Point-based license sharing

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor, a memory device coupled to the processor;
• and a computer readable storage device coupled to the processor, wherein the storage device contains program code executable by the processor via the memory device to implement a method for licensing computing resources to customers, said method comprising:
• receiving, by the processor, a resource request associated with a license file storing data relating to an existing license for obtaining computing resources from a license management system, wherein the resource request is a request to provision computing resources obtainable through the license to the customers associated with the license file, wherein the license file comprises an amount of available point-based currency that is exchangeable for the computing resources obtainable through the license, types of resources obtainable through the license, maximum amounts of the resources obtainable through the license, an expiration date describing how long the license file is valid for accessing the computing resources, and Internet Protocol (IP) and/or Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of computing systems and client devices capable of accessing the computing resources;
• validating, by the processor, the license file;
• verifying, by the processor, that the resource request follows a basic policy of the license file and the amount of available point-based currency of the license file is greater than or equal to an amount of point-based currency sufficient for exchanging the computing resources requested by the resource request;
• transforming, by the processor, the amount of available point-based currency into an amount of consumed point-based currency in exchange for each requested resource as a function of a transformation rule in the license file;
• provisioning, by the processor, the computing resources to the customers associated with the license file;
• updating, by the processor, the amount of available point-based currency in real-time as a function of said transforming;
• and
• automatically detecting, by the processor, (i) an increase in a number of virtual machines (VMs) authorized to access services of a cloud computing environment under the license and in response, obtaining, by the processor, access to additional hosts for the increased number of VMs connecting to the cloud provided services in exchange for converting, by the processor, an amount of available points authorized under the license to obtain the access to the additional hosts or (ii) a decrease in the number of VMs authorized to access the services of the cloud computing environment under the license and in response, de-provisioning, by the processor, one or more hosts in exchange for recouping a plurality of points in accordance with the transformation rule.

A computer program product comprising:

• one or more computer readable hardware storage devices having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code containing instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for licensing computing resources to customers, said method comprising:
• receiving, by the processor, a resource request associated with a license file storing data relating to an existing license for obtaining computing resources from a license management system, wherein the resource request is a request to provision computing resources obtainable through the license to the customers associated with the license file, wherein the license file comprises an amount of available point-based currency that is exchangeable for the computing resources obtainable through the license, types of resources obtainable through the license, maximum amounts of the resources obtainable through the license, an expiration date describing how long the license file is valid for accessing the computing resources, and Internet Protocol (IP) and/or Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of computing systems and client devices capable of accessing the computing resources;
• verifying, by the processor, that the resource request follows a basic policy of the license file and the amount of available point-based currency of the license file is greater than or equal to an amount of point-based currency sufficient for exchanging the computing resources requested by the resource request;
• transforming, by the processor, the amount of available point-based currency into an amount of consumed point-based currency in exchange for each requested resource as a function of a transformation rule in the license file;
• provisioning, by the processor, the computing resources to the customers associated with the license file;
• updating, by the processor, the amount of available point-based currency in real-time as a function of said transforming;
• and
• automatically detecting, by the processor, (i) an increase in a number of virtual machines (VMs) authorized to access services of a cloud computing environment under the license and in response, obtaining, by the processor, access to additional hosts for the increased number of VMs connecting to the cloud provided services in exchange for converting, by the processor, an amount of available points authorized under the license to obtain the access to the additional hosts or (ii) a decrease in the number of VMs authorized to access the services of the cloud computing environment under the license and in response, de-provisioning, by the processor, one or more hosts in exchange for recouping a plurality of points in accordance with the transformation rule.