Method and system for port licensing in switches

1. A method for configuring port licenses in a switch having a plurality of ports for communication in a network system, comprising:

a switch processor initializing the switch in the network system;

the switch processor reading a memory accessible to the switch to determine if any licensing value is set for the switch, the licensing value indicating whether one or more of the plurality of ports can be used for communication in the network system;

if no licensing value is set, then the switch operates as if all the plurality of ports are licensed;

launching a reconfiguration process for reconfiguring port licenses, if the licensing value is set and upon the switch receiving a command via a processor executable management application for configuring a port of the switch as a licensed port;

launching the management application during the reconfiguration process;

the switch processor reading the licensing table from the switch memory, the licensing table storing licensing information for each of the plurality of ports;

the switch processor checking if a maximum number of port licenses for the user would be exceeded if the license for the port is granted in response to the command; and

the switch processor modifying the licensing table for configuring the port as a licensed port, if the maximum number of port licenses would not be exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

notifying the user via the management application if the maximum number of port licenses would be exceeded, if the license was granted in response to the command; and

providing an option via the management application for adding an additional license by acquiring an additional licensing key for the port and if the additional license key is acquired, then the switch processor modifies the licensing table to reflect the additional license key for using the port.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a fibre channel switch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a non-fibre channel switch.

5. A method for dynamically configuring port licenses in a switch having a plurality of ports for communication in a network system, comprising:

launching a port configuration process for reconfiguring a license for a port of the switch element while the switch is operating in the network system and a device is attached to the port;

launching the management application during the configuration process;

a switch processor reading a licensing table stored in a memory accessible to the switch, the licensing table storing licensing information for the plurality of ports;

after reading the licensing table, the switch processor checking if a maximum number of port licenses would be exceeded if the license to use the port during the configuration process is granted; and

if the maximum number of port licenses would not be exceeded, then the switch processor modifying the licensing table for configuring the port as a licensed port.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

notifying a user if the maximum number of port licenses would be exceeded; and

providing an option via the management application for adding an additional license by acquiring an additional licensing key for the port and if the additional license key is acquired, then the switch processor modifies the licensing table to reflect the additional license key for using the port.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the switch is a fibre channel switch.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the switch is a non-fibre channel switch.