes information on the user who made the execution request and the machine. Upon receiving this information, the license checking unit 4 searches the license storage device 5.
Therefore, the available information on the available license of the license program and the execution permission of the user or the machine are checked.

If there is an available free license and execution by that user and machine is not prohibited,
The license requesting means 3 in the requesting license software means 2 receives the execution permission from the server machine 10 to acquire the license, and the license software means 2 is activated. At this time, the license storage device 5 describes the user and the machine that have acquired the license, and reduces the number of available licenses by the number of uses. If all the licenses are in use, or if the user or the machine is not permitted, the license requesting means 3 in the requesting license software means 2 can acquire the license. And the program is not started.

Next, a description will be given by taking JP-A-5-346851 as an example. Referring to FIG. 13, the system includes a license matching unit 4 and a priority adjusting unit 8 mounted on a server machine 10, a license storage device 5, and a priority storage device 9. Further, the license software means 2 on the client machine 11 has a license request means 3 for making a use request of the license program.

The license checking means 4 controls the license use of the license software means 2 on each client machine 11 in accordance with the use conditions registered in the license storage device 5. The storage contents of the license storage device 5 are composed of information such as the number of licenses that can be used simultaneously by the license software means 2 and the license use restriction of a specific user or machine, as in the example of JP-A-2-14321. You.

The priority adjusting means 8 searches the priority storage device 9 and checks the priority of the requesting user 1 set at the time of user registration with the system. Investigate the priority of the user group, select the one with the lowest priority, compare this with the priority of the requesting user 1,
Make adjustments according to priority. The priority storage device 9 stores the license program use priority of each user.

The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the user 1 makes an execution request for the license software means 2. The license software means 2 activates the license request means 3 and makes a license request to the license matching means 4. The information transmitted at this time includes information on the user who made the execution request and the machine. Upon receiving this information, the license checking unit 4 searches the license storage device 5.
Therefore, the available information on the available license of the license program and the execution permission of the user or the machine are checked.

If there is an available free license and execution by that user and machine is not prohibited,
The license requesting means 3 in the requesting license software means 2 receives the execution permission from the server machine 10 to acquire the license, and the license software means 2 is activated. At this time, the user and the machine that have acquired the license are described in the license storage device 5 and the number of available licenses is reduced by the number of uses. At the same time, it searches the priority storage device 9 via the priority adjusting means 8, obtains priority information of the user who has obtained the license, and records and retains all users currently in use and their priorities.

When the use of the user or the machine is permitted but all the licenses are in use, the priority adjusting unit 8 searches the priority storage device 9 and determines the request source set at the time of user registration with the system. Investigate the priority of user 1. Next, the priority of the user group of the running license software means 2 is checked, the one with the lowest priority is selected, and the priority of the requesting user 1 is compared with this. At this time, if the priority of the user 1 who has made the execution request is high, the license of the low-priority user of the license software means 2 being executed is released, and the requesting user 1 newly assigns a license. To win. As a result, the user 1 can use the license software means 2 and is executed.
On the other hand, if the priority of the requesting user 1 is low,
No license is obtained, licensed software means 2
Is not executed.

If the use of the user or the machine is not permitted, the license requesting means 3 of the requesting license software means 2 cannot acquire the license, and the program is not started.

The two prior art management systems described above are as shown in FIG. 15, and the server machine 10 manages each client machine 11 individually.

[0017]

In these conventional license management systems, the use permission of the license program must be given equally to all users (all machines) or individually for each user or machine. Settings for multiple machines (hereinafter referred to as project machines) used for
There is a problem that license distribution management cannot be performed on a project basis in consideration of the necessity of a license program, and licenses cannot be effectively used.

The reason is that the server machine that manages the use rights of the license program manages all the client machines that use the license program equally, and recognizes a plurality of machines as one group (project machine). Because there is no means for distinction, it is impossible to set conditions (the number of licenses issued to the project and the right to preferentially use the licensed program) as criteria for license issuance.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to effectively use a software program with a license condition according to a license condition.

[0020]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for managing a license on a network when a license software means realized by implementing a software program with a license condition on a client machine as a user computer on the network requests a license. In a network license management system in which a server machine serving as a use computer distributes licenses under management corresponding to the license conditions, a plurality of users or the client machines are divided into project-based groups, and project information indicating the affiliation of these project units is stored. The license distribution is stored in advance in a storage device and managed in accordance with the project information.

[0021] Further, there is provided a project authentication means for authenticating that the user or the client machine belongs to the project by referring to the project information when a license is requested from the license software means.

Further, when the project is authenticated by the project authentication means and there is a free license for each project, the license is distributed.

[0023]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 1 of the network license management system of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the network license management system according to the present embodiment includes a license verification unit 4 and a project authentication unit 6 mounted on a server machine 10.
And a license storage device 5 and a project information storage device 7. Further, the license software means 2 realized by mounting the license program on the client machine 11 has a license request means 3 for making a use request of the license program.

The license checking means 4 controls the license use of the license software means 2 of each client machine 11 so as to comply with the use conditions registered in the license storage device 5. The storage content of the license storage device 5 is composed of information such as the number of licenses that can be used simultaneously by each license software means 2 and the license use restriction of a specific user or machine.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of the license storage device 5. License program name 21;
A project name 22 for which the use of the license program is permitted, a maximum number 23 of simultaneous execution use permitted for the project, a number 24 of users currently executing the license program, and a number 25 of unused licenses are shown.
Here, the maximum number of simultaneous users per project is 23
Is set at the time of system registration of the license software means 2 and registration of the project.

When a license is requested from the license software means 2, the project authentication means 6 refers to the project information stored in the project information storage device 7 and authenticates that the user or the client machine belongs to a specific project. . FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the project information storage device 7. A project name 31 and a plurality of machine information (machine names) 32 belonging to the project are shown.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network license management system according to this embodiment. This will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, when the user 1 issues an activation request to the license software means 2 on the client machine 11, the license software means 2 activates the license request means 3 incorporated therein. Then, a license request is made to the server machine 10. License collation means 4 on server machine 10
Searches the license storage device 5 and searches for a project for which use permission is registered for the license program for which the activation request has been received. Next, the project information storage device 7 is searched through the project authentication means 6,
It is confirmed whether or not the user 1 who has issued the activation request belongs to the previously searched project, and whether or not the requesting user 1 is qualified for use is examined.

If the requesting user 1 does not belong to any of the previously searched projects, the execution of the license software means 2 is not permitted because the user 1 is not qualified. On the other hand, when the license is used, the license checking unit 4 again uses the value of the empty license number 25 obtained from the difference between the maximum concurrently executing user number 23 of the project to which the execution request user 1 belongs and the currently executing user number 24. Investigate whether there is a free license available for the project. If there is no free license, the license software means 2 is not executed. On the other hand, if there is a free license, the license software means 2 is executed, and the license collation means 4 performs acquisition and release of the execution right by the user 1 who newly executes the license program and the user of each running license program. Accompanied by,
The number of active users 24 and the number of empty licenses 25 for each project stored in the license storage device 5 in FIG. 2 are updated.

In the present embodiment, the right to use the license program is set for each user. However, the user may be considered to set the right for each machine.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the network license management system of the present invention. Next, a network license management system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The network license management system according to the present embodiment is the same as the network license management system according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, except that the license verification unit 4 and the project authentication unit 6 mounted on the server machine 10, the license storage device 5, and the project information And a priority adjusting unit 8 and a priority storage device 9 mounted on the server machine 10, and correspond to an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the conventional network license management system of FIG. . Each block of the present embodiment is the same as each block in FIG. 1 or FIG. 13, and redundant description will be omitted.

Next, the operation of the network license management system according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the data structure of the license storage device 5. Each license program name 61 and project name 62 (in parentheses,
License program use priority given to the project), the maximum number of concurrently executing users 63, the number of active users 64, and the number of empty licenses 65. The maximum number 63 of concurrently executing users of each license program is set when the license software unit 2 registers the system. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the data structure of the project information storage device, and shows a project name 71, a user belonging to the project or a machine name 72. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the data structure of the priority storage device 9, in which the license program name 81 being executed, the user 82 being executed,
Priority 83 (the name in parentheses is the project name).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network license management system according to this embodiment. This will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, when the user 1 requests the activation of the license software means 2, the license software means 2 activates the license request means 3 and requests a license. License collation means 4
Searches the license storage device 5 for a project whose use permission is registered in the license program that has received the activation request. Next, the project information storage device 7 is searched through the project authentication means 6, and it is confirmed whether the user 1 who has issued the activation request belongs to the previously searched project, and is used by the requesting user 1 Investigate eligibility.

If the requesting user 1 does not belong to any of the previously searched projects, the execution of the license software means 2 is not permitted because the user 1 is not qualified. On the other hand, if the license qualification is found, the license collating unit 4 can use the license program again according to the value of the empty license number 65 obtained from the difference between the maximum number 63 of concurrently executing users of the corresponding license program and the number 64 of users executing the license program. Investigate whether there is a free license. If the license is not obtained, the license collating unit 4 and the project authentication unit 6 shown in FIG. 5 search the license storage device 5 and the project information storage device 7, and the project to which the requesting user 1 belongs belongs to the corresponding license software unit 2. Investigate the priority you have for The priority here is a priority in using the license program, and is determined in advance for each project based on the operation of the present system, and is set in the priority storage device 9 when the project is registered. Shall be.

Next, the priority adjusting means 8
The user searches the priority storage device 9 having the structure shown in FIG.
The second project name and priority 83 are checked, and the lowest priority is selected and compared with the priority of the project to which the requesting user 1 belongs. User 1 who requested execution
If the priority of the project to which this belongs belongs is high, the license of the user 82 belonging to the project with the low priority 83 of the running license software means 2 is collected,
A new license is issued to the requesting user 1. Thereby, the user 1 starts the execution of the license software means 2. Conversely, when the priority of the project to which the requesting user 1 belongs to the license software means 2 is low, the server machine does not issue a license to the client machine, and the license software means 2 is not executed.

The license checking means 4 and the priority adjusting means are provided for the user 1 who newly executes the license program and the user 82 for each license program being executed.
With the acquisition and release of the execution right, the number of running users 64 and the number of empty licenses 65 of each license program stored in the license storage device 5 in FIG. 6 and the execution of the priority storage device 9 in FIG. The number of medium users 82, the project name or the priority 83 are updated.

As shown in FIG. 10, the network license management system of each of the above-described embodiments sets use rights and use priorities on a project basis with respect to use of a license program, so that only a user or a machine can be used. Instead of license program use permission management, license program use permission management can be performed collectively for each project group.

[0038]

As described above, the network license management system according to the present invention can distribute a license of a software program with a license condition to a project unit within a range of a license condition as needed. There is an effect that can be effectively utilized.

The reason is that there is provided a project authentication means for referring to the project information when a license is requested from the license software means and authenticating that the user or the client machine belongs to a specific project.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a network license management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a license storage device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data structure of a project information storage device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the network license management system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the network license management system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a license storage device in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data structure of a project information storage device in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data structure of a priority storage device in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network license management system of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a machine configuration example of a network license management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration example 1 of a conventional network license management system.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the conventional network license management system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration example 2 of a conventional network license management system.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the conventional network license management system of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a machine configuration example of a conventional license management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 User 2 License program 3 License request means 4 License collation means 5 License storage device 6 Project authentication device 7 Project information storage device 8 Priority adjustment device 9 Priority storage device 10 Server machine 11 Client machine 21 License program name 22 License program use permission project Name 23 Maximum number of simultaneous users per project 24 Number of users running per project 25 Free licenses per project 31 Project name 32 Machine name belonging to project 61 Licensed program name 62 Licensed program usage permitted project name 63 Simultaneous execution of licensed programs Maximum number of users 64 Number of users running the license program 65 License program Free license number 71 project name 72 projects belong to the machine name 81 execution license program name 82 execution in the user name 83 running affiliation project and the priority of the user's arm

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. When a license software means realized by implementing a software program with a license condition on a client machine which is a user computer on a network requests a license, the server machine which is a license management computer on the network requests the license condition. In a network license management system that distributes licenses according to the management corresponding to the above, a plurality of users or the client machines are divided into groups in project units, and project information indicating the affiliation of these project units is stored in a storage device in advance and stored in the project information. A network license management system for managing the license distribution in response. 2. The network license according to claim 1, further comprising a project authentication unit for referring to the project information when a license is requested from the license software unit and authenticating that the user or the client machine belongs to the project. Management system. 3. The network license management system according to claim 1, wherein the license distribution is performed when the project is authenticated by the project authentication unit and there is an available license for each project.