Layer 7 is an international company working in “security, governance and connectivity solutions for SOA, Web and Cloud,” according to their web site. Part of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is the use of XML Gateways to establish and protect identity in different web services. Layer 7 has contributed to new XML technology in the past, such as with their XML Acceleration hardware. On October 5, they announced a new breakthrough: the first portable Freedom License, which will allow consumers to transfer their license between hardware, software, and other applications without cost.The growing popularity of cloud computing, in which resources and information are shared across a broad Internet-based grid, has made it even more important for consumers to be able to move their licenses arounda feature which other companies like Oracle and IBM do not offer. It can’t be long before Layer 7′s competitors offer their own versions of the technology, but for now, the company has pulled ahead.