January 30, 2023

Oracle has modified its licensing policies and pricing with the introduction of the new Oracle Employee Java SE Universal Subscription model.

In most cases, the new Java SE Universal Subscription, a simple, low-cost monthly subscription that includes Java SE Licensing and Support for use on Desktops, Servers, or Cloud deployments, is said to eliminate the processor metric. To license by processor, a company would need more than 50,000 Processors, not including desktops with Java installed or running. Instead, the metric will be changed from “Named User Plus” to “Employee”.

The Named User Plus Licensing (user licenses) and Processor licenses (server licensing) are no longer available for purchase as a result of this change. Existing licensing agreements, such as Java BCL, Java OTN, and Java NFTC, are also still in effect. The modification only affects the license metric and not the terms of service. It’s important to note that the new pricing model is based on employee count, with different price tiers for different employee counts.

The implication is that everyone in the organization is counted for licensing purposes, even if they don’t use Java software. As a result, companies that use Java SE may face significant price increases. The change will primarily affect large companies with many employees, but it will also have a significant impact on medium-sized businesses.

Although Oracle promises to allow legacy users to renew under their current terms and conditions, sources say the company will likely pressure users to adopt the new model over time.

The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.