Fail-safe licensing for software applications

A machine readable non-transitory medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, operatively enable a quorum detection module of an instance of a software program to:

• query a licensing queue corresponding to the software program for messages;
• determine a number of active instances of the software program based at least in part on a result that is received in response to the query;
• determine whether the instance of the software program is authorized based at least in part on the determined number of active instances;
• generate a unique instance identification tag in response to a determination that the instance of the software program is authorized;
• post a message to the licensing queue, in response to the determination that the instance of the software program is authorized, the message including an indication that the instance of the software program is active and an indication of the generated unique instance identification tag;
• and
• archive the message Posted to the licensing queue to determine billing for actual usage of the software program, wherein the licensing queue is associated with a vendor for the software program corresponding to the instance, and the vendor is enabled to observe and record usage of the software program by querying archived messages.

An apparatus comprising:

• a hardware storage device;
• an instance of a software program;
• a licensing queue corresponding to the software program and stored in the hardware storage device;
• and
• a quorum detection module coupled to the software program, the quorum detection module operatively enabled to:
• query a licensing queue for messages;
• determine a number of active instances of the software program based at least in part on a result of the query;
• determine whether the instance of the software program is authorized based at least in part on the determined number of active instances;
• generate a unique instance identification tag in response to a determination that the instance of the software program is authorized;
• post a message to the licensing queue, in response to the determination that the instance of the software program is authorized, the message including an indication that the instance of the software program is active and an indication of the generated unique instance identification tag;
• and
• archive the message posted to the licensing queue to determine billing for actual usage of the software program, wherein the licensing queue is associated with a vendor for the software program corresponding to the instance, and the vendor is enabled to observe and record usage of the software program by querying archived messages.