A virtual machine monitor provides a trusted operating environment for a software usage metering application when a qualified virtual machine monitor is loaded as part of trusted boot and when all other programs and operating systems run in containers managed by the virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine monitor may also host a locking application for limiting the functionality of the computer if contractual terms of use are not met. Both the metering and locking applications run at a higher privilege level than ring 0, at the same level as the virtual machine monitor.