Oracle Software License Review

Overview

Our expert analyst team will conduct a comprehensive license review of the organization’s Oracle software deployments, entitlements, usage, contracts and purchasing documents to help the organization remain in compliance with Oracle’s licensing policies

Oracle Licensing Challenges

• Oracle’s software licensing rules are complex, nuanced, and change frequently due to technological and non-technical developments
• Conducting enterprise wide license review projects can be costly in both time and resources for internal resources
• Internal IT, Procurement and Executives have many responsibilities within the organization and limited ability to their expertise in Oracle Licensing rules and policies
• Organizations that use Oracle software can expect to be audited every few years, and penalties for non-compliance can range into the tens of millions of dollars

Oracle Licensing Opportunities

• Engaging specialized outsourced experts to oversee the organization’s software assets greatly reduces the risk of non-compliance and associated unbudgeted expenditures
• Significant cost savings are possible through license optimizations, reductions, and migrations
• Internal resources can make better and faster decisions with the help of trusted advisors who are subject matter experts in all aspects of software asset management
• Customized licensing options are available through ECCO which Oracle doesn’t normally offer

ECCO’s 3 Step Approach to Oracle License Reviews

1. Oracle License & Subscription Assessment

ECCO does a license assessment (friendly audit) of the organization for comparison to its entitlements, to establish a baseline compliance position, through a review that parallels the vendor’s own license compliance assessment.

Licensing Baseline
License reviews establish the baseline required for building or resetting a software asset management (SAM) program. Inventory (i.e., entitlements) is compared with the deployments, applying the appropriate licensing rules for the edition and version of each product as it pertains to the boundaries set within the organization’s contracts.

Point-in-Time Assessment
An Oracle License Assessment is a point-in-time review of an organization’s software license estate, with a detailed strategic report that outlines various options to mitigate shortfalls, surpluses, and future changes.  After the initial assessment, ECCO’s Managed Services (link) is available as a long term option for organization’s to stay compliant on an ongoing and continual basis.

Compliance Issues
While many organizations have active software management programs, their teams often interpret the vendor’s policies and rules differently than the software vendor itself. This leads to situations where the organization believes it’s fully compliant when it’s actually not. ECCO bridges the gap between these interpretations and helps organizations understand where they may have significant compliance issues.

Asset Repository
Proof of ownership is vital for establishing a defendable position. An asset repository in the form of software licensing agreements (SLAs), subscriptions, invoices, and other renewal or procurement documents establishes proof of ownership, as well as includes information regarding terms of use. ECCO helps organize and interpret these documents.

2. Cost Containment & License Optimization

ECCO provides various options to optimize an enterprise’s software deployment and procurement based on the organization’s needs and future planning

Modification Impact
ECCO will provide a detailed impact analysis report showing how the suggested changes will affect the organization’s licensing estate.

Examples:

• Addressing acquisition requirements
• Addressing divestiture requirements
• Preparing for Server Platform changes
• Preparing for a shift to or from a Public Cloud
• Transitioning into or Renewing a new type of contract with Oracle
• Implementing a New Oracle based Solution
• Planning for a licensing downsizing
• Leveraging the use of a custom metric
• Implementing or changing a Disaster Recovery plan

Deployment Strategies
ECCO can recommend advanced deployment strategies for an organization to use the licenses it already has instead of purchasing new licenses to cover its requirements.  This includes both advanced strategies on configuration and license allocation. ECCO’s Help Desk is an on-demand live-person resource for licensing information, rules, costs, and requirements, which ensures that the organization’s leadership and front-line staff have the knowledge to stay in compliance and avoid audit failures

3. Strategy Execution

ECCO will assist the organization if it is audited by Oracle License Management Services (LMS), including preparation, negotiating, managing communications, reviewing deliverables and guiding staff to optimize audit outcomes.

The organization can choose from the presented strategies based on which is most suitable for their needs. ECCO can assist in executing strategies that may include license procurement, contract negotiations, license migrations, license upgrades, and what-if licensing scenarios based on recommendations around changes to server allocations and environment redesigns. Any of these may be required to keep the organization in compliance, or to execute its future strategy.

Negotiation Strategies
This deliverable reveals shortfalls and/ or surpluses, and recommends strategies for addressing them. ECCO works with the organization to design a strategic plan based on precedent and profile, with an established primary negotiation position and acceptable secondary or tertiary positions. This is used in preparation for and during the course of negotiations with the vendor. ECCO licensing experts can participate either directly or indirectly in the negotiation sessions.

Oracle License Procurement Strategies
These are recommendations made to the organization on strategic ways to procure the licenses and subscriptions required for their business needs that achieve the best possible price, terms and conditions.

Present & Future Planning
Numerous events and scenarios that may impact the organization will be considered, including past, present and future projected changes such as implementations, data centers, acquisitions, divestitures, consolidations, virtualizations and similar.  The organization will receive a detailed plan with the recommendations and several options on how to optimize Oracle software licensing.