Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for securely distributing contents in a telecommunication network, where an inventory management unit (1) manages terminals (3) with at least one functional unit (4) on the basis of use rights metadata (NMD) associated with an encrypted content (VN) and a terminal actuation unit (2) actuates the terminals (3) as appropriate. In this case, the inventory management unit (1) compares the use rights metadata (NMD) with a functional unit inventory list, the terminal actuation unit (2) selectively actuating the respective terminal for a respective encrypted content if the comparison ascertains a functional unit (4) which is not enabled for the content.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assuring compatibility between the software units activated in partial computer systems (system A, system B) belonging to a distributed computer system, said software units each comprising their respective version of software codes and/or data. Once a compatibility test has established compatibility, a compatible non-activated software unit is activated on its partial computer system and the corresponding previously activated software unit is deactivated. The invention also relates to a method for securing data within a distributed computer system with several partial computer systems, for blocking access to the data, for securing common data and for deactivating the data access block are carried out according to the current status of the data securing option.