Retailer Achieves Major Savings by Certifying Out of Oracle ULA
Company Profile
As a U.S. retailer with ties to the public sector, keeping costs low and ensuring taxpayer value remain high are critical to operations.
In 2024, the retailer’s Oracle spend came under the microscope, as the company was facing an Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) renewal, which would lock it in for another three years. While Oracle software plays a vital role in underpinning the company’s operations, it recognized that it was paying for licenses it didn’t need or use.
While the retailer wanted to certify out of its ULA, the complexity and length of the process meant it was not possible to complete it in the necessary timeframe. As a result, it was left with no choice but to renew for another three years, at a cost of more than $30M.
To avoid repeating this cycle, the company began immediate preparations—led by Anglepoint—to certify out of the ULA by its 2027 expiration. Using a structured approach, Anglepoint began reviewing Oracle deployments, optimizing usage, and creating a framework to support a smooth exit.
By certifying out of the ULA and adopting a licensing model more aligned to its business needs, the retailer expects to achieve millions of dollars in savings.
The Challenge
As a government-affiliated organization, this major U.S. retailer—with more than 30 million customers and a workforce of 25,000—is laser-focused on delivering taxpayer value, which means efficiency is at the heart of all its business decisions.
This extends to the way the company manages its IT estate, most notably, its Oracle ULA, which equates to a significant proportion of its overall software expenditure. In 2024, shortly before its most recent Oracle ULA renewal, the company suspected that, while convenient, the ULA might not represent the best value. It turned to Anglepoint, its trusted, long-term IT Asset Management partner, to perform a comprehensive ULA Value Assessment, comparing the company’s most recent Effective Licensing Position (ELP) with the terms of its agreement, to calculate the return on investment and realized discount.
This comparison provided empirical evidence that a new software licensing model—one that was aligned with the retailer’s actual business requirements—would provide a more cost-effective option going forward. However, the complexity and time required to certify out of the Oracle ULA made it impossible to complete before the renewal deadline. As a result, the retailer had to renew its contract, entering into a new three-year Oracle ULA valued at more than $30M.
To optimize its future Oracle investment and avoid further vendor lock-in, the retailer wanted to take immediate steps to ensure it could certify out of its current ULA, set to expire in 2027. Waiting until three months before the next renewal date—the standard window to undertake negotiations—would leave insufficient time to exit such a complex deal, and negotiate terms for a new contract.
The Solution
Anglepoint has been the retailer’s IT Asset Management (ITAM) Managed Service Provider since 2018. Its established understanding of the company’s estate, combined with extensive expertise in Oracle licensing, positioned Anglepoint to help the organization certify out of its Oracle ULA. Preparations began as soon as the ULA took effect, following Anglepoint’s tried-and-tested ULA certification best practices, designed to make an otherwise complex process clear and actionable:
Stage 1: Preparation
During the initial stage, Anglepoint’s team reviewed all current Oracle deployments across the retailer’s infrastructure to understand what software was in use and compared it against the terms of the new ULA.
The team also partnered closely with the retailer’s business stakeholders to define their software licensing needs and to understand their short- and long-term budgets.
Channels of communication were opened between the ITAM team and the designated C-level executive to ensure the smooth sign off of the certification and new contract at the required time.
Stage 2: Operating Framework Implementation
This ongoing phase is already in progress in anticipation of the 2027 ULA exit.
Anglepoint’s first priority was to advise the retailer on how to maximize deployments of on-premises Oracle products, not only to derive the most value out of the existing ULA, but also to raise the ceiling on the number of licenses that can be retained during the certification process.
This phase is also used to understand future business objectives and growth, mapping these requirements to licensing needs. Regular Oracle consumption reports are being prepared to track usage and provide critical data for the certification process. These reports, combined with continuous knowledge transfer on Oracle’s contractual terms, empower their in-house team with clarity around its licensing position and reduce the risk of unexpected costs related to non-compliance.
Stage 3: Software Contract Negotiation
As the negotiation draws closer, Anglepoint will place the retailer in the ideal position to achieve a positive outcome by educating the in-house team on Oracle’s commercial tactics, providing counsel on how the company can leverage executive relationships and annual spend to drive better terms, as well as the need to focus on strategic objectives that will deliver maximum value.
Anglepoint will also guide the client through the validation process, ensuring that all installations are correctly identified and reported on, with advice on how to interact with Oracle Licensing Management Services (LMS), the business division which will manage the certification process and issue all documentation.
Stage 4: Execution of the Exit
During the final stage of the process, Anglepoint will ensure the company is able to provide Oracle with a signed certification letter which will complete the ULA exit. Guardrails and additional processes will be applied to guarantee that the retailer meets the terms of the new contract, limiting non-compliance. As part of its ITAM managed service to the retailer, Anglepoint will monitor the new commercial mechanism’s performance post-execution, determining the best cost/benefit ratio, and use these insights to shape the company’s long-term Oracle strategy.
One potential option available to the retailer is to join the Oracle Software Asset Management Program, which enables organizations to maximize the return on their investments by proactively managing their Oracle licensing entitlements. As an Oracle Verified SAM (VSAM) Partner, Anglepoint is in the ideal position to guide the client through this program. Organizations enrolled in Oracle’s VSAM Program are eligible for one-year audit reprieves, subject to Oracle’s approval. Please refer to Oracle’s VSAM page for more details.
Results
Cost efficiencies: Exiting the ULA and replacing it with a licensing model which is tailored to usage will save this retailer millions of dollars
Greater license visibility and control: The retailer has greater awareness of which Oracle software is in use and what will be required in the future, enabling it to right-size operations and optimize costs
Knowledge exchange: Anglepoint has educated the retailer’s in-house team about the commercial tactics around Oracle’s licensing regime, so it understands the commercial implications of all usage
Smooth processes: Certifying out of an Oracle ULA can be complex. Anglepoint has made the complex clear, providing the client with a clear and actionable plan, with achievable milestones
Contract Negotiation-ready: With Anglepoint, this company will enter negotiations well-positioned to secure the best terms possible
By steering this company through the complex and laborious process of certifying out of its Oracle ULA, Anglepoint is helping it regain control of its estate, ensuring it only pays for what it needs.