Capacity based licensing

摘要

Described are licensing techniques that may include: receiving a license specifying a maximum limit of a resource where the maximum limit denotes a maximum allowable consumption amount of the resource; providing the maximum limit to one or more software components; and enforcing, by the one or more software components, consumption of the maximum limit of the resource whereby an actual amount of the resource consumed is not allowed to exceed the maximum limit. The maximum limit may be a maximum storage capacity limit in connection with a virtualized storage system or appliance as well as a non-virtualized storage system or appliance. Software components may enforce the maximum limit, or a dependent limit derived therefrom, on the control path and data path. Limits specified in the license, or a dependent limit determined therefrom, may denote a maximum or minimum limit.