Overview
A retail corporation based in Georgia with 10,000 employees faced a substantial Oracle Java licensing exposure of $988,000 annually. The company had been using Java extensively across its IT infrastructure, unaware that Oracle’s new per-employee licensing model required payment for all employees, regardless of actual Java usage.
Challenge
Java was embedded in the company’s point-of-sale systems, supply chain applications, and internal development environments. Under Oracle’s new subscription pricing, companies with 10,000–20,000 employees must pay $8.25 per employee per month, leading to an unexpected and unbudgeted financial liability.
A routine internal audit uncovered this compliance risk, revealing an annual cost exposure of nearly $1 million, significantly impacting the company’s IT budget.
Solution
The company engaged Redress Compliance to conduct a comprehensive Java license review. The assessment identified multiple areas for optimization:
✔ Replacing Java in non-critical applications with OpenJDK, reducing dependency on Oracle’s licenses.
✔ Eliminating unnecessary Java installations immediately lowers licensing costs.
✔ Clarifying Oracle’s licensing policies, ensuring the company only paid for necessary usage.
The company successfully minimized its financial exposure by implementing these cost-saving strategies and negotiating with Oracle.
Outcome
Through a proactive licensing strategy, the retail corporation reduced its Java-related costs by over 75%, transforming what was initially a $988K expense into a manageable, optimized cost structure while maintaining compliance.
Client Testimonial
“The financial impact of Oracle’s Java licensing changes surprised us. Redress Compliance provided the expertise needed to optimize our licensing, significantly reduce costs, and confidently maintain compliance.”
— CIO, Retail Corporation in Georgia
