Abstract: This description provides tools for providing integrated user experiences while allocating licenses within volume licensing systems. These tools may provide methods that include sending information for presenting licensing portals at recipient organizations. The licensing portals may include representations of properties licensed by the organizations, and may include indications of how many licenses remain available for allocation. The methods may include receiving and validating licensing requests. The tools may provide other methods that include requesting and receiving information for presenting the licensing portals, as well as requesting and receiving licensing-related actions from the licensing systems. The tools may provide still other methods that include receiving requests for information to present launch portals, with these requests incorporating user identifiers for particular end-users.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting shared system files enhances system stability by preventing system files shared by applications, such as DLL files, from being overwritten with invalid files during installation or update of applications or by user actions. A monitoring component monitors changes to the system files. When the monitoring component detects that a protected system file is being changed, it saves a copy of the original file and informs a file protection service of the change. The file protection service checks the modified file to determine whether it is valid. If the modified file is invalid, the system file is restored to its original contents using the copy saved by the monitoring component. Unauthorized importation of system files by application installers or update packages is prevented by requiring the use of a certificate issued by a party with proper authority.