System and method for reconfiguring and deploying soft stock-keeping units

Abstract

Techniques and apparatuses for issuance of license upgrades for hardware components in the field, as well as the hardware components, are described. In one embodiment, for example an apparatus may include processor circuitry and memory in communication with the processor circuitry, wherein the memory contains a configuration data block and license data block, the configuration data block being read from the memory via a licensing apparatus and the licensing data block being written to the memory by the licensing apparatus. The processor may include executable code to process the licensing data block to facilitate an upgrade of the capabilities of the processor circuitry.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor, the processor comprising circuitry to:
 receive a license data block, the license data block to comprise a modified configuration for one or more operational capabilities of the processor; and 
 upgrade a current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor based on the modified configuration of the license data block. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the current configuration to disable a first operational capability of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, the modified configuration to enable the first operational capability. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the processor comprising circuitry to:
 validate the license data block based on an identifier to be used to sign the license data block and a unique identifier of the processor.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a configuration data block of the processor is to store the current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, wherein the circuitry to upgrade the current configuration is to comprise circuitry to:
 override the configuration data block with the modified configuration of the license data block.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the license data block is to be encrypted based on a private key, the processor comprising circuitry to:
 decrypt the encrypted license data block based on a public key.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational capabilities are to comprise: (i) a number of computing threads to be executed by a processor core of the processor, (ii) a count of enabled processor cores of the processor, (iii) a size of a cache of the processor, or (iv) an operating frequency of the processor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the license data block to be received via a network, the modified configuration different than the current configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a license data block, the license data block to comprise a modified configuration for one or more operational capabilities of the processor; and   upgrade a current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor based on the modified configuration of the license data block.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , the current configuration to disable a first operational capability of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, the modified configuration to enable the first operational capability. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 validate the license data block based on an identifier to be used to sign the license data block and a unique identifier of the processor.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein a configuration data block of the processor is to store the current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, wherein the instructions to upgrade the current configuration are to comprise instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 override the configuration data block with the modified configuration of the license data block.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the license data block is encrypted based on a private key, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 decrypt the encrypted license data block based on a public key.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more operational capabilities are to comprise: (i) a number of computing threads to be executed by a processor core of the processor, (ii) a count of enabled processor cores of the processor, (iii) a size of a cache of the processor, or (iv) an operating frequency of the processor. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , the license data block to be received via a network, the modified configuration different than the current configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a license data block comprising a modified configuration for one or more operational capabilities of the processor; and   upgrading, by the processor, a current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor based on the modified configuration of the license data block.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the current configuration to disable a first operational capability of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, the modified configuration to enable the first operational capability. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 validating, by the processor, the license data block based on an identifier used to sign the license data block and a unique identifier of the processor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a configuration data block of the processor is to store the current configuration of the one or more operational capabilities of the processor, wherein upgrading the current configuration comprises:
 overriding, by the processor, the configuration data block with the modified configuration of the license data block.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the license data block is encrypted based on a private key, the method further comprising:
 decrypting, by the processor, the encrypted license data block based on a public key.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more operational capabilities comprise: (i) a number of computing threads to be executed by a processor core of the processor, (ii) a count of enabled processor cores of the processor, (iii) a size of a cache of the processor, or (iv) an operating frequency of the processor.