Abstract: A system for balancing a distribution of allocations for protected software over a communication network is disclosed. The system is comprised of at least one client computer and a pool of license servers coupled to the communication network. The client computers request authorizations to use the protected software, while a distribution of allocations is managed among the pool of servers for tracking and managing available allocations for using the protected software. One license server in the pool is designated as the current leader server. When a particular license server does not have a selectable minimum amount of available allocations, the current leader server re-assigns, where possible, the allocations within the pool by updating memory containing the distribution tables of license servers in the pool, to give at least one additional allocation to the particular license server.

Abstract: A system for managing licenses for protected software on a communication network is disclosed. The system comprises at least one client computer and a pool of license servers coupled to the communication network. The client computers request authorizations to use the protected software. The pool of license servers are programmed for managing a distribution of allocations to use the protected software. Within the pool of license servers is a current leader server programmed for managing the distribution of allocations for the license servers in the pool, and at least one follower server programmed for managing the distribution of allocations for that particular follower server. Each license server stores a status of the allocations for that particular license server, and each follower server communicates the status of the allocations for that particular follower server to the current leader server.

Abstract: A system for managing licenses for protected software on a communication network is disclosed. The system includes at least one client computer that is capable of being coupled to or decoupled from the communication network. While coupled to the communication network, a user of the client computer may request a commuter authorization to use the protected software. At least one license server is also coupled to the communication network. Each license server is programmed for managing a distribution of allocations to use the protected software. In addition, at least one of the license servers is programmed for granting a commuter authorization in response to a request for a commuter authorization from a client computer if there is an available authorization. After a commuter authorization is received by a client computer, the client computer stores a commuter authorization lifetime representing a time period for which the commuter authorization is valid.

Abstract: A system for managing licenses for protected software on a communication network is disclosed. The system comprises at least one client computer and a pool of license servers coupled to the communication network. The client computers request authorization to use the protected software, and the license servers manage a distribution of allocations to use the protected software. The pool of license servers includes a selected current leader server for managing the distribution of allocations for all license servers in the pool. The first license server to be started is selected as the current leader server. However, if no license server is started first, the license server with the highest priority according to a leader priority list is selected as the current leader server.