Java SE Universal Subscription Employee – Explained

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Java SE Universal Subscription Employee

  • Oracle modified its pricing plan for Java SE licenses on January 23. Employee for Java SE Universal Subscription has replaced the previous Named User Plus Licensing (user licenses) and Processor licenses (server licenses) on the company’s price list. Named User Plus Licensing (user licenses) and Processor licenses (server licensing) are no longer available for purchase as a result of this change.
  • Existing license agreements, including Java BCL, Java OTN, and Java NFTC, remain in effect.
  • The modification only affects the licensing metric and not the usage terms. It is vital to remember that the new pricing model is employee-based, with multiple price tiers for varying employee counts.

How to license Employee for Java?

Employee for Java SE Universal Subscription: Clarifying

The definition of Licensing is given on the Java Price list.

Employee for Java SE Universal Subscription is defined as I all of Your full-time, part-time, and temporary workers and (ii) all of Your agents, contractors, outsourcers, and consultants who support Your internal business operations.

What does this indicate:

Oracle defines “employee” as an enterprise-wide statistic that includes full-time, part-time, temporary, and independent contractors. To determine the total number of licenses required, you must perform the appropriate calculations.


“The needed number of licenses is based on the number of Employees, not merely the number of employees who requires the Programs,”

This indicates that licensing requirements should not be calculated based on the number of Java users, but rather using the “employee” calculation. This is a well-known enterprise license statistic that Oracle has for other products.


“For these Java SE Universal Subscription licenses, the amount purchased must be at least equal to the number of Employees as of the order’s effective date. Under this Employee statistic for Java SE Universal Subscription Program(s), the number of active employees is measured.”

This indicates that you cannot purchase less than this quantity.

“You may only install and/or operate the Java SE Universal Subscription Program(s) on a maximum of 50,000 Processors; if Your use exceeds 50,000 Processors, excluding Processors installed and/or running on desktop and laptop computers, you must obtain an additional license from Oracle.”

If you need to license more than 50,000 processors covering servers, you must contact Oracle to obtain additional licenses.

What impact will Java SE have on consumers who have already purchased it:

  • Oracle has said in its FAQ that existing customers may renew their contracts on existing terms and pricing.
  • It is crucial to note, however, that Oracle historically refused to accept purchases for Java SE licenses unless the end client provided deployment information with the Oracle sales staff.
  • Given this licensing model shift, it is anticipated that Oracle sales teams will not renew orders under the previous licensing model and will instead attempt to persuade clients to adopt the new employee license metric.
  • Oracle will likely contact you soon if you are an existing Java SE client to discuss your company’s transition to the new employee license.
  • It is crucial to highlight that if you use Java SE for internal business processes, this new pricing model could be advantageous, as the price will be reduced for more personnel. However, if you use Java SE for external clients or other purposes, it may be more costly than in the past.

What effect will it have on consumers who have not yet purchased Java SE:

  • For Java SE subscriptions, the new employee license metric will be the only choice for new clients.
  • Customers that have not yet purchased Java SE will have the option to acquire a new employee license, but they will also be able to uninstall Java SE if doing so is compatible with their operations.
  • Additionally, consumers may choose not to purchase Java SE at all and run without licensing and without security patches. However, this is not suggested because it exposes the customer to significant security concerns and legal liabilities.
  • Alternatives to Java SE, such as OpenJDK, a free and open-source implementation of the Java Platform, Standard Edition, should also be considered (Java SE).
  • Before making a choice, customers should thoroughly assess their options and weigh the costs and benefits of each.

What should Java users and clients do now:

  • Many organizations may not be aware that they also need to license older versions of Java, such as those that have not been upgraded to Java 11 or later or that have not been patched for security vulnerabilities.
  • With a thorough overview of your present Java licensing status, you can devise a plan to assess whether it is feasible to switch away from Oracle Java or whether you should purchase Java SE subscriptions.
  • Collecting data and information about your organization’s existing Java usage will enable decision-makers to choose the optimal course of action.
  • Consider considering alternatives to Oracle Java, such as OpenJDK, a free and open-source Java Platform, Standard Edition implementation (Java SE).
  • It’s also vital to evaluate the cost, the technical feasibility, and the security aspect of the numerous solutions in order to make the greatest decision for the firm.
  • Keep a watch on Oracle’s website and frequently asked questions, as there may be updates or clarifications about the new pricing model and its impact on existing customers.
  • Work with an Oracle licensing expert to understand your exposure.