5 Challenges You’ll Face When Your Oracle Java Subscription Ends
Letting your Oracle Java subscription end creates many complications. You lose support from Oracle and expose your organization to five major challenges that your team must handle carefully.
Read Is Your Java License Agreement Expiring? 10 Things You Must Know.
1. Audit and Compliance Risk
When a subscription lapses, any ongoing use of Oracle Java is technically unlicensed. Oracle actively scans for usage and may initiate an audit. They may start with a “soft audit” email or phone call offering a license review and escalate to a formal audit if needed.
- Risk: You could owe back-licenses for past usage, plus penalties or interest. Audit penalties can be substantial.
- Challenge: Finding and documenting every Java installation under audit pressure is hard, especially without a valid license.
- Auditor tactics: Oracle auditors might require deployment logs or system scans. They often cross-check your organization’s downloads against your license records.
- Impact Example: One large bank went through a Java audit and discovered over 500 untracked Oracle JDK installs. They paid for all past usage and a 22% support fee.
If you can’t immediately prove compliance, negotiations can be tough. Even if you clean up usage now, retroactive billing often applies. Keep an updated inventory to avoid surprises (see How to Prepare for tips on staying ahead).
2. Software and Application Dependencies
Many applications rely on Java. Some common cases are:
- Enterprise software: WebLogic, WebSphere, Hadoop, Elasticsearch, and others often bundle Oracle Java.
- In-house apps: Custom Java applications or shared libraries within your company.
- Tools and pipelines: Java runtimes are used by CI/CD systems, build tools (Jenkins, Maven), and QA/testing environments.
- Devices and IoT: Embedded systems or devices might run on Java and expect regular updates.
Without a subscription, you cannot get Oracle security patches after expiry. Legacy apps that depend on Oracle-specific behavior may fail or remain vulnerable. For example, a logistics company ran a set of handheld devices on Oracle Java.
When a serious vulnerability was discovered, they couldn’t apply Oracle’s fix and had to scramble for an alternate solution.
To mitigate this, catalog all dependent software. If applications don’t need Oracle’s commercial features, plan to move them to a supported OpenJDK. Our OpenJDK migration guide shows steps to do this safely.
3. Misconceptions About Java
Java licensing can be confusing. Many people wrongly assume Oracle Java is free or always covered:
- “Java is free!” Developers often think of Java as open source. While OpenJDK is free, Oracle’s production JDK requires a paid subscription for updates and commercial use.
- One-time purchase myth: Some believe buying Java once covers all future use. Oracle changed this model; the new Java SE is only subscription-based.
- Cloud usage confusion: Running Oracle Java in AWS or Azure requires you to count it under your license terms. It’s not simply free in the cloud.
- Legacy habits: Developers might keep using Oracle Java out of habit, and teams may not realize that each install is a license consideration.
These misunderstandings lead to hidden usage. For instance, a services firm found dozens of developer machines with Oracle Java installed by default. The team assumed it wasn’t tracked. Only later did the SAM lead realize this counted against their licenses.
Education: Clear communication is needed. Explain that using Oracle Java without a valid contract is a violation. Point teams to open-source Java alternatives. Our cost-benefit analysis can help decide if staying with Oracle is worth the investment.
4. Internal Coordination Issues
Java usage spans multiple teams. Without coordination, problems grow:
- Siloed teams: Dev, Ops, and security often keep Java details separate. For example, the development team might update Java without telling operations, leading to mismatched versions in production.
- Mixed priorities: Developers want new JDK features, operations want stability and fewer vendors, and finance wants to cut costs. These conflicting goals can delay decisions.
- Lack of documentation: Many organizations lack up-to-date documentation on where Java is deployed. During an audit, teams may scramble to find information.
- No single owner: If no one is responsible for Java licensing, usage goes unchecked, and compliance gaps appear.
This confusion slows any response to license issues. For example, if infrastructure and development teams don’t share data during an audit, finding all instances is difficult.
To address this, a cross-functional team (including SAM, IT, and legal) should be formed to oversee Java usage and licensing decisions. See How to Prepare for guidance on assembling a team.
5. Ongoing Support and Security Concerns
Once your subscription ends, Oracle will no longer provide:
- Security patches: You will not receive fixes for vulnerabilities in your Oracle Java installations. Public exploits can leave your systems exposed.
- Technical support: If a business-critical application fails due to Java issues, Oracle’s support line won’t help without a current contract.
- Compliance guarantees: Some industries require timely patching. Running unpatched Oracle Java can violate compliance policies.
For example, if a zero-day vulnerability affecting Java is discovered, you must rush an alternate patch. Many companies switch to supported OpenJDK builds or third-party support to cover this. Vendors like Azul Systems or Amazon Corretto offer enterprise support. Note that third-party support comes at a cost but may still be lower than renewing with Oracle.
Planning: Before expiry, decide how you will handle security updates. Options include:
- Moving to a supported OpenJDK (e.g., Azul Zulu or Temurin) and relying on community or vendor patches.
- Purchasing commercial support from a third party.
- Upgrading to a newer Java release that has vendor support.
Prepare the operations team for your chosen path. Ensure they can access updates or support channels after the Oracle contract ends.
Recommendations
- Keep a current inventory: Track all Java installations and versions in your environment continuously.
- Educate teams: Ensure developers, ops, and business units understand licensing rules and the difference between Oracle JDK and OpenJDK.
- Centralized governance: Assign a team or person to own Java licensing decisions and audit responses.
- Develop a patch plan: Know how to obtain security patches (e.g., from an OpenJDK provider or third-party) if you don’t renew Oracle support.
- Engage early: Don’t wait for an audit notice. Prepare your approach using resources like What to Do If Oracle Starts a Java Audit and start executing it.
See Also
- How to Prepare for an Oracle Java License Expiration
- How to Migrate from Oracle Java to OpenJDK: A Practical Guide
- What to Do If Oracle Starts a Java Audit After Expiration
- Should You Renew Your Oracle Java Agreement? A Cost-Benefit Analysis
