Licensing
Oracle Database 23ai – Release Update 23.9: What SAM Teams Need to Know
Oracle just released Oracle Database 23ai – Release Update 23.9, and it’s packed with enhancements that dramatically improve developer productivity, data management flexibility, security, and operations. From compile-time JavaScript checks to smarter AI‑vector indexing, this latest release reflects Oracle’s continued leadership in enterprise-grade, adaptive databases. Developer Productivity and SQL Enhancements Security & Access Control Data,…
Read MoreFrom Free to Fee: Bitnami’s Bold Shift and What It Means for DevOps
Broadcom has officially confirmed that Bitnami’s free container catalog will end on August 28, 2025, replaced by high-cost subscription tiers ranging from $50,000 to $72,000 per year for enterprise-grade access. This transition marks another step in Broadcom’s playbook, acquire, monetize, and accept customer churn for higher per‑customer revenue. What’s Actually Changing? Why This Matters The Reality for…
Read MoreHow Sui is Building a Blockchain for Software Licensing at Scale
The world of software licensing has long been a centralized affair, governed by complex agreements, restrictive terms, and the constant specter of vendor audits. For years, blockchain technology has been touted as a potential solution, promising a future of immutable ownership records and transparent, automated compliance. However, the dream has often been hampered by the…
Read MoreEuropean Cloud Providers Drag Broadcom’s VMware Deal into Court
The legal battle over Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has entered a critical new phase, as the trade body Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) formally seeks the annulment of the European Commission’s decision to approve the deal.¹ In a detailed legal filing, CISPE has accused the EU’s top regulator of committing “a catalogue of…
Read MoreThe Next Frontier of SAM: Your Next Asset Class Will Be a Robot
For decades, Software Asset Management (SAM) professionals have wrestled with an ever-expanding list of assets. From physical servers in the data center to virtual machines, cloud instances, and user-based subscriptions, the definition of a “software asset” has constantly evolved. Now, a glimpse of the next great leap is emerging, and it has two legs. The…
Read MoreWest Northamptonshire Council’s Saves £1 Million on Microsoft in Post-Merger License Consolidation
In an era of tightening public sector budgets, a £1 million saving is a significant victory for taxpayers. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has achieved just that, securing approximately $1.25 million USD in savings through a renewed and consolidated software licensing agreement with Microsoft.¹ This achievement is more than just a successful negotiation; it is a…
Read MoreHow Kerala’s Schools Saved $360 Million by Swtching to Open Source
In the world of public sector IT, a savings of a few million dollars is considered a major victory. The southern Indian state of Kerala, however, has achieved something on a completely different scale. By systematically replacing proprietary software with a custom Linux-based operating system across its government schools, the state has realized an estimated…
Read MoreA Turning Point for Digital Sovereignty in the Netherlands
In a striking move on March 18, 2025, the Dutch Parliament approved a series of motions urging the government to reduce its dependence on U.S. software companies. These measures emphasize the creation of a national cloud services platform under full Dutch control and push for the active development of European alternatives. Motivations: Autonomy, Cybersecurity, and…
Read MoreThe Best-Kept Secret is Out: Red Hat Confirms No-Cost RHEL is for Businesses Too
In a move aimed at clearing long-standing confusion and countering the rise of community-driven clones, Red Hat has explicitly clarified its stance on the use of its no-cost Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) subscription. For years, a “best-kept secret” among savvy IT professionals was that the free “Red Hat Developer Subscription for Individuals” could be…
Read MoreA New Deal for Europe: Microsoft Unveils Consumption-Based Licensing for Windows Server
Microsoft has announced a significant change to its licensing model for Windows Server in Europe, introducing a new “Cloud-Optimized” option that allows local cloud providers to offer the ubiquitous operating system on a pay-as-you-go basis.² This move, which directly addresses long-standing complaints of anti-competitive behavior, is a major concession aimed at leveling the playing field…
Read MoreA Final Reprieve: Microsoft Announces Paid Extended Security Updates for Exchange and Skype Servers
Microsoft has officially announced a paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, offering a six-month window of continued security patches beyond the products’ end-of-support date. The move is a direct response to customer feedback, providing a crucial, albeit temporary, lifeline for organizations that are in the process of migrating but…
Read MoreThe Price of Freedom: Confronting the Sustainability Crisis in Open Source
The modern digital world, a multi-trillion dollar economy of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and global connectivity, is built upon a foundation that is paradoxically both immensely powerful and dangerously fragile. This foundation is free and open-source software (FOSS), a vast ecosystem of tools and components often maintained by a handful of volunteers. For decades, the…
Read MoreOracle’s Database@AWS Launch Signals Multicloud Pivot While Preserving License Revenue Streams
Oracle’s recent launch of Database@AWS represents a fundamental strategic shift that simultaneously embraces multicloud flexibility while ingeniously preserving the company’s lucrative perpetual licensing model. The general availability announcement, coupled with aggressive Bring Your Own License (BYOL) incentives offering 76% cost savings, reveals a sophisticated approach to maintaining market relevance in an increasingly cloud-native world while…
Read MoreVMware Extended Support Lifecycles Signal Strategic Retreat Amid Customer Backlash
In a significant strategic pivot that reflects mounting enterprise resistance to Broadcom’s aggressive licensing overhaul, VMware has fundamentally altered its product development approach by extending release cycles from two to three years while simultaneously expanding support lifecycles. The changes, announced alongside the general availability of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, represent what industry analysts characterize as…
Read MoreMicrosoft’s Concessions to European Cloud Providers: A Stalling Tactic or a Step to Fair Competition?
A recent agreement between Microsoft and Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) has brought a new chapter to the long-running saga of antitrust scrutiny faced by the software giant in the region.[2] After a formal complaint was filed in November 2022, Microsoft has offered a series of concessions aimed at appeasing European cloud providers…
Read MoreOracle Java Audits Surge: 73% of Users Targeted as Licensing Changes Drive Mass Migration to Open Source
A startling new survey has revealed the extent of Oracle’s aggressive audit campaign targeting Java users, with nearly three out of four organizations reporting they have been audited within the past three years. The findings, which paint a picture of an industry under siege from escalating compliance costs and licensing complexity, are driving an unprecedented…
Read MoreVMware Reboots Partner Program Again: Smaller Cloud Providers Face Uncertain Future
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the virtualization industry, VMware has announced the second major overhaul of its partner program in just 18 months, effectively ending the current channel program and transitioning to a new invitation-only model that will exclude many smaller cloud service providers. The announcement, which came with little advance warning,…
Read MoreThe Hire and License Out (HALO) Effect
Since AI became mainstream, a new type of transaction has emerged that is fundamentally changing how tech giants acquire talent and technology. These deals, dubbed “HALO” transactions, an acronym for “Hire and License Out”, represent a novel approach to talent acquisition that shares characteristics of both traditional hiring and corporate acquisitions, yet isn’t quite either[1].…
Read MoreTelefónica Germany Ditches Broadcom, Opts for Third-Party VMware Support
In a move that sends a clear signal to the rest of the industry, Telefónica Germany, one of the country’s largest telecommunications providers, has dropped direct VMware support from Broadcom. The company has instead signed a multi-year deal with third-party support specialist Spinnaker Support. This decision reflects the growing dissatisfaction among large enterprise customers following…
Read MoreThe End of Ownership: More Software Licensing Upheaval is on the Horizon for SAP Customers
The world of enterprise software is in a state of perpetual flux, but the ground is shifting more rapidly than ever under the feet of IT leaders and procurement managers. Recent years have seen a relentless wave of licensing changes from major vendors, and according to industry analysts, this is not a temporary storm but…
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