Ausgrid has reduced its Java licensing exposure and strengthened its cybersecurity posture after migrating from Oracle Java to Azul Platform Core, cutting potential licensing costs by 80 per cent and reducing Java-related vulnerabilities by 99 per cent, according to an announcement from Azul.
Ausgrid, which supplies electricity to more than 1.8 million customers across Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter region, operates hundreds of applications relied on by its 4,000 employees. During a Windows 11 upgrade, the company found that several applications managed outside its technology function depended on multiple versions of Oracle Java. The discovery coincided with Oracle’s 2023 shift to a user-based licensing model tied to total employee headcount, which raised the risk of significant cost increases for organisations still using Oracle Java.
Under the revised model, any single Oracle Java deployment could trigger licensing obligations across an organisation’s entire workforce, including contractors and consultants. For Ausgrid, this represented more than $500,000 in potential annual costs. The company also identified Oracle Java as a major contributor to its overall cybersecurity vulnerability load.
Ausgrid evaluated alternatives and conducted proof-of-concept deployments of Azul Platform Core across different applications and device environments to assess compatibility. The company said the trials demonstrated a seamless migration path without operational disruption, while also enabling significant reductions in identified vulnerabilities.
The full migration took two months and resolved both compliance and security concerns, giving the organisation a more predictable licensing model and removing the risk of future Oracle audits. Glen Parker, senior partner solutions manager at Ausgrid, said the move reduced financial exposure while addressing long-standing security issues linked to legacy Java deployments.
Azul Vice President for APAC Dean Vaughan said Ausgrid’s approach highlights the importance of proactively managing Java licensing and security risks before they escalate into compliance issues. The company said it now has a modern Java platform aligned with its long-term operational and cybersecurity requirements.