Oracle Audit Survival Guide by Rik Williams

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Slide Notes

Do you need help with an Oracle audit? If you’re under threat of an audit, or you have an audit in flight, then take a few minutes to read these 6 tips that could save you not only time but also potentially a great deal of money.

Oracle Audit Survival Guide

Published on Nov 24, 2016

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Oracle Audit Survival Guide

Part 1

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Key Tips

From the experts

We’ve dealt with so many Oracle customers that have been through an Oracle audit that we have compiled a few key tips on surviving an audit. Ask yourself the following questions and then run through the answers, and take the actions suggested.

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Ask yourself the following 6 questions

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1. Do you know whether you are being audited formally or just reviewed by sales?

Have you received a formal letter from Oracle Licence Management Services? You may need to check the original correspondence you received from Oracle – if in doubt just give us a quick call and we can advise.

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A true audit is when the contractual right to audit clause in your Oracle contract is invoked.

This clause is in your Oracle Licence and Services Agreements (OLSA) and the newer Oracle Master Agreements (OMA).

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Oracle has the right, upon 45 days’ notice, to request access to your systems where its products are installed.

This gives Oracle the right, upon (generally) 45 days’ notice, to request access to your systems where its products are installed.

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Or do Oracle sales want to review your licences?

Otherwise you may have been asked by Oracle sales if the can “review your licences” or to “help you optimise” them.

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You are not contractually obliged to co-operate with Oracle

In this case you are not contractually obliged to co-operate with Oracle, but the salesperson may then pass you onto LMS as requiring an audit if you don’t co-operate

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But it's better if you do!

With some independent help

The salesperson may then pass you onto LMS as requiring an audit if you don’t co-operate. However, this does give you some breathing space and an opportunity to get independent help to make sure you are licensed correctly.

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2. Have you responded back to Oracle?

Giving a timescale

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No?

Then contact Oracle now!

If not, then contact them straight away, earlier engagement is best and puts you in control of the time and resources needed. Make sure you plan enough time to get your independent experts to check everything you are sending through.

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Think about your resources

DBA's, Systems Managers, Procurement etc

Think about a list of resources you need, such as DBAs and systems managers to run scripts, procurement to provide licence and contract data and end users to give details of what is definitely needed to be in use.

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Carry out some housekeeping if you are using any apps

Plan to carry out some housekeeping if you are using any of the applications, this allows you to end-date users who have left the company or no longer need to use the application.

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Review and reduce active users

Oracle will only review active users, so you may as well reduce the numbers before you run the scripts. This will save time, effort and arguments later.

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3. Using VMWare

Or other virtualization technologies?

3. Are you using VMWare or other virtualisation technologies?

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Are you in control

of how they are set up or managed?

Are you in control of how they are set up or are they managed by a third party company or hosting provider?

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Do you know how Oracle views VMWare?

and how many licences you need?

Do you know how Oracle views the various versions of VMWare for example and how many licences you need? This may involve licensing significantly more servers than you are running Oracle on.

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Check your architecture

Or ask your independent expert to

Make sure your independent experts have checked the architecture before you expose the details to Oracle. You will be expected to provide screenshots or CLI informatio

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4. Have you completed the

Server work sheet?

4. Have you completed the server worksheet or OSW?

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This is your declaration

so don't complete it if you are unsure

This is your declaration to Oracle so if you are unsure, don’t complete the details.

The main information required is server names, instance names, database edition, server type, number of processors and cores and the number of users if you know. Oracle will use this to compare with the scripts

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The main info required:

Server names
instance names
database edition
Server type
number of processors and cores
Number of users

The main information required is server names, instance names, database edition, server type, number of processors and cores and the number of users if you know

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Oracle will use this

to compare with scripts

Oracle will use this to compare with the scripts.

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Have you run scripts?

5. Have you run the scripts and sent them back yet?

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This can take a long time for complex estates

This process can take a long time particularly for complex estates and sending back incomplete script output, will also slow down the whole process and causes endless re-work. Make sure your independent expert has checked the output before it goes to Oracle.

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6. Have you checked and agreed the details of your licences?

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Oracle can miss items

Oracle can miss items from their licence itinerary, particularly if you have other countries, subsidiaries, company names or third party applications running ASFU or Application Specific licences.

These can all make a big difference, so don’t accept the findings unless you are sure.

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