Flexera Software LLC

Peter Allfrey

Paul Hughes

Peter Westhorp

Eddie Sholl

David A Swann

Matt Marnell

Various of the disclosed embodiments concern computer systems, methods, and programs for brokering logins to software as a service (SaaS) applications and tracking usage of the SaaS applications. First, a user, e.g. employee of an enterprise, logs into a SaaS usage proxy using a first set of credentials. The first set of credentials is known by the user, e.g. preexisting credentials for an enterprise-wide authentication system. Once a SaaS application is selected by the user, the SaaS usage proxy logs into the SaaS application using a second set of credentials. However, the second set of login credentials is encrypted and not known by the user, which causes the SaaS application to be accessible only through the SaaS usage proxy. This allows the SaaS usage proxy to monitor all usage of the SaaS application, even if multiple network-accessible devices are used to log into the SaaS usage proxy.

Usage tracking for software as a service (SaaS) applications

A license update engine is run as part of a license entitlement automation system. The license update engine is minimally executed daily and identifies, for example, content updates to be applied and licenses that have drifted from their definition. The license update engine then generates proposals for operators to consider. Accepted proposals update the license configuration. Thus, the license update engine identifies licenses and the definitions that are connected to them, including definitions that the licenses from which the were created and definitions that are linked to SKUs of entitlement purchases. Analyses relates three categories of proposal, including license types, applications linked to licenses, and usage rights on licenses. Proposals are stored in a database and operators can accept or ignore them. The database maintains a history of license changes.

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Box Hill, Australia

Peter Allfrey