Software discovery based on metadata analysis

A computer system for discovering a software product in a corporate data processing system having a metadata repository using a licensing server, comprising:

• one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising:
• connecting the licensing server to a knowledge database, wherein the licensing server controls number of licenses for at least one software product, and wherein the knowledge database comprising the at least one software product indicating identifier that is adapted to identify a software product;
• selecting, by the licensing server, from the knowledge database, one of the at least one software product indicating identifiers;
• connecting the licensing server computer to the metadata repository of the corporate data processing system, wherein the metadata repository holds information about data that is processed in all of the processes being executed in the corporate data processing system;
• monitoring changes in the metadata repository;
• analyzing, by the licensing server, the metadata repository for an occurrence of the software product indicating identifier in the corporate data processing system, wherein the analyzing comprises searching in the metadata repository of the corporate data processing system for the occurrence of the software product indicating identifier;
• and
• writing, by the licensing server, a result of the analyzing to a list of discovered software products.

A computer program product for discovering a software product in a corporate data processing system having a metadata repository using a licensing server, the computer program comprising:

• one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage media, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
• connecting the licensing server to a knowledge database, wherein the licensing server controls number of licenses for at least one software product, and wherein the knowledge database comprising the at least one software product indicating identifier that is adapted to identify a software product;
• selecting, by the licensing server, from the knowledge database, one of the at least one software product indicating identifiers;
• connecting the licensing server to the metadata repository of the corporate data processing system, wherein the metadata repository holds information about data that is processed in all of the processes being executed in the corporate data processing system;
• monitoring changes in the metadata repository;
• analyzing, by the licensing server, the metadata repository for an occurrence of the software product indicating identifier in the corporate data processing system, wherein the analyzing comprises searching in the metadata repository of the corporate data processing system for the occurrence of the software product indicating identifier;
• and
• writing, by the licensing server, a result of the analyzing to a list of discovered software products.