A method for authorizing an operational configuration of a computing system, the computing system having a server control module, a plurality of cells including a licensing cell, a system type, a system ID, a licensing cell serial number, and a list of hardware cell serial numbers; wherein each of the cells within the plurality of cells comprises one or more processors, a block of memory, and communication interconnection with all of the other cells within the plurality of cells; the method comprising: generating a system ID key based upon the system type, the system ID, and the licensing cell serial number; installing the system ID key within the server control module, the server control module decrypting the system ID key to extract the system type, the system ID and the licensing cell serial number, and storing the system ID and licensing cell serial number within the server control module when the system type and cell serial number match the system type and a corresponding cell serial number associated with the operational configuration of the computing system; installing a software partition within one or more cells, the software partition corresponding to an instance of an operating system executing within the one or more cells; maintaining the list of hardware cell serial numbers currently present within the computing system within the server control module; periodically validating permitted operation of the software partition by the software partition comparing the licensing cell serial number stored within the server control module against the list of hardware cell serial numbers currently present within the computing system within the server control module to validate the system ID stored within the server control module; wherein, if the licensing cell malfunctions and is replaced, a new system ID key specifying the original system ID and a new licensing cell serial number is installed in the list of hardware cell serial numbers, such that the system ID remains a persistent, unique identifier that does not need to be changed even when underlying licensing hardware is replaced. generating a system ID key based upon the system type, the system ID, and the licensing cell serial number; installing the system ID key within the server control module, the server control module decrypting the system ID key to extract the system type, the system ID and the licensing cell serial number, and storing the system ID and licensing cell serial number within the server control module when the system type and cell serial number match the system type and a corresponding cell serial number associated with the operational configuration of the computing system; installing a software partition within one or more cells, the software partition corresponding to an instance of an operating system executing within the one or more cells; maintaining the list of hardware cell serial numbers currently present within the computing system within the server control module; periodically validating permitted operation of the software partition by the software partition comparing the licensing cell serial number stored within the server control module against the list of hardware cell serial numbers currently present within the computing system within the server control module to validate the system ID stored within the server control module; wherein, if the licensing cell malfunctions and is replaced, a new system ID key specifying the original system ID and a new licensing cell serial number is installed in the list of hardware cell serial numbers, such that the system ID remains a persistent, unique identifier that does not need to be changed even when underlying licensing hardware is replaced.