Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Control technique
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-20
2003-12-09
Sparks, Donald (Department: 2187)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Storage accessing and control
Control technique
C707S793000, C707S793000, C711S111000, C711S154000, C713S001000, C713S002000, C713S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06662284
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer apparatus, method, and memory including a license key and more particularly to a license key including an indicator of licensed user capacity.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Certain known computer entities, e.g., headless computer entities, have fixed data storage disk configurations of a pre-determined data capacity. Customers cannot upgrade the disk configuration and increase the amount of application data held on such computer entities, once purchased. This helps to protect against customer mis-configuration of the computer entity, and also protects the manufacturer's pricing scheme where such computer entities are sold with price dependent on data storage capacity.
A known headless computer entity (also known as “headless appliances”) comprises a data-processor, memory, a plurality input/output ports or the like, and an operating system. Headless appliances are generally designed without user interfaces, and lack a keyboard, pointing device e.g. mouse or track ball, and the typical visual display monitor, although headless appliances often include a small display, e.g., an LCD, having a few lines of alpha-numeric characters. This has the advantages of (1) reducing the cost of ownership, since the cost of a user interface hardware need not be borne by the purchaser, and (2) inhibiting interference with the operation of the appliance.
Human administrators are conventionally allowed only very limited access to a headless computer entity for maintenance; however, in some cases no user maintenance is permitted.
Advances in hard disk drive technology have increased the available data capacity in hard disk drives to the extent that smaller capacity disk drives of 1 GByte, and below are becoming increasingly rare, whereas higher capacity hard disk drives of 10 GBytes and above have seen substantial price reductions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention relates to a memory for a computer, wherein the memory comprises a file system including a program storing an operating system for controlling operation of the computer. A license key resident outside the file system includes an indication of licensed user storage capacity of the computer. The license key is incapable of being changed during operation of the computer. The license key is also incapable of being changed as result of changes of the file system.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer comprising a processor, and a memory. The memory includes a file system and a license key including an indication of licensed user storage capacity of the computer. The processor is arranged to be coupled with the memory for (1) causing the file system to control operation of the processor and (2) preventing further operation of the processor in response to the licensed user storage capacity being exceeded or substantially exceeded. The processor and memory are arranged so the license key is incapable of being changed during operation of the computer. The processor and memory are also arranged so the license key is incapable of being changed as result of changes of the file system.
The license key is preferably encrypted and the computer is frequently a headless computer.
In a preferred embodiment, a display coupled with the processor and memory displays a message in response to the licensed user capacity being exceeded or substantially exceeded.
The computer and memory are preferably arranged so that during boot-up the processor is arranged for (1) comparing the actual and licensed capacity and (2) preventing further operation of the processor after boot-up in response to the comparison indicating the actual capacity exceeding or substantially exceeding the licensed capacity.
The computer and memory are also preferably arranged so that further operation of the processor is prevented in response to the actual capacity being substantially different from the licensed capacity.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of operating a computer including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory includes a file system and a license key including an indication of licensed user storage capacity of the computer. The method comprises causing the file system to control operation of the processor. Further operation of the processor is prevented in response to the licensed user storage capacity being exceeded or substantially exceeded. The license key is prevented from being changed during operation of the computer and/or as a result of changes of the computer file system.
An additional aspect of the invention relates to a method of operating a computer entity having an actual configuration, a licensed configuration, plural logical disks, and an applications program. The method comprises the steps of determining the actual configuration and storing license data describing the licensed configuration of the computer entity. A determination is made of (1) whether the determined actual configuration of the computer entity lies within the licensed configuration, within predetermined limits, and (2) the number of logical disks for which the application program stores application data by interrogating the applications program of the computer entity. The predetermined number of logical disks used by the applications program is compared with a licensed number of logical disks according to the licensed data. The applications program is reconfigured to use the same number of logical disks as the licensed number of logical disks in response to the comparison indicating the predetermined number of logical disks in the applications program exceeds or substantially exceeds the licensed number of logical disks according to the licensed data.
Preferably, the applications program is reconfigured to use the same number of logical disks as the licensed number of logical disks in response to the comparison indicating the predetermined number of logical disks in the application program differs from the licensed number of logical disks by more than a predetermined percentage.
An added aspect of the invention relates to a method of controlling a computer entity having at least one data processor, at least one storage device including disks for which licenses are required, and at least one applications program storing application data about the disks. The method comprises determining the configuration of the disks by checking the applications program and comparing the application disk configuration with a licensed configuration of the disks. The configuration settings of the applications program are changed to correspond with the licensed logical disk configuration of the computer entity in response to the applications program being configured to use a logical disk configuration which differs from the licensed logical disk configuration of the computer entity.
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Chace Christian P.
Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.C.
Sparks Donald
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