Oracle Contracts & General Advisory

Oracle licensing and contracts are complicated affairs. Getting unbiased support to help you make the best decisions is difficult. Redwood Compliance’s team of ex-Oracle LMS personnel will do just that.

Our Contracts and General Advisory service can be tailored to specific needs and requirements for our clients to provide support around any combination of the the following aspects related to Oracle licensing:

• Contract analysis. You may have any number of contracts. What does each one mean? What are your contractual exposures and obligations? We can analyze your contracts and assemble a complete picture of your agreements so you are aware of what your agreements allow, the important risks and pitfalls, and important stipulations and limitations.
• Education around key contract terms, Oracle licensing metrics and concepts like DR, virtualization, customization, and more. Oracle has made countless acquisitions over the years while its own licensing approach has continuously evolved as well. This makes Oracle licensing one of the most complex and least documented, and often times surrounded by “policies” and interpretations that are not documented.
  Pro-tips blog: What’s the meaning of “installed and/or running”?
  Pro-tips blog: The Oracle Partitioning Policy
  
• Negotiating new contracts. Redwood Compliance can provide negotiation support around pricing, license terms, limitations and stipulations, special allowances, coverage and other important factors that your Oracle sales reps may gloss over. With close support from Redwood Compliance throughout the contracting process, you will be able to look past “deep discounts” and fancy sales pitches, and be well informed and in control of the contract negotiation process.
  
• Pool of Funds (PoF), like ULAs, can be tricky and expensive if not thought through completely. With the enticement of deep discounts and supposed freedom (which is actually limited freedom!) to deploy software, a PoF can seem like an attractive option. With support from Redwood Compliance, you will have a complete understanding of the PoF, its benefits, and important “gotchas” that you should be aware. We will analyze PoF proposals in light of your needs and equip you to make the best decision.
  
• Mergers & Acquisitions. Mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures often pose unique challenges around the rights of the resulting entities to use Oracle licenses. For example, your contract may or may not be applicable to acquisitions. Conversely, carving out Oracle licenses in the event of a divestiture can be wrought with risks without expert assistance on Oracle licensing.
  Pro-tips blog: Pitfalls to avoid during mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
  
• Future planning. Are you considering a new DR implementation? Perhaps you are adding new clusters to your virtualized environment? Don’t be caught off guard on any future planning around your Oracle deployments without a clear and crisp understanding of the licensing and financial implications. Having clear answers from an un-biased Oracle licensing expert will clear your path forward.