Oracle has a multiplicity of contracts and agreements. It is useful to know what many of them are used for
Oracle was one of the first IT companies in the world to put out their pricing and contractual documents on their public websites. But navigating them continues to be very hard.
While we believe that Oracle contracts are much more equitable than some other large software vendors, the multiplicity of these documents & the various terms can expose customers to risks of non-compliance as well as high annual costs.
The contracts you sign to finalize an Oracle software deal contain terms and conditions that you must live with throughout the life of that product. You should show the same due diligence in negotiating the contract as you did in choosing a particular product for your enterprise. Before you sign the final agreement, you’ll need to address several contractual issues.
Some of the more commonly used and popular Oracle contracts are given below:
| Publicly Used Acronym | Name of the Agreement/Contract | Brief Description | Signatories |
|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | Oracle Master Agreement | The first agreement in the contractual hierarchy. Contains general terms governing IP, usage, liability and audit. Has schedules specific to different product sets | Oracle – Customer |
| OMA Schedules | Schedule P Schedule H Schedule C Schedule LVM | The schedules are described below, they are co-terminus with the OMA | Oracle – Customer |
| Schedule P | Schedule P – Programs (Software) | Schedule pertaining to usage of Software owned or distributed by Oracle. | Oracle – Customer |
| Schedule H | Schedule H – Hardware | Schedule pertaining to usage of Hardware, Operating System Integrated Software | Oracle – Customer |
| Schedule C | Schedule C -Cloud Services | Schedule pertaining to use of Cloud Services (SaaS, Paas, IaaS) | Oracle – Customer |
| Schedule LVM | Schedule LVM – Linux VM Service | Schedule pertaining to use of Linux and Oracle VM Support | Oracle – Customer |
| OLSA | Oracle Licensing & Services Agreement | Legacy agreement for software and support services | Oracle – Customer |
| CSA | Cloud Services Agreement | Agreement specifying hosting and software application service on the cloud | Oracle – Customer |
| LDR | License Definitions & Rules | Document specifying the definitions of different license metrics and their application to different Oracle products | Oracle – Customer |
| OD | Ordering Document | Document showing the bill of material, fees, payment terms, special conditions that might amend other agreements | Oracle – Customer or Oracle – Partner (if the deal is through a reseller) |
| OPN | Oracle Partner Network | Agreement with Oracle PartnerNetwork, ( channel partner program that provides resources and benefits for value-added resellers & independent software vendors.) Has been recently modernized with additional cloud benefits | Oracle – Partner |
| OTN | Oracle Technology Network | OTN is the site for publicly available Oracle technical resources. The OTN agreement is for using Oracle products for development | Oracle – Customer |
| BCL | Binary Code License | Legacy Java License | Oracle – Customer |
| ISV MA | Independent Software Vendor Master Agreement | Contract for software developers who want the right to resell Oracle programs with their software | Oracle – Partner |
| FUDA | Full Use Distribution Agreement | Agreement to allow partner to resell full use Oracle licenses | Oracle – Partner |
| OD Addendum | Addendum to the Ordering Document | Can be any additional changes/entitlements/obligations negotiated with Oracle for use of specific products and services pertaining to a single purchase. All changes to any other documents generally come in these addendums/amendments | Oracle – Customer or Oracle – Partner (if the deal is through a reseller) |
| ASFUDA | Application-Specific Full Use Distribution Agreement | Agreement with ISV to allow resale license that is restricted to a particular application package | Oracle – Partner |
| ESL | Embedded License Agreement | Agreement with ISV to embed Oracle licenses into a specific application package | Oracle – Partner |
| CSDA | Cloud Services Distribution Agreement | Agreement to allow partner to resell Oracle cloud services | Oracle – Partner |
| ULA | Unlimited License Agreement | Specific ordering document pertaining to unlimited license agreements | Oracle – Customer |
| POF | Pool of Funds Agreement | Specific ordering document pertaining to pool of funds agreement | Oracle – Customer |
| Technical Support Policy | Technical Support Policy | Pertaining to the provision of support services including obligations of fees | Not physically signed. Hyperlinked in the OMA |
| OSA | Oracle Services Agreement | Legacy agreement for support services | Oracle – Customer |
| DPA | Data Processing Agreement | Agreement regarding the processing of personal data while providing services | Oracle – Customer |
For Software Asset Managers focussing on Oracle, it is extremely crucial to understand the entitlements available and obligations under OTN.
