Oracle has been accused of double billing big corporate customers under the guise of a software audit.
Oracle is targeting the local subsidiaries of multi-national companies, potentially resulting in firms being double-billed for its offerings, according to the Campaign for Clear Licensing (CCL) the move is an Oracle tactic to catch out subsidiaries since a local entity will be less prepared for an audit than its headquarters.
Many organisations use international Oracle licences for various subsidiaries; this could also result in Oracle double-billing its customers, claimed the campaign.
Martin Thompson, founder of the CCL, and the editor of online community ITAM Review said that this opportunistic activity by Oracle was akin to asking Dad when Mum says no. A robust audit plan in HQ can be undone by “loose lips” in a subsidiary or country office.
“A good software audit risk plan would include a strategy for dealing with such requests, such as deflecting them to headquarters, and solid communications plan to make local teams aware of the risk.”
Thompson said that Oracle was looking around for revenue and non-compliance by people not licensing their products correctly. However, a modern audit is about pre-sales and a way of beginning a dialogue. If they find a shortfall they can then build a solution to resolve that shortfall, he said.
