Flexera Software unveils FlexNet Manager for Oracle

Flexera Software has announed FlexNet Manager for Oracle, a new Software License Optimisation solution included in the FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises. FlexNet Manager for Oracle delivers true optimisation capabilities across critical Oracle applications, including Oracle database products, E-Business Suite, WebLogic, and Tuxedo.

“FlexNet Manager for Oracle provides an accurate understanding of an organisation’s Oracle license position, giving procurement teams the data they need to support fact-based contract negotiations, avoid the excess costs of over-licensing and make informed decisions regarding support renewals,” said Alan Swahn, Vice President of Product Management at Flexera Software. “With the unparalleled level of insight into software installations and usage trends it will help organisations better plan and budget for future software purchases.”

“Our clients have made significant investments in Oracle applications, so having the right tools to help them ensure continual compliance with their Oracle licenses is essential,” said Erik Iversen, Practice Director – ITAM Services at SHI International Corp. “Flexera Software’s release of FlexNet Manager for Oracle will help companies be confident they are buying only the licenses they need, and using what they have.”

Without an automated license management solution, managing Oracle licenses is time consuming, costly and prone to error—leading to license compliance risk. Oracle database administrators must rely on knowledge of both the systems and the user community to manage license compliance. For instance, Oracle licensing rules require the administrator to understand the relationship between number of system CPUs and users, track the use of database options, identify the Oracle software edition, and ensure that all database instances are properly licensed. Furthermore many compliance traps lurk, such as unaccounted processors, licensing users for the wrong software edition, and providing access to more users than intended – to name a few.

FlexNet Manager for Oracle renders obsolete the manual, unreliable methods for managing Oracle licenses. It automatically discovers and inventories Oracle deployments across the enterprise and compares installation and usage data with contract terms, delivering a comprehensive license compliance summary. It provides agentless, network-based discovery and inventory of Oracle databases throughout the IT environment. The solution also supports the commonly used Oracle license models, including Processor, Named User Plus (NUP) and Application User (for E-Business Suite).

Running Oracle applications in virtualised environments has become a hot topic for many Oracle customers, as licensing rules can lead to noncompliance risk. FlexNet Manager for Oracle applies Oracle’s hard and soft partitioning licensing rules right out of the box, enabling organisations to avoid potentially costly mistakes when managing Oracle applications in virtual environments.

In addition, Software License Optimisation provides the greatest value when it can deliver more than a license position snapshot, and in addition, report on the impact future changes would have on the organisation’s Oracle licensing costs. FlexNet Manager for Oracle offers the industry’s first ‘What If’ Analysis feature detailing the impact of hardware, software and virtual machine changes on an organisation’s Oracle Processor license position, before the changes are actually made.

Finally, true Software License Optimisation is only possible when the actual license agreement rules (i.e. processor core factors and NUP licensing minimums) are reconciled with actual installation and usage data. FlexNet Manager for Oracle’s Product Use Rights Library makes it simple to calculate an accurate Oracle license position. Relevant Oracle licensing rules are automatically applied, giving organisations clear guidance on how cost effectively it is deploying Oracle software, and streamlining the process of maintaining license compliance.

Importantly, customers no longer need to rely solely on Oracle LMS scripts and ad hoc tools to provide Oracle with software license compliance information during a license review or software audit. FlexNet Manager for Oracle has been verified by Oracle License Management Services (LMS), which determined that it provides ‘detailed and accurate’ reports on Oracle database installations and usage. FlexNet Manager for Oracle reports will be accepted by Oracle LMS during a software audit.