Software pay per use licensing system

An apparatus comprising:

• a) a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions;
• and
• b) an execution unit coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions to receive, store and process remotely observed/gathered state and usage license granted data for a plurality of remotely executed software applications from a plurality of remote licensee pay-per-use license management systems that locally grant pay-per-use licenses for the remotely executed software applications, including verification of timely periodic reporting from the remote licensee pay-per-use license management systems.

A storage medium having stored therein a first and a second plurality of instructions to be executed by a host processor, wherein when executed by the host processor, the first plurality of instructions locally grant pay-per-use licenses for a plurality of locally executed software applications, including data collection on amount of usage licenses locally granted, and the second plurality of instructions locally monitor operational states of the local pay-per-use license granting and data collection operations, including periodic reporting of locally observed/collected state and usage license granted data to a remote licensor pay-per-use license management system.

A storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions to be executed by a host processor, wherein when executed, the instructions receive, store and process remotely observed/gathered state and usage license granted data for a plurality of remotely executed software applications from a plurality of remote licensee pay-per-use license management systems that locally grants pay-per-use licenses for the remotely executed software applications, including verification of timely periodic reporting from the remote licensee pay-per-use license management systems.

In a system, a method of operation, comprising:

• (a) locally granting pay-per-use licenses for a plurality of software applications, including locally collecting data on amount of usage licenses granted;
• and
• (b) locally monitoring operational states of the local pay-per-use license granting and data collection operations, including periodic reporting of locally observed/gathered state and usage license granted data to a remote licensor pay-per-use license management system.

In a system, a method of operation, comprising:

• (a) receiving, storing and processing remotely observed/gathered state and usage license granted data for a plurality of remotely executed software applications from a plurality of remote co-resident licensee pay-per-use license management systems that locally grant pay-per-use licenses for the remotely executed software application;
• and
• (b) periodically verifying timely reporting by the remote licensee pay-per-use license management systems.