The complexity of technology licenses can prove very difficult for IT teams to effectively manage and ensure compliance. At Eclipsys, we work with our partners specifically around the Oracle licensing footprint to provide a complete view into what is actively in use and leverage this information to report on a path to compliance & efficient utilization. What we often see is that the complexity of Oracle’s licensing will lead to inadvertent non-compliance, sometimes resulting in large spending for past usage and appropriate license entitlement. From our experience, it is not uncommon for a mid to large-size organization to be millions of dollars out of compliance and not have insight or control over this, which is where a consultation proves invaluable.
Oracle for example offers a wide array of license types (perpetual, term, subscription, etc.) and metrics (named user, processors, etc.) that can create confusion around which type specifically fits your organization’s needs. On top of this, their robust product suite is extensive, covering databases, middleware, applications, and more. Each of the products can have different licensing rules & metrics which only adds to the complexity. Virtualization and cloud environments can further complicate licensing adding another layer of rules and considerations organizations must account for.
Oracle regularly updates its licensing policies, terms, and conditions and keeping up with these changes can be challenging. Your organization’s Oracle contract is often intricate, with specific clauses that can impact compliance. Understanding all these factors is imperative. Oracle has the right to regularly conduct audits to ensure compliance, adding more pressure to maintain accurate records and avoid potential penalties.
If you do not have an effective internal software asset management process or team managing these environments, small misinterpretations can inadvertently lead to non-compliance. Eclipsys recommends as best practice conducting semi-regular reviews using software asset management tracking tools to ensure your organization is not exposed and you are maintaining your environments based on your license entitlement.
Eclipsys provides advice on what your licensed for, what you are actively running, and where you want to be. Our review process here is called Discover, Reconcile, and Optimize (DRO). We have Oracle-approved tools and a proven methodology to give our partners insight into what is turned on, and where, and compare this against the contractual entitlements. We have supported many organizations in reviewing not only their database license entitlements but also their JAVA footprint across the organization as well, helping to protect against exposure in all areas. Eclipsys is proud to have saved our clients over $100 million through this proprietary license review methodology.