Automatic inclusion of management packs when downloading Oracle Database Enterprise edition is a risk that may only be crystallised when the business is audited.  The costs can then significantly exceed the cost for the technology.  But a case from Chile highlights the warnings that businesses really need.

Chile’s National Economic Prosecutor’s Office (FNE) challenged Oracle on its practices and secured commitments from Oracle offering:

1.     Improve the information on the products related to those for which customers acquire a license, but that may have an additional cost and require a separate licensing agreement, incorporating a notice on the product download page and sending a communication to customers, both new and current.

2.     Improve the information provided in the letters of initiation and closure of the audit processes.

3.     Improve the visibility for the clients of the tools that allow them to internally verify which Oracle products have been downloaded and / or are being used in their systems, in order to determine if it is necessary to acquire additional licenses and / or if they comply with the Oracle licensing policies.

4.     Create a special contact so customers can escalate disputes and claims.

5.     Implement local training to the workers of the division called License Management Services of Oracle (LMS), in charge of the audits.

Robin Fry’s comments on this also reported in Computer Weekly.