The true cost of an Oracle license

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When it comes to enterprise software, there’s no company more controversial than Oracle. The database giant is known for its aggressive sales tactics and complicated licensing schemes, which can end up costing organizations a fortune. Here’s a closer look at why Oracle’s licensing is so complicated and hard to understand.

Complexity drives management cost up

One of the biggest complaints about Oracle is that its licensing is needlessly complex. There are a variety of different licenses available for Oracle products, and it can be difficult to figure out which one you need. Furthermore, Oracle often changes its licensing policies, making it even harder to keep track of what’s allowed and what isn’t.

Pricing model that can quicky escalate into multi-million costs

Another issue is that Oracle licenses are often very expensive. The cost of an Oracle license can vary depending on the edition of the software you’re using, the number of processors, or users, and other factors. In some cases, the cost of an Oracle license can be several times the cost of the underlying hardware.

Strict licensing rules

Lastly, Oracle is known for being inflexible when it comes to licensing. The company has been known to auditing customers and demanding exorbitant fees for non-compliance. This inflexibility can make it very difficult for organizations to budget for their Oracle costs.

The devil is in the details

Many companies still don’t fully understand the terms of their agreement with Oracle or the implications of non-compliance. Not following the terms of an Oracle license can result in expensive fines and other penalties. Additionally, companies may find themselves locked into long-term contracts without realizing it until it’s too late – leading to even more unexpected costs down the line. All in all,Oracle’s licensing policies are needlessly complex, expensive, and inflexible. These factors make it difficult for organizations to use Oracle products without breaking the bank. 

If you have no idea or are uncertain if your license position may put your company at risk, you most likely are non-compliant, and/or your usage is not optimised. It’s always good practice to use a tool that can help you determine and optimise your usage and/or talk to an expert whenever in doubt. 

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