JP2000047870A - Network installation system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a network installation system suitable for a wide area network system in which a plurality of LANs are connected via a communication network while maintaining reliable license management of software products. SOLUTION: In the entire WAN, a remote server computer 7 is connected to a host LAN 1 connected to a host server computer 4 to which only one license key of a software product is assigned and a remote LAN 2 connected via a line network 3. Remote server computer 7
The license server 15 of the license management server 13
The software product is inquired as to whether or not the license can be transferred, and if permitted, the software product stored in advance is installed in the client computers 8 and 9 which issued the installation request.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network installation system, and particularly to a software product managed by a license key, the software product of which is permitted to be used by a request from a server computer or a client computer, to a client computer. Related to the improvement of the installation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a contract between a supplier of a software product and a party using the software product permits the use of the software product, the software product is licensed each time a license agreement for the use of the software product is made. If they were supplied, the procedures would be complicated, and prompt response would not be possible. Therefore, conventionally, all software products that may be used in the delivered system are stored in the delivery system in advance, and only software products that are permitted to be used by contract are set to be usable at the time of delivery. The method of keeping is adopted. If the same software product is to be used by a plurality of users on the side that uses the software product (customer system), the number of client computers (the number of licenses) to be used must be set in advance by both contracts. There is.

When a plurality of users use a software product permitted to be used in a customer system,
Instead of receiving the software products individually from the side that supplies the software products, the customer system side downloads (copies) and uses the required number of the software products. Therefore, there is a risk of illegal copying, and how to prevent such illegal copying has become an important issue.

A protection system for protecting such illegal copy is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-104325.
No. 6,086,045. In this conventional example, a license ID having information on the client product, the number of licenses, and the license period corresponding to the machine ID previously assigned to the machine of the server serving as the license server of the client product is issued to the customer. By inputting a license ID to the server, client products can be downloaded to each client computer by the number of licenses. In this way, the number of software products permitted to be used by the customer system can be installed in each client computer.

[0005]

However, in the prior art, the license management of the software product managed by one license key is performed by only one license server as described above. In the case of a wide area network system in which a plurality of local area networks (LANs) are connected via a communication network, efficient installation has not always been possible in terms of cost and time. In other words, the license server needs to download software products via a communication network to client computers on a LAN scattered throughout the wide area network, and thus has a problem in line cost and line quality.

Further, when the client computer is constructed by a network computer having no disk, the license server must download the OS via the communication network every time the network computer is started, so that the line cost and the system startup are completed. There is a problem that it takes a long time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wide area network in which a plurality of LANs are connected via a communication network while maintaining reliable license management of software products. It is to provide a network installation system suitable for a network system.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, a network installation system according to the present invention is formed by connecting a local area network to which a client computer is connected via a communication network. In the entire wide area network, a host server computer provided with only one license key for granting installation permission to a plurality of client computers to prevent unauthorized copying of one software product, and a remote local area different from the host server computer A software product connected to a network and authorized to be used by the host server computer, using the software product prepared in advance on the remote local area network side. And it has a means for performing the installation to the client computers connected to the remote local area network.

Further, the host server computer comprises:
Determining whether or not a license transfer request from the remote local area network side is possible based on the information on the license key and the number of licenses permitted to be transferred in the entire wide area network of the software product;
Means for responding to the result, wherein the remote local area network side inquires of the client server connected to the same local area network whether or not installation is possible by sending a license transfer request to the host server computer. And means for installing, on the client computer, a software product permitted to be used by the host server computer as a result of the inquiry.

The remote local area network further includes means for uninstalling the software product installed on the client computer connected to the same remote local area network from the client computer; Means for sending a request to delete license information relating to a product to the host server computer.

Further, when the client computer to be installed is a network computer having no external storage device and the software product to be installed on the client computer is a download operating system, the remote local area network side includes the remote local area network. A means is provided for downloading a download operating system prepared in advance on the local area network side to the client computer when permitted by the host server computer.

[0012]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a network installation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The network installation system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of LANs 1 and 2.
Is connected to a wide area network (WAN) which is formed by connecting the network via a network 3 as a communication network. A host server computer 4 and two client computers 5 and 6 are connected to the LAN 1. Note that the LAN 1 to which the host server computer 4 is connected is called a host LAN for convenience. On the other hand, a remote server computer 7 and two client computers 8 and 9 are connected to the LAN 2. For convenience, a LAN 2 to which a remote server computer 7 communicably connected to a host LAN 1 via a network 3 is connected is referred to as a remote LAN.
I will call it. FIG. 1 shows an example in which two client computers 5, 6 and 8, 9 are connected to each of the LANs 1 and 2, however, the number is not limited.
Further, the number of connections of the remote LAN 2 is not limited.

The host server computer 4 has a WAN
As a whole, only one license key is given to give permission for installation to a plurality of client computers to prevent unauthorized copying of one software product. This software product is CD-RO
M, etc., and are stored inside the host server computer 4. The use license 11 includes a system ID, which is an identification symbol unique to each system, a product ID, which indicates the type of a software product to be managed, a version symbol, which indicates a version name of the software product, and a contract with the system. In this example, the installation conditions including the number of client computers (the number of licenses) indicating the number of client computers that are permitted to be used are encrypted for each product ID as a symbol string. This symbol string is used as a license key by encrypting it based on a certain rule, is input from the terminal device 12 of the host server computer 4, is decoded on the host server computer 4, and determines whether or not the software product can be installed. Become a reference. Since the system ID is a unique identification number for specifying the network installation system, it can be basically set to any computer. In the present embodiment, the system ID of the host server computer 4 is set in order to perform the license management of the software product of the entire WAN based on the license key in the host server computer 4. The product ID is a product ID of a software product stored on the medium 10. The license management server 13 is a program that operates on the host server computer 4 and, when executed, constitutes a means for managing a license of the software product in the entire WAN based on the license key. Also,
It exchanges information about the license, such as a license transfer request, with the remote server computer 7.

On the other hand, the same software product as the host server computer 4 is provided to the remote server computer 7 by a medium 14 such as a CD-ROM, and is stored inside the remote server computer 7. The license to use the software product is W
Only one is provided throughout the AN, which is supplied to the host server computer 4 and therefore not supplied to the remote server computer 7. License server 15
Is an application that operates on the remote server computer 7 and is executed by the same remote L
Client computer 8 connected to AN2,
Inquires whether the software product can be installed in the software 9 and when the use is permitted as a result of the inquiry, the software product is installed.

The feature of this embodiment is that a software product is prepared on the remote LAN 2 side, and a means is provided for inquiring of the host server computer 4 that manages the license whether the installation is possible. Thus, the installation can be performed without the intermediary of the network 3 while maintaining the license management for the entire WAN only by managing the license key of one software product, so that the line cost required for the installation can be reduced. it can.

Next, an installation process according to this embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. Here, a case will be described as an example where a software product subject to license management is installed in the client computer 8 of the remote LAN 2.

When the license server 15 receives a software product installation request from the client computer 8 (step 101), the license server 15 sends a license transfer request to the host server computer 4 to inquire whether the software product can be installed (step 102). The license transfer request includes information on the software product requested to be installed (Product I
D, version symbol), information about the requesting client computer 8 (system ID, OS used, etc.), information about the requesting remote server computer 7, and the like.

In the host server computer 4, when the license management server 13 receives the license transfer request sent from the remote server computer 7 via the line network 3, the license management server 13 checks whether the license can be transferred by referring to the license table (step). 10
3). In the license table, license 1
1, information including the system ID, the product ID, the version symbol, and the number of authorized users, the number of licenses that have been transferred in the entire WAN, and information on the installation destination (client computer, date information, etc.). The license management server 13 determines that transfer is possible when the number of licenses transferred in the license table has not reached the number of permitted licenses and there is still room, and determines that transfer is not possible when the number has been reached. When there is room, the license management server 13 updates the license table by incrementing the number of licenses transferred and setting information on the installation destination. And
Remote server computer 7 indicating that the license can be transferred
(Step 104).

On the other hand, if the number of licenses transferred has reached the number of licenses that have been used, it is determined that there is no available license for the software product, and the license management server 13
Responds to the remote server computer 7 that the license cannot be transferred (step 107).

In the remote server computer 7,
When receiving a response to the inquiry from the host server computer 4, the license server 15 installs a software product on the client computer 8 if the content is a license transferable (step 105). At this time, the license server 15
4 will be installed, and the software product will not be transferred via the network 3. A software product that requires a license cannot be used unless a license key is provided, but can be purchased without a license. Therefore,
In the present embodiment, the remote LAN 2 is prepared in advance and used to perform installation.
After the installation is completed, the license server 15 updates the license table stored in the remote server computer 7 (step 106). The data structure of the license table on the remote server computer 7 side is as follows:
The license table is the same as the license table on the host server computer 4 side.
Not on the entire AN, but on the remote LAN2. Specifically, in the license table, the number of transferred licenses is managed on the side of the remote LAN 2 managed by the license server 15 instead of the number of transferred licenses. It is about the range. Accordingly, the license server 15 increments the number of licenses transferred with the installation and sets information on the installation destination.

On the other hand, when receiving a response from the host server computer 4 indicating that the license cannot be transferred, the license server 15 notifies the client computer 8 of that (step 108).

According to the present embodiment, as described above, the license management of the software product is performed in the host server computer 4 to which only one license key is supplied, and the client computer 8 connected to the remote LAN 2 When installing a software product on the remote LAN 9, the remote server computer 7 is permitted by the host server computer 4 and prepared on the remote LAN 2 side instead of the host server computer 4 via the network 3. Installed software products. This allows
Since the license management of the software product only needs to manage one license key, the license management of the software product can be performed easily and reliably. Further, the remote LA can be used without passing through the line network 3.
Since the installation can be performed on the client computers 8 and 9 connected to N2, the line cost associated with the transfer of the software product can be reduced.
In addition, since software products are not transferred via the network 3, there is no influence of line quality.

In the installation process according to the present embodiment, installation is performed in response to a request from the client computer 8, but installation may be performed in the client computer 8 in accordance with an instruction from the license server 15.

In this embodiment, the remote LAN
2 is connected to one remote server computer 7, but a server computer for executing the license server 15 and a server computer for storing software products may be separately provided and connected to the remote LAN 2. .

Embodiment 2 FIG. In the first embodiment, the case where the software product is installed has been described. In the present embodiment, the case where the uninstallation is performed will be described. The overall configuration of the system is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the license server 15 has an uninstall function. Hereinafter, the uninstallation process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, a case will be described as an example in which a software product subject to license management that has been installed on the client computer 8 of the remote LAN 2 is uninstalled.

The license server 15 executes the uninstallation of the software product according to a predetermined procedure for a request from the client computer 8 or for moving the installation destination of the software product to another client computer 9 (step 111). ). After the end of the uninstallation, the license server 15 updates the license table stored on the remote server computer 7 (step 112). In this case, contrary to the installation process, the number of licenses transferred with the uninstallation is decremented, and information on the uninstallation destination is set, that is, information on the installation destination is deleted. Thereafter, the license server 15 sends a license deletion request to the host server computer 4 (Step 113).

In the host server computer 4, when the license management server 13 receives the license deletion request sent from the remote server computer 7 via the line network 3, the license management server 13 refers to the license table and relates to the license related to the license deletion request. The information is deleted (step 114). Specifically, the number of licenses transferred is decremented and information on the installation destination is deleted.

According to the present embodiment, the uninstallation process is not performed by the host server computer 4 via the network 3, so that the line cost can be reduced.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 4 is an overall system configuration diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the network installation system according to the present invention. The network installation system in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the first embodiment, except that a network computer 16 having no external storage device such as a disk as a client computer is connected to a remote LAN 2. . When the system of the network computer 16 is started, an operating system (OS) used by the network computer 16 is used.
Need to download. That is, the present embodiment shows a network installation system applicable when downloading an OS as a software product to a network computer 16 having no external storage device. Therefore, in the remote server computer 7, the license server 15 further has a function of setting an environment for downloading the OS.
Further, a download server 17 which is an application for separately executing the OS download is provided.

Next, the processing in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the network computer 16 of the remote LAN 2
The following describes an example of downloading a license-managed OS for a license.

The license server 15 sends a license transfer request to the host server computer 4 to inquire whether the OS can be downloaded to the network computer 16 (step 121). The license transfer request includes information on the OS requesting the download (product ID, version symbol), information on the requesting network computer 16 (system ID, OS used, etc.), information on the remote server computer 7 requesting the information, and the like. include.

In the host server computer 4, when the license management server 13 receives the license transfer request sent from the remote server computer 7 via the line network 3, the license management server 13 checks whether or not the license can be transferred by referring to the license table (step). 12
2). The contents of the license table are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the installation destination corresponds to the download destination. The license management server 13 determines that transfer is possible when the number of licenses transferred in the license table has not reached the number of permitted licenses and there is still room, and determines that transfer is not possible when the number has been reached. When there is room, the license management server 13 updates the license table by incrementing the number of licenses transferred and setting information on the download destination. Then, a response to the effect that the license can be transferred is returned to the remote server computer 7 (step 123).

On the other hand, if the number of transferred licenses has reached the permitted number of licenses, the license management server 13 determines that there is no space in the license of the OS that is the software product, and the license management server 13 notifies the remote server that the license transfer is impossible. Reply to computer 7 (step 127).

In the remote server computer 7,
When the license server 15 receives a response to the inquiry from the host server computer 4, if the content is a license transferable, the network computer 16
Environment setting for OS download (step 124), and updates the license table held by the remote server computer 7 (step 12).
5). The contents of the license table are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the installation destination corresponds to the download destination. Thereafter, when a download request is sent from the network computer 16 due to a power-on operation or the like, the download server 17 confirms that the license can be transferred, and the license server 15
The OS is downloaded to the network computer 16 in accordance with the contents of the environment setting for S download (step 126). At this time, the download server 17
Means that the OS provided by the medium 14 and stored in advance is downloaded, and the OS is not transferred via the network 3. O requiring a license
S cannot be used unless a license key is supplied, but can be purchased regardless of the licensing. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the remote LAN 2 side prepares in advance and downloads using this.

On the other hand, if a download request is sent from the network computer 16 after receiving a response from the host server computer 4 indicating that the license cannot be transferred, the license server 15 notifies that the license has not been transferred. (Step 128).

According to the present embodiment, as described above, the license management of the software product is performed by the host server computer 4 to which only one license key is supplied, and the network computer 16 connected to the remote LAN 2 When downloading the OS, the host server computer 4 operates the network 3
Instead, the OS prepared on the remote LAN 2 side is downloaded after the remote server computer 7 is authorized by the host server computer 4. As a result, the software product OS
In this license management, only one license key needs to be managed, so that the license management of the OS can be easily and reliably performed. Further, since the download can be performed to the network computer 16 connected to the remote LAN 2 without passing through the line network 3, the line cost associated with the transfer of the OS can be reduced. Further, since the OS is not transferred via the line network 3, there is no influence of the line quality.

In this embodiment, the remote LAN
2, one remote server computer 7 is connected to the license server 15 and the download server 1
7 is executed, and furthermore, the OS is stored. However, a configuration in which each is provided in a separately provided server computer is also possible.

For convenience, each of the above embodiments has been described taking as an example a case where only one software product is handled. Managing a software product with a single license key is still possible, but it is also possible to handle a plurality of such software products at the same time. In this case, since the product ID is added to the information exchanged between the server computers 4 and 7, the software product to be processed can be easily specified.

[0040]

According to the present invention, license management of a software product is performed in a host server to which only one license key is supplied, and the software product is installed in a client connected to a remote LAN. In this case, the software product prepared on the remote LAN side is installed after the host server permits the remote LAN, instead of performing the operation via the communication network.
As a result, only one license key needs to be managed, so that the license management of the software product can be easily and reliably performed. Furthermore, since installation can be performed on a client connected to a remote LAN without using a communication network, line costs associated with transfer of software products can be reduced. Further, since software products are not transferred via a communication network, there is no influence of line quality.

Further, since the uninstallation work of the software product is performed not on the host server but on the remote LAN side, the line cost associated with the uninstallation work can be reduced.

Further, the same applies to the case of a download OS as a software product, and license management of the download OS can be performed easily and reliably.
Further, since downloading can be performed to a network computer having no external storage device connected to the remote LAN without passing through a communication network, the O
The line cost associated with the transfer of S can be reduced. Further, since the OS is not transferred via the communication network, there is no influence of line quality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a network installation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of an installation process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an uninstallation process according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an overall system configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the network installation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of a download process according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 host LAN, 2 remote LAN, 3 line network,
4 host server computer, 5, 6, 8, 9 client computer, 7 remote server computer, 10, 14 medium such as CD-ROM, 11 use license, 12 terminal device, 13 license management server, 15 license server, 16 network Computer, 17 download server.

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 17, 1999 (1999.6.1
7)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the solution to ## network installation system according to the present invention, by connecting via the communication network a local area network Cry A cement computer is connected In the entire formed wide area network, a host server computer provided with only one license key for granting installation permission to a plurality of client computers to prevent unauthorized copying of one software product, and a remote server different from the host server computer Connected to the local area network,
The host software products that are allowed to be used by the server computer, have a and installation means for installing only the same remote local area network connected client computer, the installation means, the client
Installing software products on computers
To the same remote local area without passing through a communication network.
A) The software prepared in advance on the network side
A) It is performed using products .

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0009

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Further, the host server computer comprises:
Determining whether or not a license transfer request from the remote local area network side is possible based on the information on the license key and the number of licenses permitted to be transferred in the entire wide area network of the software product;
Identical by the result has means to respond to the remote local area network side, for sending the license transfer request Previous Symbol host server computer
Means for inquiring whether the installation is provided for the client computer connected to a remote local area network, said installation means
As a result of the inquiry, the software products that are permitted to be used by the host server computer is row intends <br/> ones installed for the client computer.

(72) Inventor Kiyoshi Tomizuka 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (72) Inventor Masaharu Iwata 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Co., Ltd. Inside the company (72) Inventor Hideki Sato 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (72) Inventor Kaori Suzuki 2-3-2, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Corporation F term (reference) 5B076 FB01 5B089 AA03 AA21 AA22 AB06 AE03 AF04 BB09 CB02 CC17 DD03 DD07

Claims (4)

[Claims] An overall wide area network formed by connecting a local area network to which a client computer is connected via a communication network,
A host server computer to which only one license key for granting installation permission to a plurality of client computers for preventing unauthorized copying of one software product is connected to a remote local area network different from the host server computer; The software product permitted to be used by the host server computer is installed on a client computer connected to the remote local area network using the software product prepared in advance on the remote local area network side. Means, and a network installation system comprising: 2. The host server computer determines whether or not a license transfer request from the remote local area network side is acceptable based on information on a license key and the number of licenses for which transfer of the software product is permitted in the entire wide area network. Means for returning a result, wherein the remote local area network side sends a license transfer request to the host server computer to inquire whether the client computer connected to the same local area network can be installed. Means for installing, on the client computer, a software product permitted to be used by the host server computer as a result of the inquiry; The network installation system according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The remote local area network includes means for uninstalling the software product installed on the client computer connected to the same remote local area network from the client computer, and uninstalling the software. 2. A network installation system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for sending a request to delete license information relating to a product to the host server computer. 4. When the client computer to be installed is a network computer having no external storage device and the software product to be installed on the client computer is a download operating system, the remote local area network side 2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for downloading an operating system for download prepared in advance on the local area network side to said client computer by permission of said host server computer.
Network installation system as described.