Abstract: A system and method for the issuance of software licenses through a tiered structure, whereby a software license is issued from a software developer to an end user through one or more intermediate layers of distribution. The system and method for doing so enforces a predefined security policy. In an embodiment of the invention, the security policy is defined by the security developer. The security policy may, for example, address who may use the software package, how many users there may be, an expiration date for use of the software, and/or specific features that may or may not be used by a particular user. The software developer first issues a license template to the next intermediate layer of distribution. This may be a software distributor, who then specifies one or more restrictions on the use of the software. This is done be articulating these restrictions in the license template, effectively “filling in” some or all of the template.

Abstract: A method and/or system for providing grace licensing to disconnected network license users provides a server with a grace enabled license having a grace criteria, provides a client computer with an application operable with the grace enabled license, provides the grace enabled license from the server to the client computer when the client computer is communicatively connected to the server, and operates the application on the client computer according to the grace criteria when the client computer is disconnected from the server. The grace criteria can include a parameter(s) including a number of times the application is operable on a client computer when the client computer is disconnected from the server, a total number of hours the application is operable on a client computer when the client computer is disconnected, and/or a maximum number of days the application is operable on a client computer when the client computer is disconnected.