As your organization grows, undergoes hardware upgrades, embraces virtualization, and develops new applications, the complexity of managing Oracle licenses intensifies. Compounded by the fact that anyone in your organization can download Oracle products at any time, tracking license activity becomes increasingly challenging. Despite relying on your IT staff to ensure compliance with license agreements, it is essential to ask crucial questions to maintain control over your licensing environment. In this blog, we will explore these questions about Oralce licensing and solutions to optimize Oracle license management.

These are the six questions about Oracle licensing that you need to ask your staff:

Question #1: How many Oracle licenses do you have?

It is crucial to have a clear understanding of the number of Oracle licenses your organization possesses. With a growing business, hardware upgrades, and the need for virtualization, the number of licenses may have changed over time. It’s important to conduct a thorough audit and document the exact count of Oracle licenses your organization currently holds. This information serves as the foundation for license compliance and future decision-making.

Question #2: Are you using every Oracle license that you purchased?

Simply owning Oracle licenses does not guarantee compliance. It’s essential to evaluate whether all the licenses purchased are actively in use. Organizations often acquire licenses for future expansion or as part of a package deal, leading to unused licenses. By identifying and repurposing those licenses, businesses can optimize their software investment and avoid unnecessary expenses.

Question # 3: Did you purchase the RIGHT Oracle products for your business needs?

As technology evolves and business requirements change, it’s crucial to reassess whether the Oracle products you have align with your organization’s current needs. Conducting a thorough evaluation helps identify any gaps or mismatches between the Oracle software and your business requirements. By aligning your software portfolio with your specific needs, you can optimize performance, reduce costs, and ensure compliance.

Question #4: Are you paying for Oracle products or support you are not using?

Software maintenance and support fees can form a significant portion of the overall licensing costs. It’s essential to evaluate whether you are paying for products or support services that are not actively utilized. By identifying such instances, organizations can renegotiate agreements, eliminate unnecessary costs, or explore alternative support options that better align with their current usage and requirements.

Question #5: Are you getting the most out of your Oracle licenses?

Maximizing the value of your Oracle licenses goes beyond mere compliance. It involves leveraging the full potential of the software to enhance productivity, streamline operations, and achieve business objectives. Conducting regular audits and assessments can help identify underutilized features or opportunities for optimization. This proactive approach ensures that you are fully utilizing the capabilities of your Oracle licenses and deriving maximum value from your investment.

Question #6: Are you over-paying for what you have?

In the complex world of software licensing, it’s not uncommon for organizations to overpay for their Oracle licenses. Factors such as changing business needs, evolving technology, and lack of visibility into license usage can contribute to overpayment. By regularly evaluating licensing agreements, usage patterns, and exploring optimization strategies, organizations can identify areas of potential cost savings and negotiate favorable terms.

Think about it. When was the last time someone provided you with a report that answered these questions? And if you do have a report, are you sure it’s correct? You should be performing your own audits at least once a year.

Perform an internal audit after these events:

• Purchase new Oracle products and/or licenses for existing products
• Renew your support agreement
• Virtualize your environment, especially if you plan to use or are using VMware vSphere®
• Develop new applications running Oracle
• Upgrade or otherwise change your hardware
• Migrate an Oracle database to a new server

If you don’t know the answers to these questions and haven’t performed internal audits, you are at serious risk of being out of compliance in terms or your Oracle Licensing Service Agreement (OLSA). LicenseFortress takes the guess work out of Oracle compliance and ensures that not only do you remain compliant but will optimize your license utilization and can reduce your license and support costs by retiring licenses you may no longer need.

LicenseFortress in action:

• Navigate complex Oracle licensing rules and optimize their licensing strategies
• Provide license audit defense services, helping companies respond to and manage Oracle license audits
• License optimization services to help companies reduce their licensing costs and optimize their Oracle deployments
• Expert advice and guidance on Oracle license negotiations and contract reviews.
• Assess and manage risks associated with Oracle licensing, ensuring compliance and avoiding costly penalties
• Training and educational resources to empower companies with the knowledge and skills to manage Oracle licensing effectively
• Ongoing support and maintenance to ensure companies stay up to date with Oracle licensing changes and updates

Managing Oracle licenses and ensuring compliance in a rapidly evolving technology landscape can be a daunting task. However, by asking these six critical questions and conducting regular internal audits, organizations can gain control over their licensing environment, optimize their software investments, and mitigate compliance risks. Seeking assistance from experts like LicenseFortress can further streamline the process, providing specialized knowledge and tools to navigate the complexities of Oracle licensing. By proactively managing licenses, organizations can achieve compliance, cost optimization, and peace of mind in their software usage.

Contact LicenseFortress if you should have any questions about Oracle licensing.