A major Middle Eastern bank was preparing to certify its Oracle Unlimited License Agreement across a complex database environment spanning on-premise systems and Oracle-engineered systems. With $5 million in potential non-compliance exposure and over $200 million in future Oracle investment at stake, the bank needed expert guidance to navigate the certification process successfully.
A prominent bank in the Middle East was approaching the expiry of its Oracle Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) — a fixed-term contract that grants unlimited deployment rights for specified Oracle products. At the end of the ULA term, the bank needed to "certify" — a formal process where the enterprise declares to Oracle exactly how many licences of each product it has deployed. Those certified quantities then become the bank's perpetual licence entitlements going forward.
The bank's Oracle environment was substantial and complex: a large-scale database estate spanning multiple on-premise data centres and including Oracle-engineered systems (Exadata, Exalogic). The environment supported core banking operations, risk management, regulatory reporting, and customer-facing digital platforms. With hundreds of Oracle Database instances, middleware components, and associated Options and Packs across this estate, the certification process required meticulous accuracy.
The bank engaged Redress Compliance to provide independent advisory throughout the ULA certification process — from initial assessment through to final certification with Oracle.
"ULA certification is one of the highest-stakes moments in an enterprise's Oracle relationship. Get it right, and you can lock in perpetual licences worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Get it wrong — by under-certifying, missing deployments, or failing to maximise your deployment before the certification window closes — and you leave enormous value on the table. This bank understood that and brought us in early enough to make a material difference."
— Fredrik Filipsson, Co-Founder, Redress Compliance| Challenge | Detail | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Non-compliance exposure | Initial assessment revealed a potential $5 million non-compliance risk — Oracle products deployed outside the scope of the ULA, or in configurations that Oracle could challenge during certification | A compliance gap discovered during certification could derail the process entirely, forcing the bank into an unfavourable negotiation with Oracle or triggering a costly true-up |
| Complex database environment | The bank's Oracle estate spanned multiple data centres with Oracle-engineered systems (Exadata), virtualised environments, and hundreds of database instances running various editions with Options and Packs | Incomplete or inaccurate inventory could result in under-certification (leaving licence value on the table) or over-certification (drawing Oracle's scrutiny and potential disputes) |
| Oracle-engineered systems | Exadata and other Oracle-engineered hardware have specific licensing rules and counting methodologies that differ from standard x86 environments | Misapplying processor counts or core factors on engineered systems could result in significant certification errors — Oracle audits engineered systems closely |
| Maximisation opportunity | The bank needed to deploy Oracle software strategically before the certification window closed to maximise the perpetual licence count it would receive — ensuring future needs were covered without additional purchases | Failing to maximise deployments before certification meant the bank would need to purchase additional Oracle licences at list price in future — potentially hundreds of millions of dollars |
| Oracle communication management | The certification process requires formal communication with Oracle, including the submission of deployment data and licence counts. Oracle's certification team scrutinises submissions and may challenge counts | Poor communication or incomplete documentation could lead to Oracle rejecting the certification, delaying the process, or using the opportunity to push the bank toward a ULA renewal instead |
The $5M non-compliance risk was a certification blocker. If Oracle discovered the compliance gap during the certification review, the bank would have faced a choice: pay $5M+ to remediate at Oracle's list pricing, or agree to a ULA renewal on Oracle's terms. Either path would have cost the bank significantly more than addressing the issue proactively before certification.
Redress Compliance provided a comprehensive seven-step engagement to guide the bank through every phase of the ULA certification process:
Redress deployed Oracle licence measurement scripts across the bank's entire estate to establish a clear, accurate picture of the licensing position. This included all on-premise servers, Oracle-engineered systems, virtualised environments, and every Oracle product, edition, Option, and Pack in use. The scripts identified exactly what was deployed, where it was deployed, and how it should be counted under Oracle's licensing rules.
The script analysis revealed the $5 million non-compliance risk — products deployed outside ULA scope and configurations that Oracle could challenge. Redress provided expert remediation advice to address every identified gap. Through targeted remediation strategies (re-configuration, migration, and deployment adjustments), the non-compliance risk was reduced to zero before the certification process began.
Redress developed a tailored strategy to maximise the value of the bank's current ULA before certification. This meant identifying every opportunity to deploy additional Oracle software — strategically expanding database instances, enabling Options and Packs, and deploying to additional servers — within the ULA's unlimited deployment window. The goal: ensure the certified licence count would be large enough to cover the bank's projected needs for years to come, eliminating the need for future Oracle purchases.
Redress guided the bank's IT team through the execution of the maximisation strategy. Each deployment was documented, verified against Oracle's counting rules, and validated to ensure it would be accepted during certification. The result: over $200 million in additional licence value secured through strategic deployment before the certification window closed.
Redress created a detailed certification plan covering timelines, documentation requirements, Oracle submission procedures, and contingency plans for any Oracle challenges. The plan ensured the bank was fully prepared for every stage of the certification process — from initial notification to Oracle through to final acceptance.
Redress completed all Oracle ULA documentation required for the certification process — including the formal certification letter, detailed deployment inventories, processor and core count calculations, and supporting evidence for every licence claimed. Every document was prepared to Oracle's standards and designed to withstand scrutiny from Oracle's certification review team.
Redress provided answers and communication advice throughout the engagement to ensure the bank was equipped to handle any queries or issues from Oracle during certification. This included coaching on Oracle's likely challenges, pre-prepared responses to common certification questions, and strategic guidance on managing the Oracle relationship during and after certification.
Everything enterprises need to know about Oracle ULA certification — from maximisation strategies to the common mistakes that leave millions on the table. Based on dozens of real-world ULA engagements.
Download Whitepaper →The bank successfully certified its Oracle ULA, converting unlimited deployment rights into permanent perpetual licence entitlements. The $5 million non-compliance risk that could have derailed the entire process was identified and eliminated before Oracle's review. Most critically, the strategic maximisation of the ULA before certification secured over $200 million in licence value — ensuring the bank would not need to purchase additional Oracle software in the future.
The certification was accepted by Oracle without dispute. All documentation, processor counts, and licence calculations were prepared to Oracle's standards and withstood the full certification review process.
"Working with Redress Compliance has been a game-changer for us. Their in-depth understanding of Oracle ULA and its strategic approach enabled us to navigate the certification process with confidence. They mitigated a substantial non-compliance risk and identified significant savings opportunities. Their support throughout the process was unparalleled. I highly recommend their services to any organisation dealing with Oracle ULA."
| Lesson | What This Case Demonstrates |
|---|---|
| Start ULA certification planning early | The bank engaged Redress well before the certification deadline — allowing time for thorough discovery, remediation, and maximisation. Enterprises that wait until the last months before ULA expiry miss the maximisation window and face unnecessary pressure |
| Non-compliance must be resolved before certification | The $5M compliance gap would have given Oracle leverage to push for a ULA renewal or demand back-licensing fees. Addressing non-compliance proactively eliminated Oracle's leverage and allowed the bank to certify cleanly |
| Maximisation is where the real value lies | The $200M+ in secured value came from strategic deployment before certification — not from the certification itself. Every Oracle instance deployed during the ULA window becomes a perpetual licence at certification. Enterprises that certify without maximising first leave enormous value on the table |
| Oracle-engineered systems require specialist knowledge | Exadata and other engineered systems have specific licensing rules that differ from standard x86 environments. Miscounting processors or cores on these systems can result in certification errors or Oracle disputes. Specialist expertise is essential |
| Documentation must withstand Oracle scrutiny | Oracle's certification review team examines every submission. Incomplete, inaccurate, or poorly structured documentation can lead to certification rejection or delays. Professional-grade documentation — prepared to Oracle's own standards — is critical for smooth certification |
| Independent advice changes the outcome | Oracle has a strong incentive to encourage ULA renewal rather than certification (renewals generate new revenue for Oracle). An independent advisor ensures the enterprise's interests are prioritised — not Oracle's. The bank's decision to engage independent counsel was the foundation of its successful outcome |
"The single biggest mistake enterprises make with Oracle ULA is certifying too early — before they've maximised their deployment. Every day of the ULA is an opportunity to deploy more Oracle software that becomes yours permanently at certification. This bank understood that principle and used it to secure $200M+ in future value. That doesn't happen by accident — it requires a deliberate strategy executed with precision."
— Fredrik Filipsson, Co-Founder, Redress ComplianceUnder-certifying, failing to maximise, missing compliance gaps, and falling for Oracle's renewal pressure — this whitepaper covers the most common ULA mistakes and how to avoid them.
Download Whitepaper →Whether you're approaching ULA expiry, considering certification vs renewal, or need to maximise your deployment before the certification window closes — our team has guided dozens of enterprises through the ULA certification process, securing billions in combined licence value.
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