Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for software management and control and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for software management and control that control multiple office computers or user terminals connected to an internal corporate network in various ways, for example, by forcing an idle user terminal occupying a connection to software running on a central server to release the connection wherein the central server performs such control operations by providing control messages that control processes running on user terminals. In the present invention, an idle user terminal, which is connected to software running on the central server but does not use the software for a given time or more, is monitored and forced to release the connection to the software. Hence, it is possible to effectively increase the number of users capable of accessing the software.

Abstract: A software management apparatus and method are disclosed. A software installation attempt made in one of multiple user terminals connected through a corporate network is detected, and a management operation is performed to permit software installation, to block the use of the user terminal, or to provide a popup notification according to the rights assigned to the user terminal. In addition, unlike existing approaches to prevention of unauthorized software installation that may not handle already installed software, the software management apparatus and method enable the system manager to handle and remove software that is already installed in a user terminal before installation of the apparatus and method. As a result, unauthorized installation of software in corporate computers can be effectively prevented.