Field of Invention The invention relates to a system for enabling node-locked applications to operate in a central host, such as but not limited to a cloud computing environment.

Background

Many applications nowadays have some sort of licensing mechanism to control the distribution thereof. A licensing scheme often uses a 'node-locked' policy whereby a specific application can only be operated on a particular node, based on a unique node identifier such as a Media Access Control (MAC) address, to tie the application to the specified node. In cloud computing the node is in a virtual machine form and the creation and termination of the virtual machine is very dynamic. Due to this a virtual machine created in a cloud computing environment will not have a fixed MAC address. Thus it is currently impractical for an application with a node-locked licence to operate in the cloud computing environment; the conventional solution is to use different types of licence policy which require changes in the application code. An aim of the invention is to provide a system which allows an application with a node-locked licence to operate in the cloud computing environment.

Summary of Invention

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enabling a node-locked application to operate in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

a licence key generator for generating a licence key for the node-locked application;

a virtual machine image which can be activated to provide an environment in which the node-locked application can run;

a licence deployer for deploying the licence key in the virtual machine image; characterised in that the licence key is generated based on information including the MAC address of the virtual machine image, prior to selective activation of the virtual machine image.

Advantageously, as the licence is generated based on a MAC address, the application can be licensed to a specific machine, and the licence is not limited to a specific number of users (as a floating licence would be, wherein the total number of licences may be monitored but there is no restriction on which machine is licensed).

In one embodiment the licence key generator is hosted by the cloud service provider. In a further embodiment the licence key generator is hosted by an independent software vendor. Typically the cloud service provider and the independent software vendor agree on an interface and communication protocol for communications therebetween.

In one embodiment the cloud computing environment comprises a cloud controller for providing an interface to the user, an image store for storing virtual machine images, a node controller for managing the physical node where the virtual machine is activated, and a cluster controller for managing a cluster of node controllers.

Typically the node controller assigns a MAC address to a virtual machine.

In one embodiment the software vendor prepares the node-locked application as a virtual machine image. Typically the software vendor uploads the virtual machine image to the image store.

In one embodiment the software vendor registers the parameters required to generate the licence key, and/or the host information for the licence key generator, in a licence catalog. Typically the parameters include details of applications to which the user subscribes, CPU architecture, operating system, and/or the like.

In one embodiment the user provides subscription information to the cloud controller, such as number of licences and the timeframe of the subscription. Typically the cloud controller updates a licence catalog with the information provided.

In one embodiment the licence key is generated based on information including information from the licence catalog. Typically the information in the licence catalog is used to determine the validity of the user's subscription.

In one embodiment the virtual machine image is only activated if the user's subscription is valid.

In one embodiment the licence deployer obtains the MAC address of the virtual machine and/or obtains information from the licence catalog. Typically the licence deployer provides the MAC address and information to the licence key generator.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for enabling a node- locked application in a cloud computing environment, comprising the steps of:

creating a virtual machine image which can be activated to provide an environment in which the node-locked application can run;

generating a licence key for the node-locked application;

deploying the licence key in the virtual machine image;

selectively activating the virtual machine image; characterised in that the licence key is generated based on information including the MAC address of the virtual machine image, prior to activation of the virtual machine image.

In one embodiment the MAC address is assigned to a virtual machine by a node controller.

In one embodiment the information is stored in a licence catalog, and is used to determine the validity of the user's subscription.

In one embodiment the virtual machine image is not activated if the user's subscription is not valid.

Brief Description of Drawings

It will be convenient to further describe the present invention with respect to the accompanying drawings that illustrate possible arrangements of the invention.. Other arrangements of the invention are possible, and consequently the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the steps required to register a node-locked application in a cloud computing environment according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is a schematic view of the steps involved in launching the node-locked application of Figure 1 in a cloud computing environment according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

A cloud computing environment comprises a cloud controller (CLC) that provides an interface to the user, an image store that stores the virtual machine (VM) images, a node controller (NC) that manages the physical node where the VM is activated, and a cluster controller that manages a cluster of NCs.

With reference to Figure 1, the steps are shown for registering an application in a cloud computing environment.

The initial step is for a software vendor to prepare 100 the node-locked application as a VM image. The vendor then uploads 102 the VM image to the image store and registers 104 the parameters required to generate a licence key, and the host information for a licence key generator (L G), in a licence catalog (LC).

If a user wishes to subscribe to the application, they have to provide subscription information such as number of licences and the timeframe of the subscription through the CLC, which updates the LC with the information provided. With reference to Figure 2, the steps are shown for launching the application in a cloud computing environment. The CLC refers 200 to the LC to check 202 the validity of the subscription of the user for the chosen application. The LC keeps track of information relating to a particular licensed application such as CPU architecture of the application (e.g. 32 or 64 bit), operating system, applications to which the user subscribes, and/or LKG information such as hostname.

This information held in the LC is used to determine the validity of the user's subscription and to generate the license key. If the subscription is not valid the user is informed 214 accordingly. If the subscription is valid, the cluster controller forwards 204 the request to an NC.

Prior to launching a VM, the LD gets the MAC address of the VM together with relevant information from the LC and sends 206 the details to the LKG to generate the license key.

The LKG generates the key and sends 208 it back to the LD, whereupon the LD deploys 210 the licence key inside the VM image. The NC then activates 212 the VM image unless the user's subscription is invalid. Thus the node-locked application is able to operate in a cloud computing environment. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention may also include further additional modifications made to the device which does not affect the overall functioning of the device.