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How SoftwareOne helps organizations assess their Java environment and reduce exposure through tailored optimization strategies
Why Java Is Becoming a Costly Compliance Risk for Enterprise IT
Java has long been a foundational technology embedded in enterprise IT environments. For years, many organizations relied on Oracle Java Standard Edition (SE) without incurring additional costs—until recent licensing changes disrupted this status quo.
What Changed?
Starting in early 2019, Oracle shifted its Java support policy. Critical updates, patches, and support for all Long Term Support (LTS) releases of Java SE now require a paid subscription. This change means that organizations still running legacy versions, such as Java SE 8, face new licensing fees that can significantly impact budgets.
Additionally, Oracle introduced more complex licensing terms, including a new ‘Employee’ metric. This metric requires organizations to account for all employees, contractors, and supporting consultants across their entire estate. For many businesses, this has created unexpected compliance challenges.
Why Is This a Concern?
Historically, Java was bundled as part of standard software builds, often deployed without active management or licensing oversight. Today, organizations may have multiple versions of the Java Development Kit (JDK) and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) deployed across servers, desktops, and cloud platforms—all of which must be accurately licensed.
Without a clear picture of their Java estate, organizations risk facing costly audits, penalties, and budget overruns.
How Can Organizations Respond?
Navigating these changes requires a strategic approach. Most of the time, the customer doesn’t have entitlement. The outcome we aim for includes one or a combination of the following:
- Mitigate the potential exposure by utilizing a non-Oracle version of Java
- Negotiate a bespoke agreement for the use of Oracle Java
- Remove Oracle Java completely
Take Control of Your Java Environment
Understanding your Java licensing position is essential to managing costs and reducing risk. Whether your organization is planning ahead or responding to compliance concerns, expert guidance can make all the difference.
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