How do you complete an Oracle Server Work sheet (OSW) Whether it’s an Oracle Audit, ULA Certification or renewing support, when it comes to reporting your deployment of Oracle products you’ll need to prepare an Oracle Server Worksheet (OSW). So what is an OSW, what goes into it and what do you need to be careful about when preparing it?
An OSW, when fully complete, is a spreadsheet which represents a declaration of the Oracle products you have deployed in your network, the license metric applied and the infrastructure you have assigned the licenses too. This spreadsheet is then submitted Oracle License Management Services(LMS) and compared to the products that you have purchase to see if there is a gap in licensing. Depending on which version of the OSW you have been asked to fill, each line represents either a database instance (older format) or a server instances and details of what has been deployed, when, for what, the physical and virtual environment.
Below I’ve listed the fields that typically must be filled in when completing an OSW. Depending on the version of the OSW you’ve been asked to complete you may not need to provide all of this information but you will need certainly need to collect it for your own preparation. This table covers the information typically asked for in relation to Oracle Database and E-Business Suite. Additional information may be required for other products such as Siebel, Middleware or JD Edwards.
Most of the information requested can be collected by and experienced system administrator and Oracle DBA. There are also a number of tools and services on the market that will automate the process and significantly reduce the time and potential errors but the final OSW will always need to be manually updated. Particular care should be taken when providing details of virtualization as an error here can result in very significant costs. Where Oracle Options or Packs have been deployed your DBA should confirm if the products are actually in-use (license required) or simply installed (no license required) It is strongly recommended that if you are not very familiar with preparing an OSW that you get expert assistance.
It is common for Oracle or their reseller to offer the services of Oracle LMS (license management services) to help you prepare your OSW. It is strongly advised that you do not accept this offer as the scripts used to determine what has been deployed collect more information than required and the interpretation of the results by LMS is typically over conservative and never in favor of the client. It’s the equivalent of the fox being asked to count the chickens.
Although the OSW contains a significant amount of information on the deployment of Oracle products it is only a starting point. You can expect many questions from Oracle or their partners if there is any ambiguity in the details.
Never forget that any information you provide to a vendor or their representative will be used to sell you more software. This is particularly true for an Oracle Server Worksheet (OSW) so take the time to prepare and review it so you are confident of its accuracy. If you’d like a sample Oracle Server Worksheet (OSW) or help in preparing one simply contact me
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