Patent ID: 7260557

Claim:
A method for transferring a software license in an enterprise network, comprising: (a) allocating a first number of licenses to a first site; (b) allocating at least a second number of licenses to at least a second site, the at least a second site being geographically dislocated from the first site; (c) receiving a license reallocation request; (d) determining, independently of input from a user, at least one of (i) a third number of licenses for said first site and (ii) at least a fourth number of licenses for said at least a second site based on a total number of available licenses, said third number of licenses being different from said first number of licenses; (d1) accessing a database containing license allocation records to determine said first number and said second number; (d2) calculating a difference between said first number and a requested number of licenses in said reallocation request; (d3) determining an additional number of licenses required for said first site based on said calculating step (d2); (d4) determining said third number as the sum of said first number and said additional number of licenses; and (d5) determining said at least a fourth number by subtracting said additional number of licenses from said at least a second number; (e) communicating at least a first response to the first site, the at least a first response including said third number of licenses, and communicating at least a second response to the at least a second site, the at least a second response including said at least a fourth number of licenses; and (f) thereafter operating the first and second sites subject to the first site being entitled to the third number of licenses and the second site being entitled to the at least a fourth number of licenses.