Dealing with Oracle Java SE 8 Update > 202

[dnnsrnhrdt]

Hello all,

the topic Java SE and the since 2019 newly introduced license conditions for Java SE 8 Update > 202 are surely known to most of you here. For all others, the following link is a very good introduction to the topic Oracle's Java licensing changes - what do they mean for you? ITAA (itassetalliance.com).

In short, for all installed versions from Java SE 8 update > 202, you need a Java SE Subscription.

The challenge now is to be able to identify these installations correctly and assign them to corresponding software models. I've installed the following Java package on a test machine (jdk-8u211) and transferred the data to the Platform via our SG-SCCM integration. In the following you can see the excerpt from the discovery models

It is good to see that all entries have been normalized by the content database, but at a second glance it becomes clear that this data is of limited use for our application.If you look at the entries for Software Models, DMAPS, you will find some matching entries e.g. for "Java 8 Update 8.0", but all of them are missing the crucial detail - the version of the update (e.g. > 202). The provides normalized discovery models for the JDK product is too generic and you have to assume that every JDK installation consists these 2-3 entries per device to allow detection based on the "Java 8 Update" entry.

Basically, the question to the ServiceNow colleagues, are there already internal efforts, how the platform would like to map these details necessary for Java SE in the future in the content database? And the other question is, how do I map my requirements in the meantime to get a clear picture of my Java SE consumption?

I could edit all affected installation to "Java 8 Update 8.0" and reset the normalization and change the version to 8.0 211.
 The same for the products "Java SE Development Kit 8 Update 211" and there once change the product to e.g.: "Java Development Kit" and change the version accordingly to 8.0 211.

However, the whole thing does not feel good and I would like the content team to provide this important information at this point and update all components involved in it (DMAP, Software Models, ...)

I look forward to your answers and a great exchange of ideas

Best, Dennis

[dnnsrnhrdt]

Hi @Cons Austria ,

as mentioned in the previous posts, the information about the specific version of Java within SAMP/Workspace is not clearly visible.

To meet the requirement you mentioned, I would recommend referring directly to the installation data of each client and evaluate the detailed information there. Nevertheless, can you briefly give us an insight into how you currently manage the issue you mentioned.

After the update by ServiceNow, I would create corresponding software models with the respective products to capture free and paid software and license consumption. 

[Cons Austria]

My plan is:

1. Normalize discovery models to
   • Product: Java (or Java Development Kit) 
   • Version: Version number
   • Edition: I'll use this field to input the update number for Java 6, 7 and 8 - these are the java versions that are licensed under OTN or BCL depending on the update number. For all other versions I don't need the update number since these are either OTN or BCL regardless of update number
2. Create software models for the above
3. For all software models under the BCL, ill uncheck "License Under Management" - this way my license report will include Java releases under OTN only and I can still generate usage/install report with Normalized Product/Version/Update number breakdown. 

Downside: 

1. A lot of work to setup
2. Will need to monitor new discovery models

Further down the road:

1. All Java releases under BCL are not necessarily free, it depends if commercial features are in use
2. Based on the SN whitepaper for Oracle Java , we can setup the tool to discover commercial features
3. Once above is setup,  I can use my BCL software models to identify instances that need a subscriptions and just bring them back to "License Under Management"