Java License Changes are forcing customers to relook at their Java strategy and costs
Impact of Java License Changes
From January 2019, Oracle changed the licensing policy around Java. And, again in January 2023, Oracle change the licensing metric for Java. From a predominantly ‘free’ Java for most use cases, Oracle Java has been migrated to a largely commercial licensing model. This has given rise to potential license non-compliance risks and brought in a new revenue stream for Oracle.
Java’s licensing maze increases costs exponentially
For enterprises worldwide, navigating the ever-shifting landscape of Java licensing has become a growing headache. The pressure on customers to pay huge license fees for Java is immense adding to the challenges of an already stretched IT budget. Oracle’s recent overhaul of the Java license metric has drastically inflated the cost of Java usage, with estimates suggesting a 10-fold to 14-fold increase.
Our Java License Assessment Service & Analyzer is designed to provide customers a deep dive into current usage patterns to avoid compliance penalties.
This squeeze forces organizations to rethink their Java footprint, starting with a clear picture of their existing deployments.
Scope of Work in our Java License Assessment Service
The scope of our Java License Assessment Service includes:
- Java deployment discovery
- Data Normalization & Identifying to Oracle Java Agreements
- Contracts & Entitlement Analysis (Oracle and third party)
- Normalization with third party entitlements
- Normalization with other Oracle entitlements
- Reporting
- Negotiations and Hand Holding
Java Deployment Discovery & Raw Data Reporting
- Raw data discovery
- Support troubleshooting for the discovery
- Report Raw Deployment – with the Hostname, Path, Publisher, Version, Product information as scanned
Data Normalization & Contracts Analysis
- Process Raw Data – incl virtual env mappings
- Classify deployments into Oracle, Non-Oracle, OpenJDK and various Oracle Java agreements
- Normalization with Oracle and third-party entitlements
- Provide processed Deployment Report with Product information as scanned and thereafter Classification of Deployment
Reporting
- Determine license requirements on as is basis post completion of discovery
- Remediation and Rebalancing Recommendations
- Oracle deal structuring advisory
Negotiations & Hand-Holding
- Reviewing and drafting communication from/to Oracle
- Strategic and tactical plays for negotiations
- Reviews of commercial offers and agreement terms
- Participation in negotiations.
What is the current status in Oracle Java license audits?
We have started seeing formal audits of end-user companies for their usage of Java since June 2022, there have also been been an increase in
- Discussions on wrong usage of Java and persuasion to purchase licenses
- Formal discussions for purchase of Java subscriptions
- Audits of third-party ISVs for their sales & sub-license of Java
We expect Java license audits to move into prime-time in 2024 and 2025.
What is expected in the future?
Oracle has always created new revenue streams from older products and licensing models. The same could hold true for Java. Oracle will try to make Java one of their largest revenue generators in FY 2023-24 and beyond.
What should you do today?
Get visibility. Understanding your deployment, license rights, and alternatives.
Conduct an internal Java License review and work through the compliance issues. The review will help you explore the need to
- Procure Oracle Java licenses
- Migrate to alternative Java platforms
- Work with your third-party development teams for obtaining coverage for Java usage.
How can we help?
We have developed discovery and license normalization techniques to provide you with an enterprise-wide Java (from Oracle, Open source, IBM, RedHat, etc) deployment inventory as well as a Java ELP. Using our services, you will be able understand your exposure, if any, to Java license fees.
We will assess the deployments, estimate potential savings, analyse risks & license non-compliance exposures and recommend optimizations.
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