Methods and apparatus for rapidly activating previously inactive components in a computer system

1. A method of activating a previously inactive component in a computer system comprising:

receiving a request for activating said previously inactive component;

ascertaining whether there exists a first right for activating said previously inactive component;

if said first right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said first right;

if there is no first right for activating said previously inactive component, ascertaining whether there exists a second right for activating said previously inactive component, said second right being more restricted than said first right; and

if said second right exists, activating said previously inactive component in accordance with said second right,

wherein said first right represents an acquired right and said second right represents a pending right granted based on a provisional license that is shorter in duration than a duration of said first right,

wherein said first right is represented by an expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with said first right, said second right is represented by a pending expected inactive component variable, said expected inactive component variable representing the number of inactive components having the same type as said inactive component that should be present in said computer system to be in compliance with both said first right and said second right,

wherein said pending expected inactive component variable is decremented by an application of a codeword, said second right being deemed to exist if a value of said pending expected inactive component variable is smaller than a value of said expected inactive component variable in said computer system, said pending expected inactive component variable and said expected inactive component variable pertaining to the same component type in said computer system,

wherein said value of said pending expected inactive component variable is incremented when said second right expires.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said codeword is obtained from one of a seller, a servicing entity, and a manufacturer of said computer system through a telecommunication network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said telecommunication network is an Internet network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said codeword is obtained from one of a seller, a servicing entity, and a manufacturer of said computer system through an Internet website associated with said one of said seller, said servicing entity, and said manufacturer of said computer system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second right expires upon expiration of said provisional license.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first right is deemed to exist if a value of said expected inactive component variable is smaller than a number of inactive components that would exist in said computer system if said request is granted.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said value of said expected number of inactive component variable is decremented by a given value if a user of said computer system obtains acquired right to additional components other than components covered by said first right, said given value representing a number of said additional components.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said previously inactive component is a CPU.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said previously inactive component is a quantity of memory.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said previously inactive component is an I/O device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer system is a partitioned computer system.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said previously inactive component is one of computer software and computer software capability.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said previously inactive component is a subset of said computer system.

14. A method for allowing a user to activate a previously inactive component in a computer system, said computer including components already activated under an acquired right, comprising:

sending a request for activating said previously inactive component to a vendor of said computer system;

ascertaining, upon receiving said request, whether said activating said previously inactive components causes a number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted;

if said activating said previously inactive components causes said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted, refusing said request;

if said activating said previously inactive components does not cause said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted, generating a codeword for transmitting to said user;

obtaining said codeword from said vendor, said codeword implementing a pending right to activate said previously inactive component and including an authorization of said activating said previously inactive component and a time parameter if said activating said previously inactive components does not cause said number of permissible provisionally activable components to be exhausted; and entering said codeword into said computer system, thereby allowing said additional component to be activated in said computer system during a time period allowed under said pending right, said time period being derivable from said time parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said codeword is in an ASCII format.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said codeword is obtained from an Internet portal.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said codeword is entered into said computer system using methods other than an email received at said computer system.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said codeword is manually entered using a keyboard at said computer system.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said activation of said previously inactive component is permissible during said time period allowed under said pending right, said activation of said previously inactive component is not permitted after said time period expires.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said activation of said previously inactive component is permissible during said time period allowed under said pending right, said activation of said previously inactive component is not permitted after an expiration of said time period and of a grace period.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein said previously inactive component is a CPU.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein said previously inactive component is a quantity of memory.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein said previously inactive component is an I/O device.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein said computer system is a partitioned computer system.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein said previously inactive component is a subset of said computer system.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein said previously inactive component is one of computer software and computer software capability.