A layered-infrastructure blockchain-based system for software license distribution includes a distributed cloud of blockchain full nodes. Each blockchain full node contains a blockchain data structure on which a complete set of license key transactions are recorded. The layered-infrastructure also includes a plurality of storage systems. Each respective storage system contains a blockchain light data structure on which only a subset of license key transactions associated with that respective storage system are recorded. A plurality of hosts connect to the plurality of storage systems. As the hosts connect to the storage systems, license key transactions are generated, such that the license key transactions that are recorded in the blockchain-based system for software license distribution are associated with the connection events between the plurality of hosts and the plurality of storage systems.