One of the things that you should keep in mind when using Oracle products and software is to ensure that you are in complete compliance when it comes to licensing.
That may sound simple, but in practice it may not be that easy. License exposure happens when there are breaches or changes when it comes to your Oracle contracts, or when you increase your usage or if there are any changes to the physical architecture where you are using these software.
So instead of waiting for Oracle to do an audit, what should you do to make sure that your licenses are in order?
- First, be sure to take note of any changes as mentioned above. This will help you easily assess your risks every quarter. And do make assessments every quarter, because this will help you minimize any possible financial exposure.
- Then you have to consider a lot of other things. For example, are you planning to roll out a new data center in the future? Are you changing any server, storage or hardware in your current data centers? Are you changing or implementing a new disaster recovery plan? Are you thinking of moving into the cloud, or are you merging with another company? Is your organization moving to a new address, or have you changed your business name? Are you going to virtualize your software, or reorganizing your IT investments? These are some of the trigger events that could affect your Oracle licensing, which is why you should pay close attention to any of these events when it comes to your licensing. It will make sense to be proactive and find out what your exposure is when these events happen.
Only when you know your license exposure will you be able to realistically approach Oracle and negotiate for the best discounts in order to be adequately licensed. Contrast that to being challenged by the software giant and getting into an audit where you will not be able to negotiate and eventually you will invalidate any earlier discounts that you may have enjoyed.
The thing is, if you think that you would be safe with not tracking these trigger events, then think again. Your Oracle sales rep is doing his or her homework. And while your sales rep might want to sell you more products and give you more value, they might be pressured to force you to comply.
Another thing that you should remember is to make sure to take stock when a senior IT staff or senior buyer leaves the company. You would need to ensure that there are no licensing holes that are left open.
When it comes to licensing, it really pays to be proactive. It is better to know your licensing requirements and be able to negotiate for the best price rather than be put on the defensive under an audit. The good news is that you can rely on Four Cornerstone to assist you. We can help you ensure that you are adequately covered by your licenses each time your company undergoes these trigger events and more. We can also help you get the best discounts, too. More than that, Four Cornerstone can easily review your current licensing status and find out if there are things that you should look into. Contact us for a confidential consultation through our contact form.
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