Blockchain Floating Licensing using Smart Contracts

Abstract

Blockchain technology enables new business models and process innovations. Due to its decentralised nature, third-party stakeholders are rot required in a system of distrusting participants. This increases consequently trust in the system. This thesis discovers how smart contracts facilitate the software licensing process. Blockchain Floating License System (BFLS) is a novel approach to realise a floating license system using blockchain technology. Based on existing floating license systems, a prototype was built using the Ethereum blockchain. Software licenses were represented as tokens, and thus the Token-as-a-License (TaaL) model applies. The BFLS model is analysed using the ISO/IEC 25010:2011 product quality model. Advantages of blockchain applications, such as increased availability and less server infrastructure, are put into relation against performance efficiency problems and the sacrifice of confidentiality.