Software revalidation and invalidation

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more programs that cause one or more processors to execute a method for software revalidation, the method comprising:

newly collecting machine configuration information from a machine on which a software application has previously been installed and activated;

applying, at the machine, activation rules to the newly-collected machine configuration information from the machine to determine whether a product key remains valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information; and

in response to determining that the product key remains valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information, revalidating, at the machine, the software application to authorize continued access to the software application.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the machine is a physical computer.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the machine is a virtual machine.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the newly-collected machine configuration information includes information regarding an operating system that was installed on the machine subsequent to the installation and activation of the software application.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 4 , wherein the applying, at the machine, of the activation rules includes applying, at the machine, the activation rules to determine whether the product key is valid for the operating system installed on the machine.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the machine, the activation rules.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 6 , wherein the activation rules are received in a signed license file that is configured to prevent a user of the machine from undetectably altering the activation rules in the signed license file.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 6 , wherein the activation rules are received over the Internet from an activation server that is remote from the machine.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the activation rules have been updated since release of the software application to account for new or updated software with which the software application is configured to be employed.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the activation rules have been updated since release of the software application to account for new hardware with which the software application is configured to be employed.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more programs that cause one or more processors to execute a method for software invalidation, the method comprising:

newly collecting machine configuration information from a machine on which a software application has previously been installed and activated;

applying, at the machine, activation rules to the newly-collected machine configuration information from the machine to determine whether a product key remains valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information; and

in response to determining that the product key does not remain valid for the newly-collected machine configuration information, invalidating, at the machine, the software application to prevent continued access to the software application.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the machine is a physical computer.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the machine is a virtual machine.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the newly-collected machine configuration information includes information regarding an operating system that was installed on the machine subsequent to the installation and activation of the software application.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14 , wherein the applying, at the machine, of the activation rules includes applying, at the machine, the activation rules to determine whether the product key is valid for the operating system installed on the machine.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the machine, the activation rules.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 , wherein the activation rules are received in a signed license file that is configured to prevent a user of the machine from undetectably altering the activation rules in the signed license file.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16 , wherein the activation rules are received over the Internet from an activation server that is remote from the machine.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the activation rules have been updated since release of the software application to account for new or updated software or hardware with which the software application is configured to be employed.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 11 , wherein the activation rules have been updated since release of the software application to account for new hardware with which the software application is configured to be employed.