Patent ID: 8156540

Claim:
A system to manage feature enablement in a first information handling system, the system comprising: the first information handling system including non-volatile memory accessible to a processor, wherein the non-volatile memory stores feature enablement information related to a feature that the first information handling system is adapted to provide, wherein the feature enablement information includes a key license, and wherein the non-volatile memory stores instructions that are accessible to the processor and executable by the processor to: send the feature enablement information related to the feature to an external system after the first information handling system is deployed, wherein the external system comprises a chassis management system local to the first information handling system; request the feature enablement information, or other feature enablement information related to the feature, from the external system in response to receiving a request for the first information handling system to provide the feature; receive an error message from the external system indicating that the external system does not have the other feature enablement information; set a maximum number of key licenses related to the feature available based on a customer associated with the first information handling system; determine whether the maximum number of key licenses related to the feature are not being used before sending the key license to a second information handling system; provide the key license and the requested feature to the second information handling system after receiving the feature enablement information at the first information handling system and when fewer than the maximum number of key licenses are being used, wherein the first information handling system is a same type of device as the second information handling system; denying the key license when the maximum number of key licenses is being used; and adjust, by incrementing or decrementing, a number of key licenses being used for the feature after sending the key license to the requesting system.