Case Study – Java Advisory Services – Avis Car Rental – $4.7M Claim Resolved at Zero Cost
Oracle claimed Avis owed $4.7 million for Java licensing. Final payment? $0.
In this case study video, we share how Redress Compliance helped Avis Car Rental completely eliminate a multi-million dollar Oracle Java licensing claim — without paying Oracle a cent.
Java was deeply embedded in Avis’s enterprise systems — but Oracle’s audit inflated risk based on assumptions, legacy deployments, and indirect use.
Redress Compliance stepped in with expert Java licensing analysis, audit strategy, and negotiation tactics that shut the claim down.
Background
Avis Car Rental is a global automotive and travel services company with over 20,000 employees and thousands of rental locations worldwide. With such a dispersed operation, the company relies on a range of enterprise systems for reservations, fleet management, and online customer services — many of which utilize Oracle’s Java platform.
Java powers critical back-end servers and front-end applications at rental counters and self-service kiosks. This pervasive use of Java makes it a backbone technology for Avis’s daily operations.
Challenges
Avis underwent an intensive Oracle audit focused on Java usage. Oracle claimed widespread non-compliance, identifying Java on hundreds of servers and desktops, and estimating a $4.7 million license exposure.
Key risks included heavy virtualization – Oracle argued that each Java-running VM required its license – and Java being embedded in custom or third-party systems without explicit licensing.
Oracle’s strict interpretation of ambiguous terms, coupled with high-pressure tactics for a quick settlement, left Avis with a stark choice: pay the multi-million-dollar claim or accept a costly, long-term Java subscription. Under urgent pressure and unsure of their true position, Avis sought help from Redress Compliance.
How Redress Compliance Helped
Redress Compliance stepped in with its expertise in Java licensing advisory and audit defense. The approach covered multiple fronts:
- Java Deployment Audit: The team audited all Java installations across Avis’s environment, differentiating Oracle’s Java from open-source versions. They identified which instances truly required a license and found that some servers were running OpenJDK, which did not require an Oracle license.
- Virtualization Footprint Optimization: Redress analyzed Java’s deployment on virtual machines. By containing Java instances to specific hosts and clusters, they dramatically reduced the number of installations Oracle could count.
- License Entitlements & Third-Party Review: They reviewed third-party software and existing contracts for Java usage rights. In several cases, Java embedded in vendor-supplied tools was already covered under the vendor’s agreements, eliminating those from Oracle’s claim. The team also reviewed prior Oracle agreements to identify any Java entitlements that could be leveraged.
- Audit Communication & Defense: Redress managed communications with Oracle’s auditors, ensuring only precise, necessary data was shared. By controlling the information flow and pushing back on unfounded claims, they prevented Oracle from inflating the scope, turning the audit into a fair fact-checking exercise.
- Oracle Negotiation: Using the detailed findings, Redress formulated a negotiation strategy. They presented Oracle with clear evidence that Avis’s compliance gap was far smaller than alleged and countered Oracle’s pressure with firm, fact-based arguments. Guided by Redress in negotiations, Oracle ultimately agreed to drop the claim entirely.
Outcome and Impact
Thanks to Redress Compliance’s intervention, Oracle withdrew its $4.7 million Java licensing claim. Avis did not pay a single dollar in fines or new license fees – the audit closed with a zero-cost outcome.
This result delivered immediate savings of nearly $5 million and avoided the ongoing expenses of any forced subscription. Beyond the financial win, Avis gained peace of mind and clarity regarding its Java usage. The company implemented stronger software asset management controls for Java, including a plan to utilize open-source Java going forward to reduce dependency on Oracle.
With compliance risks mitigated, Avis’s IT team can focus on innovation and service improvements rather than licensing disputes. In just a few months, Redress turned what could have been a multi-million-dollar liability into a complete zero-cost win for Avis.
Client Testimonial
“When Oracle told us we owed almost $5 million for Java, we were stunned. Redress Compliance came in and completely changed the outcome. Their deep knowledge of Oracle Java licensing and savvy negotiation skills saved us from paying a single dollar. They gave us a clear strategy to resolve the audit and even helped us future-proof our Java usage. It’s expertise we simply didn’t have in-house.”
– IT Procurement Lead, Global Car Rental Company
Call-to-Action
Is your company facing a Java audit or struggling with Oracle Java licensing challenges? Redress Compliance is here to help. Contact us for professional Java licensing advisory services and audit defense consultation. We specialize in Java contract negotiation and cost optimization, helping you avoid unnecessary costs and mitigate Java compliance risks.
