Methods and apparatus for managing asset entitlements

A computer system for decoupling an entitlement creation from an asset attachment, the computer system comprising:

• a user environment to provide access to an entitlement;
• an entitlement system environment coupled to the user environment to generate an entitlement entity and an association entity, the entitlement entity corresponding to the entitlement, the association entity corresponding to the entitlement entity;
• and
• a feature system environment coupled to the entitlement system environment, the feature system environment receiving an administrative request to associate the entitlement with an asset, the feature system environment communicating with the entitlement system environment to generate an asset entity corresponding to the asset to facilitate association of the asset entity with the entitlement entity.

An apparatus for decoupling an entitlement creation from an asset attachment, the apparatus comprising:

• user means for providing access to an entitlement;
• entitlement system means for generating an entitlement entity and an association entity, the entitlement entity corresponding to the entitlement, the association entity corresponding to the entitlement entity;
• and
• feature system means coupled to the entitlement system means, the feature system means receiving an administrative request to associate the entitlement with an asset, the feature system means communicating with the entitlement system means for generating an asset entity corresponding to the asset.

An article of manufacture for decoupling an entitlement creation from an asset attachment, the article comprising:

• a machine readable medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform operations including:
• upon a purchase of an entitlement, generating an entitlement entity corresponding to the purchased entitlement;
• generating an association entity corresponding to the entitlement entity;
• upon receiving an administrative request to associate the entitlement with an asset, generating an asset entity corresponding to the asset;
• and
• associating the asset entity with the entitlement. entity.