What are Oracle support renewals?

In-Depth Answer

Most Oracle software is licensed via perpetual terms that instigate an annual fee to download the latest versions, updates, and patches. If these fees don’t feel optional or negotiable–see short answer above–it’s because an elegant web of policies is working against your mission to save money.

With no intended irony it seems, Oracle markets its maintenance services as Lifetime Support. Indeed, unless you act aggressively, your annual payments will remain a growing operational expense for what feels like a lifetime.

In any case, Oracle support renewal contracts typically include products from one or more CSIs that co-term to the same Start and End Date. Renewals are often interspersed throughout the year and Oracle starts sending reminders 90 days in advance of the various Start Dates. There is little harm in co-terming support renewals, even to a single contract. That said, co-termination is not the same as consolidation, when two or more CSIs are migrated into a new CSI. ULAs notoriously meld CSIs into one thereby pouring the Oracle concrete further up your neck.

Oracle’s My Support Renewals site is a handy place to manage your support contracts, but we recommend against the Auto Renew feature. Once a renewal is accepted–even if automatically, 30 days in advance of the Start Date–it is a process to back out of and especially painful if after the Start Date. It is better to pay late than to be forced into paying.

While we’re on the topic of Oracle support renewals, consider having Remend assess yours for opportunities to save:

1. Logon to the Oracle Support Renewal Center
2. Click Pending and History (tab)
3. Click Create Report (button)
4. Click Pending, History, and Future (check boxes)
5. Click Detailed (radio button)
6. Click Download Report (button)
7. Schedule a Meeting with us