Third-Party Oracle Support – Maximizing Value and Efficiency

The landscape of Oracle support continues to evolve as businesses seek more cost-effective and flexible solutions tailored to their unique needs. This has led to the growing relevance of third-party Oracle support providers, who offer enhanced customer service and support flexibility to help companies maximize the value of their Oracle investments. This article will provide an in-depth look at third-party Oracle support, its benefits, and how it enables organizations to optimize efficiency while reducing costs.

Third-party support broadly refers to Oracle support provided by vendors other than Oracle itself. It offers extended coverage for legacy Oracle systems as well as customized support plans to suit each customer's requirements. With third-party support, companies can realize significant cost savings, improve response times, and benefit from tailored services not found in Oracle's own support offerings.

Understanding Third-Party Oracle Support

What is Oracle Third-Party Support?

Oracle third-party support involves maintenance and technical assistance for Oracle software and applications provided by companies other than Oracle. It serves as an alternative to Oracle's official support channel, offering services like 24/7 troubleshooting helpdesks, advisory services, license compliance management, and cloud migration assistance for Oracle systems. Leading third-party providers have extensive expertise supporting Oracle databases, middleware, E-Business Suite, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and Siebel.

Benefits of Third-Party Support Over Oracle's Own

Third-party Oracle support provides capabilities beyond what Oracle itself offers, translating into lower costs and better customer experiences. Key benefits include:

• Significant cost savings  - Third-party annual support fees are typically 50-60% lower than Oracle's. This allows customers to maximize their ROI on Oracle investments.

• Support for legacy Oracle releases  - Third-party providers offer ongoing support for older versions even after Oracle ends support. No forced upgrades needed.

• Faster response times  - Third-parties compete on service levels and often provide faster response and resolution than Oracle. Improved uptime and productivity.

• Tailored services  - Customers get Oracle support customized to their unique needs rather than pre-defined packages. More flexibility and relevance.

Exploring the Types and Models of Oracle Support

Different Types of Oracle Support

There are three main types of Oracle support:

• Oracle's official support  - Provided by Oracle with standard or advanced support options. Generally the most expensive choice.

• Third-party support  - Offered by vendors other than Oracle, with more flexibility in services and pricing. Allows extending support for legacy systems.

• Self-support  - The practice of handling Oracle support internally without external providers. Limited capabilities but low costs.

First-Party vs. Third-Party Support

First-party support comes directly from Oracle, while third-party support is provided by other vendors. Key differences:

• Cost  - Third-parties are 50-60% cheaper on average while delivering equal or better service.

• Flexibility  - Third-party support is customizable to each client's needs versus Oracle's predefined packages.

• Legacy support  - Third-parties support older versions of Oracle software beyond Oracle's end-of-life dates.

• Customer service  - Third-party providers compete on service quality and response times.

The Role and Functionality of Oracle Support

Connecting with Oracle Support

To access Oracle's official support, clients can utilize:

• My Oracle Support portal  - For support requests, knowledge base, communities and training.

• Oracle Support Center  - For guided searches, documentation and LiveHelp chat.

• Oracle Customer Care  - For account management and contacting Oracle Support.

Oracle Cloud and Support Tiers

Oracle Cloud services come with their own support tiers:

• Autonomous Database Cloud  - Oracle technical support included. Extra cost for Priority Support.

• Exadata Cloud Service  - Choice of Basic, Premier or Autonomous Support levels.

• IaaS & PaaS Cloud  - Requires optional Premium, Mission Critical or Autonomous Support.

The Strategic Advantage of Third-Party Services

Why Opt for Third-Party Services?

The benefits of third-party Oracle support include:

• Cost savings  - Reduce annual support costs by 50% or more compared to Oracle.

• Legacy support  - Extend the life and value of existing Oracle investments beyond Oracle's support timeline.

• Specialized expertise  - Many third-parties have deep focus and capabilities supporting specific Oracle systems.

Third-Party Services in Cloud Computing

Third-party providers also offer valuable support for Oracle cloud environments:

• Cloud advisory services  - Expert guidance on Oracle Cloud migration strategies and implementations.

• Cloud management  - Assistance managing hybrid Oracle Cloud infrastructure and workloads.

• Cloud security  - Help safeguarding Oracle Cloud systems, data, and applications.

• Cloud cost optimization  - Services to maximize efficiency and reduce cloud spend.

Navigating Third-Party Oracle Support

Choosing the Right Third-Party Provider

When selecting a third-party Oracle support provider:

• Assess technical expertise  - Look for specialized Oracle capabilities, experience, and certifications.

• Evaluate service levels  - Review service response times, availability, project timelines etc.

• Verify credibility  - Choose established vendors with a strong Oracle support reputation.

• Understand support terms  - Clarify what is and isn't covered to avoid surprises.

Integrating Third-Party Support with Oracle Systems

Third-party Oracle support seamlessly integrates with existing Oracle infrastructure and applications. Providers utilize remote monitoring tools to connect to Oracle systems and provide real-time alerts, diagnostics, troubleshooting and maintenance. Support extends to customizations, integrations and other unique aspects of each client's environment.

Broader Perspectives on Third-Party Support

Third-Party Software and Apps

In the Oracle context, third-party software refers to programs and applications developed by companies other than Oracle that work within the Oracle architecture. Examples include monitoring tools, security solutions, connectors, and niche vertical apps.

Understanding the Oracle Ecosystem

Oracle provides software and cloud services to over 430,000 customers in 175 countries. The Oracle ecosystem covers enterprise IT environments including databases, applications, servers, storage, OSs, cloud, and more. Oracle aims to simplify IT complexity for organizations large and small.

Advanced Aspects of Oracle Support

Oracle's Advanced and Premier Support

For customers requiring specialized support, Oracle offers:

• Advanced Support  - For tailored lifecycle support including advisory services and cloud migration help.

• Oracle Premier Support for Systems  - For Oracle's highest support tier, featuring dedicated lifecycle guidance and an assigned account manager.

Oracle vs. Other Cloud Providers

Compared to AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, Oracle offers:

• Differentiators like the autonomous operating system and database.

• Integrated suites spanning apps to infrastructure as a one-stop cloud shop.

• Leading security innovations and SLAs.

• Flexibility for hybrid, multi-cloud and on-prem environments.

Conclusion

Third-party support enables organizations to maximize their ROI and efficiency from Oracle deployments while exercising flexibility and choice. With benefits like substantial cost savings, extended legacy system support, faster response times, and highly customized services, third-party Oracle support can provide strategic advantages over Oracle's own offerings. As the support landscape continues evolving, companies have an opportunity to re-evaluate their Oracle support strategy. Partnering with specialized third-party providers can help unlock the full business value of Oracle investments.

Author Bio

Jeff Parcheta is a Sales Director at Chetu Inc., a global, custom software development company, overseeing the Facilities Management, Residential Services, Insurance, Construction, Modeling, Drafting, and AI & Machine Learning accounts. A graduate of both the University of Texas at Arlington and Nova Southeastern University, where he received his MBA, Jeff joined Chetu in 2020 , where he has built a reputation as a thought leader and industry expert within the IT community. Jeff has risen through the sales department ranks, helping the company grow into an award-winning organization.​​​​​​​