Do we need a license from Oracle for Java use with the SEPM Java Remote Console?

[Scott K]

I can’t get a straight answer with Symantec’s horrible tier 1 support, therefore hoping a Symantec employee can provide an answer here instead.

Starting January 2019, Oracle is changing Java 8 (and later) licensing requiring non-personal/home-use to purchase a Java licensing to run or use Java 8 or later. Since the SEPM's Java Remote Console requires and uses Java 8 do we (my organization) need to purchase a license? When I contact Symantec support, they referred me to INFO5218 (https://support.symantec.com/content/unifiedweb/en_US/article.INFO5218.html). I replied nicely that yes, I understand the Symantec Endpoint Protection (“SEP”) client doesn’t use Java, but I was inquiring about the Java Remote Console. Their response was that Java Remote Console didn’t use Java and therefore doesn’t apply. I replied with a screenshot showing that the Java Remote Console requires Java (it’s launched via C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath\javaws.exe -localfile -J-Djnlp.application.href=https://sepm.compnay_name.com:8443/servlet/JnlpServlet?osSF=true "C:\Users\<user_name>\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\cache\6.0\2\123a456-78b9b12c) and https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH236409.html. Support’s last response was “So we [Symantec] do not require to purchase additional license” but refuses to answer if we (my organization) needs an Oracle Java license to continue to use SEPM’s Java Remote Console. How I read Oracle’s licensing we need to purchase the Oracle Java license for every user of the Java Remote Console. Can a Symantec employee clear this up?

Thanks in advance.

[ℬrίαη]

Not from Oracle for SEPM and the remote console. This has never been the case so I'm honestly surprised you didn't get a straight answer.

[Scott K]

Brian,

 

The Java Remote Console uses Oracle Java 8, therefore, why don't we need an Oracle Java license to continue to run the console? That's how I read the Oracle licensing statement. Also, you can't receive security updates for Java 8 without the license.

 

Thanks,

Scott

[ℬrίαη]

I can't speak to how their licensing works. I'm saying in 10+ years of working with SEP/SEPM this has never come up nor have we stopped receiving updates. If additional licensing was needed I would've hoped we would've been notified in some form or fashion. But then again I always handled the product after all has been finalized with licensing/purchasing/sales.

[Scott K]

Fact: Symantec’s Java Remote Console for SEPM uses Oracle Java 8 to function.

 

My understanding: Oracle’s revised licensing statement for Java 8 and later state that the use of Java 8 starting January 2019 requires a license for non-personal use. Also to obtain Java 8 updates starting January 2019 requires a license from Oracle.

Source: https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/documentation/eol-135779.html

 

Conclusion: Since Symantec’s Java Remote Console uses Oracle Java 8 to function and Oracle requires a license to run and receive updates for Java 8, therefore we (my organization) must purchase an Oracle Java license to continue to use Symantec’s Java Remote Console.

 

Can a Symantec employee please comment?

[Scott K]

Symantec’s INFO5218 (https://support.symantec.com/content/unifiedweb/en_US/article.INFO5218.html) does not apply to Symantec's Java Remote Console for SEPM, which requires Java 8 to function and therefore a Java license from Oracle. Does Symantec provide this license from Oracle? Otherwise, we will need to uninstall Java 8 and Symantec's Java Remote Console from our systems before January 2019 (my organization has decided we not pay Oracle for any Java license and therefore we cannot use any product which requires us to purchase such license from Oracle).

 

I looked at “Symantec™ Endpoint Protection 14.0.1/14.1 Third Party License Agreements” from https://www.symantec.com/about/legal/repository, which has Oracle’s old licensing agreement for Java SE and Oracle has superseded this license agreement earlier this year with https://www.symantec.com/about/legal/repository. We have contacted Oracle for clarification and we (my organization) is required to have an Oracle Java license to have Java 8 or later installed or receive updates. Unless Symantec has a license agreement from Oracle to use Java 8 (and receive updates) with Symantec’s Java Remote Console for SEPM, then we will need to discontinue using Java Remote Console or purchase a Java license from Oracle (which my organization’s management is preventing us from perusing).

[DSOLO]

Hi Scott,

 

The SEP PM and our Legal team are currently looking into this further. I will update you via your case and will have our KB article updated as well, once they've provided a response on the matter. We should have an answer on this matter soon.

 

Thank you.

[rud_fredrik]

Any news about this?

[mwit]

Would love to know about this aswell

[Migration User]

The remote Java console in SEP is part of the product, so the Product Use Rights applies to it. The Product Use Rights document for SEP 14.2 has recently been updated: https://www.symantec.com/about/legal/repository?prod=endpoint-protection&lang=us

Adam

[rud_fredrik]

So what does this mean in plain English? Do we need to obtain a license from Oracle in order to be able to use SEPM and/or the Java Remote Console?

[Migration User]

No, you do not a separate Oracle license for SEPM or the SEPM Java Remote Console.

Adam

[DSOLO]

The following KB article was written and is maintained regarding this matter.

How are Symantec Products affected by Oracle's announcement of Java SE 8 licensing - https://www.symantec.com/docs/INFO5218

[inigo_montoya]

The INFO5218 article references "SEP"... it's "SEPM" that has me worried.  Please update the KB to include information about the need to have Java in order to run SEPM. And or a KB on migrating to use OpenJDK.

[DSOLO]

@Inigo_montoya. The "SEP" reference is regarding the product known as Symantec Endpoint Protection, as a whole, which encompasses the client and manager. We would explicitly call out "SEP Client" if the SEPM was not included in that.