A recent survey by Azul Systems and the ITAM Forum reveals that many companies are struggling with the complexities of software license compliance, and it’s costing them dearly. The survey of 500 IT and software asset management professionals found that 27% of enterprises spend over $500,000 annually to fix software license non-compliance issues.

The primary culprit? The growing complexity of hybrid cloud environments and a ballooning application inventory make it incredibly difficult to track software usage and maintain compliance. This has led to a surge in software audits, with 73% of enterprises experiencing an Oracle Java audit in the last three years. As a result, nearly 80% of these organizations have either migrated or are planning to migrate to open-source Java alternatives to mitigate risks and costs.

These challenges are not just financial. Software audits are highly disruptive to business operations, with over 30% of survey participants reporting that audits lead to stalled projects, unexpected budget impacts, and diversion of resources.

This is where COSS companies come in. As organizations increasingly turn to open source alternatives to escape punitive licensing fees and vendor lock-in, the demand for commercially supported open source software is set to explode. COSS companies are perfectly positioned to capitalize on this trend by providing the enterprise-grade support, security, and management tools that organizations need to confidently adopt open source solutions.

The survey results are a clear indicator that the tide is turning against proprietary software vendors with complex and costly licensing models. For COSS companies, this represents a golden opportunity to provide a more transparent, cost-effective, and business-friendly alternative.