In the last few years, modern technology companies have been progressively utilizing license pools to do just that. Besides Allied, whose members include Verizon, Google, Cisco as well as others, there are a variety of other technology patent pools, each with a slightly various approach as well as roster of gamers. Open Advancement Network, a pro-Linux group counting Novell, IBM and others as members, was arranged in 2005. Intellectual Ventures, said to be backed by Microsoft as well as Intel, has actually been acquiring its license profile because 2003.