1. How well do I understand my organization’s environment?
The first step in considering an Oracle ULA is knowing what is currently owned by your organization, as well as what may be changed in the next three to four years. This knowledge builds the foundation for considering an Oracle ULA, and alternative license engagements.
2. How well does my IT department communicate its uses and needs?
While a ULA may attempt to be an “all-you-can-eat” agreement, Oracle ULAs require a list of specific products that are expected to be deployed. The specific products being deployed will correlate with the cost of the agreement. Ensure the ULA is efficiently utilized by understanding what products need to be deployed vs. non-essentials , and avoid underuse.
3. How does the use of external Third-Party Cloud environments impact my ULA?
How do you plan on utilizing Cloud environments during and after a proposed ULA term. The standard ULA agreement language does not allow a client to allocate licenses against a Cloud environment at the time of certification, so plans post-ULA certification must be considered ahead of time for the best contract negotiation strategy
4. Is the cost justified by the utilization?
This may seem like a fairly straight forward question when looking at the isolated price of a point-in-time analysis. However, without taking into account a comprehensive understanding of your organization’s current license ownership, future IT roadmap, or landmark changes, a ULA could go from an ideal agreement to a costly over-spend.
5. Does my organization have mergers or acquisitions planned?
If you have a large merger or acquisition in progress, or the leadership plans on positioning the company for such, a ULA can go from a viable agreement to a costly renegotiation. Such changes can jeopardize the initial benefit of the ULA, or in some cases, present difficult roadblocks and risks during the merger and acquisition process. The mergers and acquisition portion of ULA contracts is the most customized section.
Oracle ULA Experts
It’s critically important for organizations to right-size their Oracle ULA. Over-spending on products and licenses that aren’t actually required can significantly increase costs, while under-spending can lead to license shortfalls and large penalties during software audits. To find out how to customize your Oracle ULA so that it’s perfect for your organization, contact us and Miro’s licensing experts can help you achieve an ideal outcome.