Licensing using a node locked virtual machine

Abstract

A method of licensing software to a particular instance of a virtual machine that is being run as part of an Active Directory domain. Since a virtual machine is a simulation of a physical machine, i.e. a computer, it can easily be cloned to produce an exact duplicate. This poses a problem when it is desired to license an instance of software for use only on a particular virtual machine. The technology disclosed allows for software to be licensed for execution only on a particular instance of a virtual machine that is being run as part of an Active Directory domain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of obtaining a license certificate for software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain to the VM, including:
 obtaining a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain; 
 obtaining a domain ID for said Active Directory domain; 
 sending to a license grant application the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and 
 receiving from the license grant application digitally signed license data that includes the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and 
 storing the digitally signed license data. 
 
     
     
         2 . A method of managing a license of software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain, including:
 receiving from a software application executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain, a request including a machine ID and a domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 incorporating into a response the machine ID and domain ID, or the unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 digitally signing the response; and 
 sending the response to the said software application. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method of managing a license of software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain, including;
 obtaining a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain; 
 obtaining a domain ID for said Active Directory domain; 
 generating a current unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 retrieving digitally signed stored data which includes a registered unique value; 
 verifying the digital signature on the stored data; and 
 verifying that the current unique value matches the registered unique value. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , in which the current unique value combines the machine ID and the domain ID. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , in which the current unique value is a hash of the machine ID and the domain ID. 
     
     
         6 . A computer system for obtaining a license certificate for software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain to the VM, including:
 a processor and a computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause the processor to: 
 obtain a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain; 
 obtain a domain ID for said Active Directory domain; 
 send to a license grant application the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and 
 receive from the license grant application digitally signed license data that includes the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and 
 store the digitally signed license data. 
 
     
     
         7 . A computer system for managing a license of software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain, including:
 a processor and a computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause the processor to: 
 receive from a software application executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain, a request including a machine ID and a domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 incorporate into a response the machine ID and domain ID, or the unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 digitally sign the response; and 
 send the response to the said software application. 
 
     
     
         8 . A computer system for managing a license of software executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a virtual machine, abbreviated VM, belonging to an Active Directory domain, including:
 a processor and a computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause the processor to: 
 obtain a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain; 
 obtain a domain ID for said Active Directory domain; 
 generate a current unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; 
 retrieve digitally signed stored data which includes a registered unique value; 
 verify the digital signature on the stored data; and 
 verify that the current unique value matches the registered unique value. 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 8 , in which the current unique value combines the machine ID and the domain ID. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 8 , in which the current unique value is a hash of the machine ID and the domain ID. 
     
     
         11 . A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 obtain a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain;   obtain a domain ID for said Active Directory domain;   send to a license grant application the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and   receive from the license grant application digitally signed license data that includes the machine ID and the domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID; and   store the digitally signed license data.   
     
     
         12 . A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 receive from a software application executing on an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain, a request including a machine ID and a domain ID or a unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID;   incorporate into a response the machine ID and domain ID, or the unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID;   digitally sign the response; and   send the response to the said software application.   
     
     
         13 . A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 obtain a machine ID from an instance of a Microsoft Windows® operating system executing on a VM and belonging to an Active Directory domain;   obtain a domain ID for said Active Directory domain;   generate a current unique value derived from the machine ID and the domain ID;   retrieve digitally signed stored data which includes a registered unique value;   verify the digital signature on the stored data; and   verify that the current unique value matches the registered unique value.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 13 , in which the current unique value combines the machine ID and the domain ID. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 13 , in which the current unique value is a hash of the machine ID and the domain ID.