I'm not out to defend Oracle but...
the honeypot that Oracle has found is not that the price of their software is through the roof, they've been able to identify the right people in most business that have nothing to do with the Oracle software but pay the bills. Oracle database is a very good product, otherwise we wouldnt all be whinging about the price of it. Some of the things we have identified are that even though Oracle will provide you with the licensing you need for a project, you really have to understand their licensing model and the cost of all the oracle environments in your business. Dont be afraid to tell the Oracle auditors and sales people to fuck off. If your really stuck and Oracle has you by the balls, get in a license specialist to go through your environment and recommend the lowest cost models that are out there. If you can challenge Oracle on every single point in the audit then they soon want to settle as you've created more hassle and work than they'd anticipated. Its the same tactic that all the big software vendors use, oracle is no exception.
If you take one point from my rant, then its look at the license models they have (including whats new) and negotiate hard and dirty. At the end of the day, your employed to keep the money in the company and not in the pocket of the vendors. Deal with them as if your being asked to stick your bleeding hand in a tank full of piranhas and asked to trust them not to bite.
I've been through Oracle audits, remember that Oracle are a big sales company and the sales people hate each other, think big and get regional offices or sales partners to quote as that really pisses them off. I had an Auditor in Oracle tell me I was a bastard and it was low down tricks I'd pulled after his "sale" fell through and I got the same licenses for half the price from another region. Let them play hardball, just be playing a ducking different game that they didn't even know they're part of!. Your vendors don't pay your bonus.
Coat, keys, CTRL-ALT-DEL, pub!
No wallet as the Directors buying!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
