Patent ID: 8818900

Claim:
A system for distributed license management, the system comprising: a primary licensing server programmed to manage a license for a plurality of users over a network, wherein the primary licensing server is designated as a master licensing server for the license and communicates heartbeat signals at periodic intervals to one or more other participants in the network, wherein each heartbeat signal includes identities of the plurality of users that currently have valid access to the license; a tertiary licensing server programmed to independently verify that no heartbeat signals have been received from the primary licensing server within a predetermined period of time, wherein the tertiary licensing server does not assume the role of the master licensing server; and a secondary licensing server programmed to: request approval from the tertiary licensing server to assume the designation of the master licensing server when the secondary licensing server determines that no heartbeat signals have been received from the primary licensing server within the predetermined period of time, receive a response from the tertiary licensing server, the response based on the independent verification by the tertiary licensing server that no heartbeat signals have been received from the primary licensing server within the predetermined period of time, assume the designation of the master licensing server when the received response indicates approval of the request from the tertiary licensing server, wherein the secondary licensing server is not allowed to assume the designation of the master licensing server when the received response indicates denial of the request from the tertiary licensing server, and relinquish the master licensing server designation when the primary licensing server reestablishes communication with the secondary licensing server or the tertiary licensing server, wherein the primary licensing server immediately re-initiates and re-executes a license daemon and wherein the primary licensing server is redesignated as the master licensing server.