Oracle licensing

What Is an Oracle License?

Oracle is among the oldest and most popular enterprise-focused relational database management systems (RDBMS). Users must follow Oracle’s terms of use to avoid non-compliance or violation of intellectual property rights.

If your organization uses the RDBMS, you should schedule an Oracle license audit to match your applications with what’s legally accommodated.

What is an Oracle license?

Oracle Licensing and Compliance

Oracle database comes in five bundled editions, including Standard Edition One, Standard, Enterprise, Express, and Personal. The Enterprise edition packs security, performance, and scalability features and is vital for critical online transaction processing applications.

Oracle is owned by Oracle Corporation, which grants the right to use the software through license and sublicense agreements.

Unauthorized and unlicensed use of the software can amount to non-compliance, breach of contract, or violation of intellectual property rights. In some cases, the non-compliance is deliberate.

Businesses may also violate the terms unintentionally if they lack knowledge about the applicable license terms. Working with an Oracle license management firm can prevent such scenarios. License management ensures control over the use and distribution of the software within the organization.

What If I Don’t Comply

Oracle is robust software with many applications and benefits. It’s virtually invaluable for online enterprises, and the only alternative is similar DBMS solutions.

Oracle Corporation protects contractual agreements and intellectual property rights for fair and proper usage. The company can help clients obtain and maintain adequate licenses for their provided programs.

Organizations using unlicensed Oracle programs will be found and fined for breach of terms and intellectual property rights. The act is considered fraudulent and can result in various negative impacts on your business.

Oracle usually gives users a 30-day grace period to obtain an adequate license and avoid fines. Purchasing a suitable license is advisable to prevent non-compliance and fraud inquiries.

Tips to Avoid Non-compliance

License managers, contract managers, and IT procurement teams should approach licensing cautiously to avoid non-compliance. Breaching license laws can result in fines and a bad business reputation.

The company may also deny rights to use the software, which could mean settling for less desirable alternatives.

Purchase Adequate License

Oracle editions come with unique features. You should review company needs and determine the programs needed from the package. Next, choose a license that has all the needed Oracle programs. You can perform an Oracle license audit to determine if you need to scale up or down based on your business needs.

Leverage Oracle Licensing Experts

Working with experienced Oracle licensing firms and professionals is sure to avoid non-compliance and license violations. A licensing management firm can audit your current license to gauge whether it covers demonstrated usage. The pros will help you scale up or down to enjoy Oracle programs without breaching their terms.

Author

  • Fredrik Filipsson

    Fredrik Filipsson possesses 20 years of experience in Oracle license management. Having worked at Oracle for 9 years, he gained an additional 11 years of expertise in Oracle license consulting projects. Fredrik has provided assistance to over 150 organizations worldwide, ranging in size and tackling various Oracle licensing challenges, including Licensing Assessments, Oracle audits, Oracle ULAs, and more.