Oracle third-party support is technical support for Oracle software provided by an independent third-party vendor. Support, security solutions, and error analysis for your existing installations—usually at least 50% less expensive than the original maintenance contract. A proven, flexible, and often even better alternative.
Year after year, companies pay substantial sums for the original maintenance contract: The starting rate is 22% of the original license purchase price and increases annually—previously by 4%, now by 8–10%.
After just a few years, fixed costs arise that are no longer reasonably proportional to the support actually used. Many companies pay a lot for something they hardly ever use, and Oracle no longer provides active patches for older database versions anyway.
| Oracle original support | Oracle third-party support | |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | 22% of the license price + annual increase | At least 50% cheaper |
| Older versions | Limited / subject to a fee | Fully supported |
| Customized environments | Not supported | Fully supported |
| Response time | Standardized SLAs | Often faster response times, dedicated teams |
| Upgrade pressure | Frequent | None |
| Patches & security | Oracle-specific patches | Proprietary security solutions |
"Oracle is pressuring customers to make costly upgrades by ending support for existing versions. Third-party providers enable you to run stable systems long-term at a fraction of the previous cost."
(Sören Reimers, former Oracle manager with over 25 years of Oracle experience. Founder and CEO of ProLicense)
Third-party support isn't the right choice for everyone, but it's a good fit for many companies and makes good business sense. When it's often a good fit:
ProLicense will analyze your current Oracle support situation during a free initial consultation and show you specifically whether and how third-party Oracle support could be the right solution for you.
1.Do I have the right to update to a newer version?
Yes, update rights are tied to the original Oracle maintenance contract. However, customers who switch to third-party Oracle support can obtain upgrades or newer versions through the Oracle Used Software Marketplace or download them in advance from a software archive up to a certain level or version. For example, many customers are still using database Version 19, even though Version 26 is already available. Customers who wish to switch to third-party support have the right to download the latest version for later installation as long as their current Oracle support contract is still active. However, Oracle will officially support Version 19 well beyond the year 2030, so from a technical standpoint, an upgrade to the new version is usually not necessary.
2.Is third-party support for Oracle legally permissible?
Yes. There is no legal obligation to purchase support from the manufacturer. In theory, customers could operate their Oracle products without support. However, this happens only extremely rarely. Switching to a third-party Oracle support provider is legal, provided certain requirements are met. It is not possible to combine third-party Oracle support with original Oracle support on a single system. When you make the switch, ProLicense’s legal experts will explain exactly which requirements must be met to ensure you remain compliant. This accompanying consulting support sets us apart from a standard license reseller or third-party support provider.
3.Which Oracle products are suitable for third-party support?
Oracle Database, Oracle EBS, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and other Oracle product lines are fully supported by leading third-party Oracle providers. Essentially, all common Oracle products can be covered by third-party support. ProLicense evaluates which provider offers the best coverage for your specific environment.
4.What advantages does third-party Oracle support offer over official support?
Third-party Oracle support is more comprehensive than Oracle's original support in many respects. It often provides support for customer-customized environments or interface issues, whereas Oracle itself usually refuses to do so.
A third-party support provider will never require you to first install the latest patch or upgrade to a higher version.
Support is provided for your environment exactly as it is.
In addition, support requests regarding interfaces or performance can be submitted. These are services for which Oracle would either charge extra fees through Oracle consulting or would refuse the requests.
5.How much does third-party Oracle support cost?
Third-party Oracle support typically costs at least 50% less than the original Oracle maintenance contract.
The exact terms depend on the Oracle products used and the customer’s historical usage patterns. It is important to understand that a third-party support quote is prepared only for the licenses that are actually in use. This is a significant opportunity for cost savings, particularly for former ULAs that are no longer used as intensively.
6.What happens during an Oracle audit if I use third-party support?
An Oracle audit verifies proper Oracle licensing, not compliance with the support contract itself. Third-party support has no impact on the customer’s license compliance. Switching to Oracle third-party support therefore has no direct impact on an Oracle audit.
However, it is important that you operate your third-party Oracle support in accordance with the guidelines of the Oracle support policy. ProLicense supports you both in the decision to switch to third-party Oracle support and in the event of a potential Oracle audit.
7.How does the switch to third-party Oracle support work in practice?
The transition to third-party Oracle support typically takes place in three steps: First, ProLicense analyzes your current Oracle support structure and determines which products and versions are suitable for third-party support.
Second, we work with you to create a list of the products and quantities for which you’d like to request third-party support. We’ll also need an Oracle support ticket history covering the past two years, which is easy to provide.
Third, you’ll typically receive an initial commercial quote within 1–2 weeks. This is followed by technical workshops to explain and help you understand third-party support. If you then decide to make the switch, the detailed contract terms, including SLAs, will be provided to you for review.
