Inherited product activation for virtual machines
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsAaron J. Smith, Tyron M. Balascio, Ajay Bhave, Chih-pin Kao, Emeron Bahhuber, Mikael P. Horal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed in which inherited activation opens a secure communication path from the host operating system (OS) to the guest (virtual machine) OS. The license state of the software on the host is passed through this channel, and software installed in the guest uses this information to inform its own product activation process. The virtualized (guest) software may then activate without any outside communication when the license requirements for the host are met.
Claims20
A method for activating a software application in a virtualized computing environment, the method comprising:
- activating a first instance of the software application on a first virtual machine in the virtualized computing environment, wherein said activating comprises complying with a licensing mechanism for said software application;
- instantiating a secure communication channel between the first virtual machine and a second virtual machine;
- sending, to the second virtual machine via the secure communication channel, activation information in accordance with said licensing mechanism;
- and
- using said activation information to activate a second instance of said software application in the second virtual machine, the activation information usable to allow continued activation of the second instance during an activation period in accordance with the licensing mechanism.
A system for activating a software application in a virtualized computing environment, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory bearing processor-executable instructions that, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- activating a first instance of the software application on a first virtual machine in the virtualized computing environment, wherein said activating comprises complying with a licensing mechanism for said software application;
- instantiating a secure communication channel between the first virtual machine and a second virtual machine;
- sending, to the second virtual machine via the secure communication channel, activation information in accordance with said licensing mechanism;
- and
- using said activation information to activate a second instance of said software application in the second virtual machine, the activation information usable to allow continued activation of the second instance during an activation period in accordance with the licensing mechanism.
A computer readable storage medium excluding transitory signals, the medium storing thereon computer executable instructions for activating a software product in a virtualized computing environment, the medium comprising instructions for:
- activating a first instance of the software application on a first virtual machine in the virtualized computing environment, wherein said activating comprises complying with a licensing mechanism for said software application;
- instantiating a secure communication channel between the first virtual machine and a second virtual machine;
- sending, to the second virtual machine via the secure communication channel, activation information in accordance with said licensing mechanism;
- and
- using said activation information to activate a second instance of said software application in the second virtual machine, the activation information usable to allow continued activation of the second instance during an activation period in accordance with the licensing mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.