Patent ID: 8185731

Claim:
A method for configuring functional capabilities in a data processing system comprising an exchangeable component, said exchangeable component comprising a first unique identifier in a first non-volatile storage, said first unique identifier being unchangeable, said data processing system further comprising entitlement records, the method comprising the steps of: reading a second unique identifier and a system unique identifier in encrypted form from one of the following: said first non-volatile storage, a second non-volatile storage; decrypting said second unique identifier and said system unique identifier; comparing said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier, and, in case of a match, for every entitlement record: extracting an entitlement record identifier and record entitlement data from the entitlement record, comparing said entitlement record identifier with said system unique identifier, and, in case of a match, entitling resources of said exchangeable component with said record entitlement data extracted from the entitlement record; configuring functional capabilities based on the resource entitlements; receiving a customer order for additional functional capabilities for said data processing system; converting said customer order into production and shipment instructions and storing said instructions in a second database comprising manufacturing data for said data processing system; reading from said second database: said system serial number associated to said data processing system and entitlement data for functional capabilities of said data processing system; generating an entitlement record from said system serial number and said entitlement data; and in case said data processing system is manufactured, storing the generated entitlement record in said data processing system, otherwise sending the generated entitlement record to said data processing system and, responsive to receiving the generated entitlement record, said data processing system processing the generated entitlement record and storing new entitlements.