Resolving an unlicensed computer installation of a type of software

Abstract

A method and system for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company. The method and system: determines that the type of software is currently installed on a second computer of the company; determines that the company has an existing license permitting multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer; and based on the determination that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer, determines, and generates a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the type of software currently installed on the second computer.

1 . A computer implemented method for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, the method comprising the steps of:
 automatically determining, by electronically querying at least one computer file, that the type of software is currently installed on a second computer of the company;   automatically determining, by electronically querying the at least one computer file, that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer; and   based at least in part on the determination that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer, automatically determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of:
 automatically determining, by electronically querying the at least one computer file, that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company,   wherein the step of determining, and generating a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer is also based on the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises automatically determining that the type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises automatically determining that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time and has been used at a usage rate less than a predetermined usage rate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises automatically determining that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined percentage of failures of the company's software during a predetermined period of time and is not functionally redundant to any other installed software product of the company. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises automatically determining that the second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of the software in addition to software which is currently installed on the second computer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the license permits multiple copies of the type of software to be installed on a single computer with less than a predetermined processor power, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 automatically determining, by electronically querying the at least one computer file, that the second computer has less than the predetermined processing power.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising the step of:
 in response to the step of automatically generating the computer record, decommissioning the unlicensed software from the first computer and installing another copy of the software in the second computer.   
     
     
         9 . A computer program product for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage device and program code stored on a computer readable storage device, the program code comprising:
 program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of at least one computer file, that the type of software is currently installed on a second computer of the company;   program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of the at least one computer file, that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer; and   program instructions to, based at least in part on the determination that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer, automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , the program code further comprising:
 program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of the at least one computer file, that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company,   wherein the program instructions to determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer is also based on the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time and has been used at a usage rate less than a predetermined usage rate. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined percentage of failures of the company's software during a predetermined period of time and is not functionally redundant to any other installed software product of the company. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of the software in addition to software which is currently installed on the second computer. 
     
     
         15 . A computer system for resolving an unlicensed installation of a type of software in a first computer of a company, the computer system comprising: a processor, a computer readable memory, a computer readable storage device, and program instructions stored on the storage device for execution by the processor via the memory, the program instructions comprising:
 program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of at least one computer file, that the type of software is currently installed on a second computer of the company;   program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of the at least one computer file, that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer; and   program instructions to, based at least in part on the determination that the company has an existing license which permits multiple copies of the software to be installed on the second computer, automatically determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer.   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , the program code further comprising:
 program instructions to automatically determine, by electronic query of the at least one computer file, that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company,   wherein the program instructions to determine, and generate a computer record indicating, that a solution to the unlicensed installation of the type of software on the first computer is to decommission the unlicensed software from the first computer and install another copy of the software in the second computer under the existing license in addition to the software of the type which is currently installed on the second computer is also based on the step of automatically determining that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has been used by the company more than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined threshold level during a predetermined period of time and has been used at a usage rate less than a predetermined usage rate. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software has exhibited less than a predetermined percentage of failures of the company's software during a predetermined period of time and is not functionally redundant to any other installed software product of the company. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to automatically determine that the type of software is not to be decommissioned from all computers of the company comprises program instructions to automatically determine that the second computer has sufficient available processing power to satisfy specified processor requirements for another copy of the software in addition to software which is currently installed on the second computer.