SOFTWARE LICENSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT FUNCTIONS IN A DISCONNECTED OR INTERMITTENTLY CONNECTED MODE

摘要

A software license management system for a computer network is disclosed that is capable of operating in a disconnected or intermittently connected mode. The system is capable of borrowing software licenses from computer nodes (100, 200, 300) in one of three modes. The three modes include a fault tolerance mode, a service licensing mode, and a normal online mode. When network instability occurs, an executive logic layer software module (740) consults a set of rules to determine whether to automatically initiate short term software license borrowing using the fault tolerance mode or using the service licensing mode. The automatic short term software license borrowing continues as long as needed and then the normal online mode of software license borrowing is resumed.