It can be helpful to seek external support before an Oracle audit begins, as those who pay nothing to Oracle in audits often do so. However, it is still possible to seek support even after receiving the Oracle License Management Services (LMS) report (preliminary or final) in order to reduce the findings.
Reasons to seek Oracle audit negotiation support:
Do not agree with the findings of the Oracle audit report, as doing so confirms that Oracle’s conclusions are correct.
Obtain insights into what other companies are paying Oracle for similar audit findings to avoid overpayment.
Seek a second opinion on the Oracle audit report findings and confirm if Oracle is correct in its licensing conclusions. Oracle LMS is often incorrect.
An independent Oracle licensing expert with experience at Oracle can provide insights into the incentives of Oracle sales teams and how to minimize the amount paid to Oracle.
An independent Oracle audit advisor can review the LMS script output and determine if a product has been used or just installed and how many times it has been used, which can impact licensing decisions.
If running Oracle on VMware, an independent Oracle audit advisor can provide successful argumentation for structuring audit negotiations with Oracle.
Why you should get Oracle Audit Support
Obtain in-depth Oracle licensing expertise to fully understand how to calculate Oracle licenses, Oracle’s licensing policies on virtualization, cloud, and disaster recovery, and how to defend against an Oracle license audit.
When receiving the preliminary Oracle License Audit Report, confirm acceptance and inform Oracle of any disagreements.
Seek a second opinion from someone with experience as an Oracle auditor.
Identify errors in the Oracle License Management System’s (LMS) audit script analysis and use them in negotiations.
Keep in mind that Oracle LMS tends to assume the worst-case licensing models, so having an Oracle license expert to help you determine the most optimal model for your company can be helpful.
Understand the different criteria for non-compliance, as Oracle views them differently internally but does not disclose which ones are more severe than others.
Disputing the report with facts and Oracle licensing knowledge can be effective.
It is common for Oracle and the customer to disagree and negotiate from a much lower amount than the initial findings.
Review the terms and conditions and negotiate for appropriate discounts.
