System and method for autonomous software licensing during bootup process

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• populating and managing a plurality of copies of licenses for a software component by a license server, wherein the plurality of copies of licenses are maintained in a license database (DB);
• transmitting by an instance of the software component deployed to a physical computing device a request for a copy of license of the software component to a license server via a license client running in a pre-bootup environment of the instance of the software component at beginning of a boot up process before the instance of the software component is booted up and run on the physical computing device;
• checking the license DB to determine if there is a copy of license of the virtual appliance available when the request for the copy of license of the virtual appliance is received;
• assigning the copy of license of the virtual appliance to the instance of the virtual appliance requesting the copy of license if there is a copy of license of the virtual appliance available in the license DB;
• denying the request for a copy of license by the instance of the virtual appliance if it is determined that every copy of license of the virtual appliance is in use;
• continuing to boot up and run the instance of the software component on the physical computing device if the copy of license is assigned by the license server.