What Should Your Oracle Strategy Look Like in 2025?

As Oracle licensing experts, Redress Compliance works with 100-150 customers each year on various services, from licensing assessments to cloud migrations.

We help clients tackle challenges with Java licensing, reduce Oracle support costs, manage audits, and navigate ULAs.

Our goal is to provide tailored solutions that address each company’s unique challenges, helping them navigate the complex landscape of Oracle licensing. So, what are most companies focusing on in 2025?

1. Java Licensing: The Highest Priority for 95% of Our Customers

Java licensing is at the top of most organizations' agendas. With Oracle now enforcing stricter compliance, companies are racing to avoid unexpected costs.

Here’s what we’re seeing:

• Risk of Licensing Issues: Oracle tends to reach out when they detect compliance risks. This can lead to surprise costs and pressure to buy licenses.
• Our Solution: We assist clients in proactively dealing with these risks by removing unnecessary Java installations and transitioning to free alternatives like OpenJDK or Azul.

Key Steps for Java Strategy:

• Identify and Remove Unused Installations: Conduct a thorough audit to understand what Java installations exist. Many businesses find that 90% of their installations aren’t required.
• Transition to Free Versions: The remaining 10% can often be covered by transitioning to free versions. Examples include: Java 201 or earlier or later versions of Java such as 17 and onwards
• Plan for Oracle’s Soft Audit: Be prepared. Oracle may initiate a soft audit to verify compliance. Knowing what installations are present and their status helps you respond confidently.

Example: A large retail company we worked with had over 500 Java installations. After auditing, we determined that only 50 were needed, which they transitioned to OpenJDK. This saved them millions in licensing fees.

2. Reducing Oracle Support Costs

Legacy Oracle support contracts can lead to significant expenses—often with companies paying for licenses they no longer use. With more systems moving to the cloud, clients are eager to reduce unnecessary costs tied to legacy support agreements.

How We Help Reduce Costs:

• Developing a Practical Roadmap: The first step is to fully understand what licenses are in use and which aren’t. This is achieved through a licensing assessment.
• Exploring Cost-Saving Options:

Client Success: One of our clients, a manufacturing company, managed to reduce Oracle support costs by 40% by moving critical applications to the cloud and engaging third-party support for legacy systems. This led to savings of over $5 million in just three years.

Steps to Reduce Oracle Support Costs:

1. Conduct a Licensing Assessment: Identify which licenses are needed and which are no longer used.
2. Evaluate Cloud and Third-Party Options: Consider a mix of cloud migration, third-party support, or consolidation.
3. Execute the Roadmap: Work with experts like Redress Compliance to carry out the strategy safely and effectively.

3. Staying Compliant with Oracle Licensing

Oracle regularly audits customers to verify compliance, and non-compliance penalties can be severe. The best approach is proactive management through regular internal assessments.

How to Stay Ahead:

• Annual Licensing Assessments: Conducting licensing assessments every 12 months allows you to spot and address compliance issues before Oracle audits. This way, there are no surprises.
• Tools and Techniques: At Redress Compliance, we use the same tools that Oracle uses during official audits, ensuring an accurate understanding of your licensing position.
• Avoiding Unnecessary Costs: Companies avoid buying licenses under pressure by maintaining compliance, often at a premium cost.

Practical Steps for Licensing Compliance:

• Use Audit Tools: Oracle uses specific scripts and tools during audits. By using the same tools internally, you gain visibility into potential non-compliance issues before Oracle does.
• Get Expert Analysis: Have experts like us analyze the results. If any compliance gaps are identified—sometimes amounting to millions—we work to resolve them without purchasing unnecessary licenses.
• Optimize and Adjust: Regular reviews help clean up unnecessary use and optimize your license footprint.

Case Study: A tech firm faced a potential compliance issue with an estimated cost of $3 million. By conducting an internal audit, we identified unnecessary usage and adjusted their deployment, bringing them into compliance without purchasing additional licenses.

Practical Tips for Executing Your Oracle Strategy

To execute your Oracle strategy effectively, you need practical steps for each of these focus areas:

1. Java Strategy:
2. Reduce Support Costs:
3. Conduct Regular Licensing Assessments:

Time to Build Your Oracle Strategy for 2025

The focus for 2025 is clear: transition away from Java to cut costs, reduce Oracle support costs by assessing and optimizing licenses, and stay compliant through proactive assessments.

With the increasing complexity of Oracle licensing, having a clear strategy and knowledgeable partners is more critical than ever.

Why Work with Redress Compliance?

• Expertise: We work with 100-150 clients annually, offering specialized guidance for Oracle licensing.
• Customized Roadmaps: We provide tailored roadmaps for reducing costs and achieving compliance for Java and other products
• Long-Term Savings: Our approach ensures cost savings, compliance, and peace of mind.

Redress Compliance is ready to guide you through every step of this process. We help you navigate complex decisions, create actionable plans, and execute them smoothly.

If you're planning your Oracle strategy and want an experienced partner, reach out to learn more about our services and how we can help you succeed. Together, we can make 2025 the year you take full control of your Oracle licensing, cut unnecessary expenses, and confidently move toward your business goals.

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