We can help protect your company or organization from Oracle’s shifting Java licensing requirements.
There is an old saying on Wall Street that bad certainty is better than uncertainty. When it comes to licensing Java, Oracle has created the worst of both worlds—bad certainty coupled with uncertainty.
In early 2023, after years of tumultuous changes, Oracle released a new subscription metric for Java setting forth in no uncertain terms that “(t)he quantity of the licenses required is determined by the number of Employees and not just the actual number of employees that use the Programs.” Put differently, the number of licenses required for Java use is completely divorced from the number of actual users. That divorce is bound to generate unprecedented uncertainty in the months and years ahead as to the obligations and risks for Java licensees.
Confronted with the new employee-based metric, licensees today must navigate perilous waters that may see a single employee triggering the entire obligation of the new licensing model, exposing the business to mind-boggling monetary demands from Oracle. We have counseled our clients on how to anticipate an Oracle inquiry into Java use, the terms and conditions of licensing agreements which incorporate the new metric, and pushing back when Oracle imposes its “shock and awe” tactic with Java negotiations.
While much remains to be seen as to how Oracle will weaponize Java licensing based on the new metric, Beeman & Muchmore brings to the table the certainty of sound legal counseling to protect our clients in the uncertain days which lay ahead.
We provide the crucial context for your issue and leverage our experience to help you avoid a dispute.
