What is Oracle Universal Cloud Credits ? 

Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC) is a flexible way for businesses to purchase and use a range of cloud-based services from Oracle. You purchase UCCs and then you can spend them on Oracle cloud services, some examples of these services include:

• Compute: virtual machines, containers, and serverless functions
• Storage: object storage, block storage, and file storage
• Networking: load balancers, VPNs, and DNS
• Databases: MySQL, Oracle Database, and Autonomous Databases
• Analytics: data warehousing, big data, and machine learning Security: identity and access management, data encryption, and threat protection
• Integration: API management, messaging, and event-driven computing
• Management and Governance: monitoring, backup, and recovery By choosing the right combination of services, businesses can create a comprehensive cloud solution that meets their needs and helps them achieve their goals. UCC can be used for a wide range of cloud-based services, depending on the specific needs of a business.

How you can buy Oracle Universal Cloud Credits

There are two main options for purchasing Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC): annual flex and pay-as-you-go. Here is a comparison of the two options:

Annual-Flex:

• Businesses purchase a set amount of UCC upfront and have a year to use them.
• Offers a discounted rate compared to pay-as-you-go, making it more cost-effective for businesses with predictable cloud usage patterns.
• Provides greater flexibility, as businesses can use credits for any Oracle cloud service, including those not yet available.
• Credits do not expire, so businesses can carry over any unused credits to the next year.
• Suitable for businesses with a clear understanding of their cloud usage needs and looking to lock in a discounted rate.

Pay-As-You-Go:

• Businesses only pay for the cloud services they use, with no upfront commitment.
• Offers greater flexibility, as businesses can scale up or down their usage as needed.
• Suitable for businesses with unpredictable or fluctuating cloud usage needs and looking to pay only for what they use.

Ultimately, the best option for a business will depend on its specific needs and budget. Businesses should carefully consider their cloud usage patterns and evaluate the pros and cons of each option before making a decision.

Why Annual-Flex is better

There are several potential reasons why a business might choose the annual-flex contract model for purchasing Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC) over the pay-as-you-go model:

1. Cost savings: Annual-flex offers a discounted rate compared to pay-as-you-go, making it a more cost-effective option for businesses that have predictable cloud usage patterns. This means that if a business can accurately forecast its cloud usage for the year, it can potentially save money by purchasing UCC upfront at a discounted rate.
2. Budgeting predictability: With annual flex, businesses know exactly how much they are spending on cloud services for the year, which can make budgeting and financial planning more predictable. In contrast, pay-as-you-go charges can vary from month to month, making it more difficult to predict costs accurately.
3. Service flexibility: Annual-flex provides greater flexibility compared to pay-as-you-go, as businesses can use their credits for any Oracle cloud service, including those that are not yet available. This means that businesses can try out new services as they become available without having to make a separate purchase.

Overall, annual-flex may be a good choice for businesses that have a clear understanding of their cloud usage needs, want to lock in a discounted rate, and want the predictability and flexibility that come with purchasing UCC upfront.

Why you should select pay as you go

Here are several potential reasons why a business might choose the pay-as-you-go contract model for purchasing Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC) over the annual-flex model:

1. Flexibility: Pay-as-you-go offers greater flexibility compared to annual flex, as businesses can scale up or down their usage as needed. This can be useful for businesses that have unpredictable or fluctuating cloud usage needs, as they can pay only for the services they use.
2. No upfront commitment: With pay-as-you-go, businesses only pay for the cloud services they use with no upfront commitment. This can be beneficial for businesses that are uncertain about their future cloud usage or that want to avoid the risk of overpaying for services they may not fully utilize.
3. No lock-in: Pay-as-you-go does not require a long-term commitment, so businesses can switch to a different contract model or cloud provider at any time. This can be useful for businesses that want to maintain flexibility and avoid being locked into a contract.

Overall, pay-as-you-go may be a good choice for businesses that have unpredictable or fluctuating cloud usage needs and want the flexibility and freedom that come with paying for services as they are used.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC),

Q: What is Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (UCC)?

A: UCC is a flexible way for businesses to purchase and use a range of cloud-based services from Oracle, including infrastructure, platform, and application options.

What types of cloud-based services can I purchase with UCC?

UCC can be used to purchase a wide range of cloud-based services from Oracle, including computing resources, storage, networking, databases, analytics, security, integration, and management and governance services.

Q: How do I purchase UCC?

A: UCC can be purchased through Oracle directly or through an authorized Oracle partner.

Q: What is the annual-flex contract model for UCC?

A: The annual-flex contract model allows businesses to purchase a set amount of UCC upfront and have a year to use them.

Q: How do I know if annual-flex is the right contract model for me?

A: Annual-flex may be a good choice for businesses that have a clear understanding of their cloud usage needs, want to lock in a discounted rate, and want the predictability and flexibility that come with purchasing UCC upfront.

Q: What are the benefits of the annual-flex contract model?

A: The benefits of annual flex include discounted rates, greater flexibility, and access to Oracle Support Rewards. 

Q: What are the drawbacks of the annual-flex contract model?

A: The main drawback of annual flex is that businesses must make an upfront commitment and may not fully utilize all of their credits if their usage patterns change.

Need help?

We help companies select the right cloud contract, optimize spend, negotiate terms, and manage consumption:

• Cloud contract selection:
  • Assessing a company’s cloud usage needs and goals
  • Evaluating the pros and cons of different cloud contract models, including annual-flex and pay-as-you-go
  • Recommending the best contract model based on the company’s specific needs and budget
• Spend optimization:
  • Analyzing a company’s current cloud spend and identifying areas for optimization
  • Providing recommendations for optimizing cloud usage and reducing unnecessary costs
  • Assist with negotiating discounts and other favorable terms with cloud providers
• Contract negotiation:
  • Reviewing and negotiating the terms of cloud contracts on behalf of the company
  • Ensuring that the company is getting the best possible terms for its cloud services
• Consumption management:
  • Monitoring and tracking cloud usage to ensure that the company is getting the full value of its investment
  • Providing regular reports on cloud usage and spend
  • Helping the company to identify and address any issues or inefficiencies in its cloud usage