Oracle support (officially “Oracle Software Technical Support”) is the annual maintenance contract for Oracle software that entitles you to use patches, updates, and the Oracle Support Portal. For many companies, support is the biggest cost driver for Oracle—that’s exactly where we come in, helping you reduce your ongoing support costs in the long term.
Oracle support is one of the company’s most profitable revenue streams. Oracle generates a very large portion of its total global margin through support revenue. Year after year, companies pay millions for support contracts whose actual value often falls far short of the cost. Many customers suspect or know that they’re paying too much, but aren’t aware of the ways to reduce these costs through contract negotiations.
This is exactly where ProLicense’s Oracle support consulting comes in: We conduct a comprehensive analysis of your situation, develop a concrete action plan, and guide you through the implementation process until the savings are reflected in your financial results. In doing so, we leverage only the contractual Oracle licensing and support options available, without having to forgo original Oracle support. We are not an Oracle partner and are therefore 100% independent of Oracle in our consulting services.
Identify unused licenses. Many companies pay Oracle for support on software that has long since been taken out of active use. We identify inactive installations and lay the groundwork for removing them from the support contract.
Identify and correct over-licensing. Anyone who holds more Oracle licenses than they actually need is consistently paying too much for Oracle support. We analyze your actual needs and pinpoint specific areas where your Oracle licensing and cost structure can be streamlined for the long term.
Take advantage of contractual flexibility. Many Oracle support contracts offer opportunities for optimization that aren’t immediately apparent. We systematically review your contract structure and identify areas where you can realize cost savings.
Explore alternatives to Oracle support. Oracle support is not the only option. Upon request, we will evaluate during every consultation whether alternative support models make financial sense for your situation and can meet your requirements for security, stability, and future-proofing.
In many scenarios, third-party Oracle support is an economically and technologically attractive option that fully replaces Oracle support—at a fraction of the cost.
Upon request, ProLicense will assess during every consultation whether this approach is a viable option for you.
The key difference between ProLicense and Oracle partners is our complete independence from Oracle.
Oracle partners who are also license sellers or certified partners can never fully realize their potential when it comes to optimizing support costs: They must maintain their business relationship with Oracle, so potential savings identified during a consultation will inevitably fall short of what is actually possible, since Oracle partners must also keep their partnership with Oracle in mind.
ProLicense has no contractual ties to Oracle, receives no commissions or kickbacks, and is not required to meet any Oracle sales targets. We are solely committed to our clients’ goals and consistently leverage all available options. We understand how Oracle secures and increases revenue, which allows us to achieve significant savings and often more flexible contract models that align with our clients’ IT strategies.
| Oracle partner | ProLicense | |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliation with Oracle | Yes, certified partner | No, we are independent |
| Commissions on licenses and support | Yes | No |
| Third-party support as an option | Not recommended | We always review this |
| Goal | Aims to protect the business relationship with Oracle | Maximum savings for you |
Most companies either pay too much or don’t know how to save money on support. Oracle won’t negotiate on this point. That’s why ProLicense will analyze your situation for free during an initial consultation and, if you’d like, assess the potential savings on your support contracts.
1.How much can I realistically save on Oracle support costs?
The savings depend on your individual situation. Based on our experience, 20–30% of ongoing Oracle support costs can be saved through contract and usage optimization—and in some cases, even more than 50%.
The most effective strategies are streamlining contracts and licenses and—where appropriate—switching to third-party Oracle support.
ProLicense will analyze your specific potential during a free initial consultation.
2.Can I cancel my Oracle support contract?
Oracle support contracts do not need to be terminated. If you decide not to continue with support, you can simply choose not to renew the annual support contract. For certain contract models, such as a ULA, there may be special conditions… but even in these cases, contrary to widespread belief, it is possible to terminate support during the ULA term. However, termination can generally have implications for your Oracle license rights and future upgrade options. Oracle’s support policies and their provisions must also be taken into account, even though they are often misinterpreted.
ProLicense therefore reviews each case individually to determine the consequences for the customer of terminating all or individual support contracts and to identify which alternatives—such as third-party Oracle support—might be worthwhile in combination.
