“Oracle Java Uncovered” whitepaper details hidden costs of unlicensed Java use as 73% of organizations report being audited in the past three years

Azul, the trusted leader in enterprise Java for today’s AI and cloud-first world, today published Oracle Java Uncovered: What Free Java Users Need to Know Now, a whitepaper on the risks facing organizations running Oracle Java in production without a paid subscription.

Under Oracle’s Java SE Universal Subscription, licensing costs are tied to total employee count regardless of actual Java usage. A single unlicensed instance can trigger a demand to license the entire organization, often with multi-year back-usage fees at list price.

The whitepaper outlines four paths forward and details risks for those considering unsupported OpenJDK, including patch stability and regulatory exposure under PCI-DSS 4.0 and DORA.

Download the whitepaper at azul.com/oracle-java-uncovered.

FAQs
What happens if Oracle audits my company for unlicensed Java?
A single unlicensed instance can result in a demand to license every employee, contractor, and part-time worker in the organization, along with multi-year back-licensing fees at list-price rates.

Is switching to unsupported OpenJDK enough to eliminate Oracle Java risk?
Unsupported OpenJDK removes ongoing licensing exposure but may not protect against back-usage fees for historical downloads. It also introduces patch stability and compliance risks under PCI-DSS 4.0 and DORA.

How difficult is it to migrate from Oracle Java to OpenJDK?
OpenJDK is the same Java, fully interchangeable with Oracle Java, requiring no code changes or re-architecture. Commercially supported OpenJDK providers offer proven migration methodology, automated tooling and expertise that minimize the timeline and resource burden.

About Azul
Azul is the trusted leader in enterprise Java for today’s AI and cloud-first world. Its open source-based Java platform empowers organizations to optimize the entire Java lifecycle to accelerate performance, strengthen security, reduce licensing and cloud costs, and boost developer productivity. Azul powers mission-critical systems for 36% of the Fortune 100, 50% of the Forbes Top Ten World’s Most Valuable Brands, and the world’s top 10 financial trading companies. Learn more at azul.com and follow @azulsystems.​

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