Blog Don't be fooled by the “Unlimited” License Agreement
Be aware that an Unlimited License Agreement is only as unlimited as the limitations allow.
By Insight Editor / 19 Apr 2023
One of the major pitfalls for Oracle ULA customers, is them making the assumption that a ULA contract is an “all-you-can-eat” formula, unlimited in what and where to deploy or who can use.
The reality is very different: a ULA gives the client “unlimited” rights within “very limited” boundaries, which can be set on products, timeframe, infrastructure (cloud/on-prem)or organization (client definition).
The ULA differs from other Oracle license agreements in that it offers an unlimited license grant to a specific set of Oracle software products, rather than other quantity based orders per product or user.
There are multiple challenges clients are facing when dealing with an Unlimited License Agreement.
Before signing there are questions to answer on
- whether a ULA is the proper strategic decision for the client,
- are they locking themselves in from a support perspective
- which products, entities need including, excluding,
- what with cloud deployments
During the ULA there should be a continuous tracking of the product deployments to ensure compliance with contractual products, terms and conditions, entities included, etc., all little pieces in a big puzzle which could lead to high non-compliance risks and financial exposure when not properly managed.
And which decision to take once the end of contract looms? Do you renew? Do you step out/certify?
It’s important to have sufficient information available on current use as well as future scenarios in support of this strategic decision, while guaranteeing an optimized ROI of the ULA while it continuously aligns with the client’s business requirements.
How can Insight help?
Insight’s experienced Oracle Licensing consultants offer ULA Services aimed at providing the client with meaningful data and advise to support reaching the best business decision regarding the Oracle Unlimited License Agreement, in line with their roadmap, strategy and where applicable optimizing their ROI.
We provide the Client with full deployment and usage reporting, risk analysis, remediation plan, as well as a maximization strategy to optimize the ROI, along with advice and recommendations on how to deal with the ULA negotiation, certification or renewal, whichever is the strategy of choice.
