Oracle and SAP Settle Copyright Suit for $115m

Who was involved?

In the long-standing copyright dispute between software giants Oracle and SAP, a settlement has been reached. Oracle will receive $115 million from SAP to settle all claims of copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets.

What was the dispute about?

The lawsuit began in 2010 when Oracle accused SAP of stealing software code from Oracle's Siebel CRM system. SAP denied the allegations, but a jury found SAP guilty in 2012 and awarded Oracle $1.3 billion in damages.

SAP appealed the verdict, and the case was remanded back to the trial court in 2015. The parties continued to dispute the amount of damages, and the case was set for a new trial in 2019.

Settlement Terms

Under the terms of the settlement, SAP will pay Oracle $115 million to settle all claims. Oracle will also dismiss all pending lawsuits against SAP and its subsidiaries.

As part of the settlement, SAP has also agreed to implement a number of measures to prevent future copyright infringement. These measures include:

• Conducting regular audits of its software development processes.
• Training its employees on copyright law.
• Establishing a process for evaluating third-party software before it is used in SAP products.

Impact of the settlement

The settlement is a significant victory for Oracle. It represents the largest copyright settlement in history and sends a strong message to other companies that copyright infringement will not be tolerated.

The settlement also provides SAP with closure to a long and costly legal battle. SAP can now focus on its business without the threat of further litigation.

Conclusion

The Oracle v. SAP copyright lawsuit is a cautionary tale for all companies that develop software. It is important to have strong copyright protection measures in place to prevent infringement. It is also important to be aware of the potential consequences of copyright infringement. If a company is found guilty of copyright infringement, it could face significant financial penalties and other sanctions.