With the New Year well underway, many organisations are reevaluating their reliance on Oracle’s Database Management System (DBMS). While Oracle has been a dominant force in enterprise databases for decades, its rising costs, restrictive contracts, and forced upgrades are prompting organisations to explore alternatives.
If you’re considering transitioning from Oracle DBMS this year, here’s what you need to know.
With a shift towards Cloud and modern database technologies, finding skilled Oracle Database Administrators for legacy systems is becoming increasingly difficult. Many businesses struggle to maintain ageing Oracle environments due to a shrinking talent pool.
Oracle’s complex licensing structure remains a significant challenge. Organisations trying to downsize their Oracle estate often find that license reductions don’t result in proportional cost savings. Instead, Oracle restructures contracts with fewer discounts, keeping support costs high.
Oracle’s auto-renewal policies continue to catch organisations off guard. If not proactively managed, contracts renew at higher rates, adding to IT budgets already stretched by inflation and economic uncertainties.
The database landscape has evolved significantly, offering organisations a range of flexible and cost-effective alternatives:
By switching to these platforms, businesses can gain better flexibility, improved security, and significant cost savings compared to Oracle.
Before evaluating your next move, be aware of this clause that may limit your ability to effectively evaluate weaknesses in some database performances.
The DeWitt clause is a restriction in proprietary software licenses that prohibits publishing performance benchmarks without vendor approval.
Originating from Oracle in 1982 in response to criticism, these clauses have since spread, limiting transparency in software evaluation. Vendors argue they prevent misleading benchmarks, but critics see them as censorship suppressing valuable information.
While concerns about inaccurate tests are valid, open discussion and replication are better solutions than censorship. Since laws already address deceptive practices, the DeWitt clause is unnecessary and harms informed decision-making.
With this in mind, approach your database research critically, relying on more than just vendor interactions or marketing content.
Request testimonies and case studies from the vendor’s current and past customers, as they are more likely to provide an unbiased assessment of the technology, service, and value to your IT roadmap.
Third-party support is an excellent interim solution if a complete migration isn’t feasible for your organisation in 2025. Organisations can extend the life of their current Oracle systems while cutting costs and avoiding forced upgrades.
Oracle’s vendor-driven roadmap doesn’t have to dictate your IT strategy. 2025 is the year to take control, whether you’re planning a complete migration to an alternative database or seeking third-party support to maximise your existing investment.
Want to explore your options? Contact Support Revolution to start your transition today and unlock the benefits of database independence.
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