Are Oracle Database Management Packs Included in Your Database License?
A common misconception among Oracle Database users is that management features like Oracle Diagnostics Pack and Oracle Tuning Pack come bundled with the Enterprise Edition (EE) license. These management packs are separately licensed products and are not included by default.
This article covers:
- Overview of Oracle Diagnostics Pack and Tuning Pack.
- How Oracle licenses these management packs.
- Licensing requirements and common pitfalls.
- Clarification on Standard Edition 2 (SE2).
- Practical examples and best practices.
Read more Oracle Database Licensing FAQs.
Overview of Oracle Database Management Packs
Oracle Database management packs are specialized add-ons designed to help database administrators (DBAs) effectively manage, monitor, and optimize Oracle databases. Two of the most commonly used management packs are:
- Oracle Diagnostics Pack
- Oracle Tuning Pack
Both packs offer powerful capabilities but require separate licensing beyond your standard Oracle Enterprise Edition license.
Oracle Diagnostics Pack: Features and Licensing
The Diagnostics Pack provides database performance monitoring, detailed reporting, and automated diagnostic tools, including:
- Automatic Workload Repository (AWR)
AWR collects performance statistics and stores historical data to diagnose database performance issues. - Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM)
ADDM analyzes AWR data, identifies bottlenecks, and recommends solutions. - Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) Performance Pages
Provides detailed, graphical insights into database performance metrics and workload activity.
Licensing Requirement:
Oracle requires the Diagnostics Pack to be licensed separately for each Oracle Database Enterprise Edition server where these features are used. The license metric must match your base database license (Processor or Named User Plus).
Example Scenario:
If you have an Oracle EE server with eight cores (Intel, core factor 0.5):
- Base database licensing: 4 Processor licenses (8 cores × 0.5).
- If you use AWR or ADDM regularly on this database, you must also license 4 Processor licenses of Diagnostics Pack.
Oracle Tuning Pack: Features and Licensing
The Tuning Pack provides tools for optimizing database performance at the SQL and schema level, including:
- SQL Tuning Advisor
Identifies inefficient SQL statements and provides recommendations to optimize query performance. - SQL Access Advisor
Advises on indexing, materialized views, and partitioning to enhance performance. - Real-Time SQL Monitoring
Offers detailed insights into currently executing SQL statements to aid rapid diagnosis and tuning.
Licensing Requirement:
Like Diagnostics Pack, Oracle requires separate Tuning Pack licenses for each database server using these features. The Tuning Pack depends on the Diagnostics Pack; thus, you must license both packs if you use tuning capabilities.
Example Scenario:
If you have 2 Processor licenses covering an Enterprise Edition database server and you regularly use the SQL Tuning Advisor:
- You must obtain two processor licenses for the diagnostics pack (prerequisite).
- You must also have two processor licenses for the tuning pack.
Without these licenses, using Tuning Pack features (even occasionally) puts you out of compliance.
Read Moving or Reusing Oracle Database Licenses.
Licensing Rules and Compliance Pitfalls
Oracle management packs operate on an honor system. The database software does not prevent you from using these features, but Oracle audits frequently review feature usage. Common pitfalls include:
- Unintentional Use:
Without realizing the licensing implications, DBAs or developers may accidentally trigger Diagnostics or Tuning Pack features. A common example is running an AWR report for troubleshooting without owning the Diagnostics Pack license. - Partial or Occasional Use:
Oracle’s stance is that any use, even minor or accidental, requires the packs to be licensed fully for the database where they are used. - Enterprise Manager (OEM) Usage:
Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control provides convenient access to Diagnostics and Tuning Pack features. Clicking on certain OEM screens, performance pages, or advisors typically requires these packs. Many customers inadvertently trigger licensing obligations by casually exploring these pages.
Clarification for Oracle Standard Edition 2 (SE2)
Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) does not include or support these management packs. Key points about SE2:
- No Diagnostics Pack or Tuning Pack:
These packs are available exclusively for Enterprise Edition. SE2 does not include AWR, ADDM, or SQL Tuning Advisor features. - Statspack as Alternative:
SE2 uses the older, free Statspack tool for performance data collection. Statspack is less sophisticated and requires manual intervention, but it has no licensing costs.
Because SE2 inherently lacks access to pack features, SE2 customers avoid accidentally triggering extra licenses. However, this also limits available monitoring and performance tuning capabilities.
Other Management Packs to Consider
Oracle offers several additional database management packs, each requiring separate licenses:
- Database Lifecycle Management Pack: Automates patching, provisioning, and compliance tasks.
- Data Masking and Subsetting Pack: Helps anonymize and subset data for development and testing.
- Cloud Management Pack: Enhances Oracle Enterprise Manager for cloud-based infrastructure monitoring.
All Oracle Database management packs are separate from your base EE license and require explicit licensing if their features are used.
Read Oracle Database Enterprise Edition: Features Included at No Extra Cost.
Practical Examples and Licensing Checklist
Scenario 1: Small Database with Frequent Diagnostics
- Setup: 4-core EE database (Intel x86, core factor 0.5 → 2 Processor licenses).
- Usage: Regularly runs AWR reports to identify performance issues.
- Licensing Required:
- Base Database EE: 2 Processor licenses
- Diagnostics Pack: 2 Processor licenses
Scenario 2: Database using SQL Tuning Advisor
- Setup: 8-core EE database (core factor 0.5 → 4 Processor licenses).
- Usage: SQL Tuning Advisor is used for query optimization.
- Licensing Required:
- Base Database EE: 4 Processor licenses
- Diagnostics Pack: 4 Processor licenses (prerequisite for Tuning Pack)
- Tuning Pack: 4 Processor licenses
Recommendations for Ensuring Compliance
To avoid compliance risks and unexpected audit costs, adopt these best practices:
- Educate Database Teams:
Train DBAs and developers about which database features trigger pack licensing obligations. Clarify clearly which features are off-limits unless explicitly licensed. - Regular Feature Usage Audits:
Routinely check Oracle views (DBA_FEATURE_USAGE_STATISTICS,DBA_OPTION_USAGE) to identify accidental usage of licensed features. - Disable Unlicensed Packs:
Oracle provides mechanisms (CONTROL_MANAGEMENT_PACK_ACCESSparameter) to disable Diagnostics and Tuning Packs if you have not licensed them, preventing accidental use. - Careful Use of Enterprise Manager:
Document which OEM screens trigger pack licensing. If you have not licensed relevant packs, consider restricting access to certain OEM pages.
Quick Reference: Licensing for Management Packs
| Feature | Diagnostics Pack Required? | Tuning Pack Required? |
|---|---|---|
| AWR reports, ADDM recommendations, OEM performance pages | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| SQL Tuning Advisor, SQL Access Advisor, Real-Time SQL Monitoring | ✅ Yes (prerequisite) | ✅ Yes |
| Basic monitoring (no AWR, ADDM, etc.) | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Statspack (SE2 alternative) | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Final Takeaways
Your standard Enterprise Edition database license does not include Oracle Database management packs (Diagnostics and Tuning Pack). To stay compliant, each must be explicitly licensed per processor or named user.
Avoiding compliance issues requires proactive management, education, and controls on pack usage. Adhering to these best practices ensures you benefit from Oracle’s advanced management capabilities without unexpected licensing pitfalls.
