Oracle 'sniffing' licensing compliance?

Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

"During our conversation, my correspondent told me that Oracle uses what I’ll call ’sniffing’ technology."


How Oracle gets customers to keep paying
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Howlett/?p=1805&tag=nl.e539


Your technical thoughts?

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

My guess is that it would be embedded in the Server Manager Agents. If they can report usage information from the JAS Server and Enterprise Server, then they can surely report the same information to somewhere other than the Management Console.

I don't suppose anybody has tried "sniffing" out if traffic from the Server Manager Agents is going outside their company?

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

One of my clients cancelled their support agreement with Oracle since they are on a stable Xe platform and have no desire to upgrade, ESU or service pack. Oracle contacted them a year later demanding a license audit. When the initial audit failed to show the results Oracle wanted they then tried to install something through the firewall without my client's permission. When this failed they contacted the IT mamager demanding he installed an audit ESU under threat of sending a compliance team out. Eventually I installed the ESU for them and ran it. it didn't show what Oracle wanted and we never heard from them again.

What it was they were trying to install without the client's permission and how they expected to do it through a secure firewall I have no idea.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

I find Dennis Howlett's blog particulary interesting as we contemplate installing Configuration Manager 10.3.2. I started a forum discussion and poll here in JDElist to get other opnions and that is how I got referred to Mr. Howlett's blog. (Ref: To B32294-10 or Not To B32294-10? (Y or N to Install Oracle Configuration Manager 10.3.2)

However, there was mention of the author's opinion about Oracle seeking control of users groups which really caught my attention as I am Vice President of one of the largest RUG's in the country. I must say that I have not seen anything that reinforces his claim. Yes...Oracle does offer financial aid for users groups. Yes...I have seen Oracle's support in providing us educational session facilitators increase postively. But No...I have not seen them attempt to influence our focus. Our relationship with Oracle has been excellent since the acquistion of PeopleSoft. Now of course there may be an area or two where I would like to see improvements. For example, I would like to see Oracle get more involved in linking our local organzation with local JDE customers. This type support has been pretty much non-existent, even back to the days since the PeopleSoft acquired JD Edwards (we could start a whole other discussion on PeopleSoft's unwritten bid to not support users groups...but that is a debate for another day.) I would also like some help understanding the huge amount of data Oracle requests on the all of the attendees at any of our meetings for which they have provided financial assistance, as if they do not already have full files on all of their EnterpriseOne and World customers.

Now I can tell you that I have been wrangled into numerous heated discussions where it was mentioned that Quest was putting some efforts towards taking over RUG chapters back East; however, I do not know the validity of these claims. It was described to me in specific context that their take-over efforts were solely targeted to RUG chapters that were failing financially or dwindling in low membership numbers. But out here in the West, I have not witnessed anything even resembling this claim either.

I will be very interested to see what comes to light in my forum discussion and poll on Configuration Manager, and to see if any other mud surfaces.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

I think it was mostly made up. There's obviously no proof for any of that. New genre: ERP Fiction ;-)

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Oh Yes...I think that I have read the entire set MRP Fiction, MRPII fiction, and ERP Fiction. They were all stinkers.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Hi,
I just had to jump in here though I usually just lurk and read the daily post summaries (old CNC habits die hard).

I am SO glad to see that you consider the Quest takeover story as fiction. Which is what it is.

Quest is here to support the RUGs (and SIGs,IUGs and PUGs). Because of volunteers having less time to put towards efforts like planning RUG meetings, Quest has offered to help. We have a fine group of meeting/logistics planners for events and conferences that can help take the burden off of some RUG leaders. There are several RUGs in the east that have taken Quest up on this service. Which may be the sort of the rumour.

Please consider this as straight from the 'horse's mouth' - me being the horse. I, or any other Quest board or staff member would be happy to help and answer any questions about Quest activities. Anytime.

I look forward to seeing some of you next week at COLLABORATE in Las Vegas.

Sue Shaw
President, Quest International Users Group www.questdirect.org

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Thank you Sue for not just lurking today. lol

I was not happy to hear such stories last year and quickly dismissed them because I (as a long time Quest member and two term RUG Leader) have always seen Quest as being the premier resource for our global user community, who stuck right with us through the thick and thin of all of those logo changes on our ERP systems this last decade. I do not think any of us ever had a doubt about Quest and what you do for us.

And while we have your attention Susan, speaking for many of my contemporaries, the forward momentum and future direction for Quest even shines brighter in our eyes recently. With the introduction in 2009 of the sleek new electronically formatted Q & A Magazine, coupled with the magic we are all soon going to experience in the new innovative electrified website design (demonstrated to RUG Leaders earlier this year) Quest has more than proven your comittment to the global JDE community and growing wth us.

We are really looking forward to a phenomenal conference next week in Vegas.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Wow - you just gave me a big warm fuzzy!! Thanks!
Not always sure that we are heading in the right direction but definitely trying hard to do so. Hearing it from people like you reaffirms that we are doing the right thing.

Please come and find me somewhere - networking reception on Sunday? - so I can thank you in person. Any Quest staff could point me out to you.

Safe travels and see you soon.

Sue

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

"I look forward to seeing some of you next week at COLLABORATE ..."

Sue - that sounds a lot like Bilbo Baggins farewell address:

"I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

[quoteSue - that sounds a lot like Bilbo Baggins farewell address:

"I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."



[/ QUOTE ]

I have always had a hard time working out the math on that quote.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Good one.
Obviously meant that not all of you (therefore some) will be at COLLABORATE.
But just think how surprised you will be when I disappear during the meeting of the members speech!

So...looking forward to seeing those of you that will be at COLLABORATE next week! All signs are that it is going to be a great conference.

Sue

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

Yes...it certainly is the type of quote one has to re-read a few times over a great cup of coffee to fully grasp it.

[ QUOTE ]
"I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

I have always had a hard time working out the math on that quote.

[/ QUOTE ]

Back to the subject at hand, with a significanrt number of online and offline responses that I have received on this issue, I think that we are going to wait a bit on installing Configuration Manager 10.3.2 until we can see more of the JDE interoperability functionality actually up and running.

I do look forward in putting faces with names in Vegas next week. See you at the beach at COLLABORATE 10.

Re: Oracle \'sniffing\' licensing compliance?

[ QUOTE ]
Yes...it certainly is the type of quote one has to re-read a few times over a great cup of coffee to fully grasp it.

[ QUOTE ]
"I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

I have always had a hard time working out the math on that quote.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do look forward in putting faces with names in Vegas next week. See you at the beach at COLLABORATE 10.



[/ QUOTE ]

After which, you and Sue will join hands, slip on the One Ring, and disappear? And then a giant flaming eye will appear over the Luxor beaming a ray of blinding light on the Mandelay Bay beach? hey wait, this is Vegas we're talking about. That last one might happen......