Having competing bids from SAP and Infor definitely helped Massimo secure favorable terms, he added.

Ultimately, negotiation strategies should change "depending on the type of Oracle customer you are," said analyst Ray Wang, CEO of Constellation Research.

"Die-hard Red Stack" customers -- those who have largely standardized on the company's applications and infrastructure software -- are simply locked in, he said via e-mail. "Oracle reps know it and so do the customers." It's best for these customers to try to cut shelfware, look for alternative SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications to cut their long-term dependence on Oracle and consider third-party software maintenance to reduce costs, he said.

Other customers have come into Oracle's orbit as the company acquired other software vendors, he said. For these, "the best strategy is to extract cost savings through consolidation of contracts," Wang said. Third-party software maintenance and shelfware reduction are two other paths to consider, he added.

Finally, brand-new Oracle customers should work with an experienced negotiator to develop a strategy that covers five phases of ownership, which include selection, implementation, adoption, maintenance and renewal, Wang said.