1. Can I spend less on Oracle support?
Absolutely! But keep in mind that Oracle’s support fees basically fund their entire company. So do they like to reduce your spending? No, but it is possible with the help from a team that can determine the best ways to eliminate excess spend that your company has and get the most value out of optimizing your support agreements.
2. Can I negotiate my support renewal with Oracle?
No, you really cannot do this without giving something up. There are ways to reduce spend and support that are not a negotiation but simply following Oracle policy. This is where a lot of companies fail because they are great negotiators but once a support agreement is in place it is very difficult to negotiate – even if you have the absolute right to, Oracle will still verbally tell you no. Following the policies and rules by knowing and understanding what your rights are is the best way to defeat Oracle.
3. Is there a way around the reprice?
Yes! In most cases, there are things that can be done to split apart bundled items. Remember this is based on the original order number and not just the CSI. If things are bundled in the same order, there are still ways to break those apart and cancel the unused portion.
4. How else can I lower support fees?
We have an entire blog post on this here. But we recommend that you do the following: 1) Find your benchmark pricing, 2) Track your support usage, 3) Look for items that were purchased but are no longer used, 4) Know your renewal dates, and 5) Ask for a breakdown on items that increase in price each year! Be sure to check out that blog post that goes into detail with each of these steps.
5. Does Oracle audit if you move to 3rd party support or reduce support spend?
Oracle audits are typically based on how much you buy from the sales team. Reducing support does not usually even come across their desk so it would be a rare occasion that it would trigger an audit (unless of course, you are sharing too much information with your sales rep). Also if you know your license position and entitlements, then you have nothing to fear. Oracle likes to audit if they know there is money to be collected but they do not want to tie up their resources for nothing. We can help you make this transition seamlessly and with less risk!
6. Is there anything I need to do before I make the move to 3rd party support?
Remember, this transition can take some time. We will help you come up with a checklist of items to get done before you make this move but be patient! One tip we recommend is to not settle on a third-party support provider, always search and negotiate before you decide.
7. How can I get better at negotiating with Oracle?
Do your research on YOUR contracts and show up prepared. The more you know the more confident you will come off and you need to be strong when standing up against Oracle. Read over the repricing rules because your contractual rights may state that your annual support costs do not increase if you terminate a license.
8. I am in an Oracle ULA, how do I get out?
Unlimited License Agreements are pretty tight so while you are in the ULA, make the most of the language it contains and prepare for an exit when your deployment period is up. Use that preparation time to beat Oracle at their own game. Understand your contracts and make sure to know exactly how to certify and when. Remember to count licenses the way Oracle would count in an audit! Use this data to maximize your deployments to certify high and create a potential license bank that can help you position huge reductions later.
9. If I run older versions of Oracle software, can I argue the annual support cost increase?
Yes, we have helped many clients negotiate this in their favor. This can be accomplished in your initial contract which we recommend because it saves you time and money later on.
10. What else can I do to lower my support cost with Oracle?
Check out our blog posts and be sure to follow our social media where we post free tips weekly. Or get help from Oracle licensing experts that have been around for over 17 years, you can contact us here.
