Does a WebLogic Server License Include Oracle Coherence or Other Add-On Components?

Does a WebLogic Server License Include Oracle Coherence or Other Add-On Components?

Oracle WebLogic Server is a leading Java application server available in multiple editions, each offering varying levels of included components. A common area of confusion is whether Oracle Coherence, a powerful in-memory data grid technology, is bundled with WebLogic licenses. This article clarifies precisely what is included and what requires additional licensing.

Licensing Overview by Edition

Oracle WebLogic Server comes in three primary editions:

• Standard Edition (SE)
• Enterprise Edition (EE)
• WebLogic Suite (highest edition)

Each edition has distinct licensing terms regarding Oracle Coherence and other bundled components.

Read Oracle middleware FAQs.

WebLogic Standard Edition (SE) – Coherence Inclusion

• Coherence Inclusion: Not included
• WebLogic SE does not include a general-purpose license for Oracle Coherence.
• You cannot deploy Oracle Coherence clusters for general application caching with SE.
• Any Coherence usage with SE would require separate Coherence licenses.

Limited internal use:
WebLogic SE may include minimal embedded caching functionalities internally (such as basic session caching) but does not include standalone Oracle Coherence features.

WebLogic Enterprise Edition (EE) – Coherence Inclusion

• Coherence Inclusion: Limited Restricted Use Only
• EE does not include a general-purpose Oracle Coherence license for application-level data grids.
• EE provides limited, restricted-use Coherence capabilities. Specifically, EE allows internal caching functionalities for WebLogic features, such as HTTP session state replication.
• You can use Coherence for internal WebLogic clustering features but cannot set up a standalone, distributed Coherence data grid accessible directly from your custom applications without additional licensing.

Common Use Case:

• HTTP session replication across clustered WebLogic EE servers is allowed without additional licensing.
• Deploying a standalone, application-level Coherence cluster would require a separate Coherence license.

Read How is Oracle WebLogic Server Standard Edition Licensed vs. Enterprise Edition.

WebLogic Suite – Coherence Inclusion

• Coherence Inclusion: Fully Included
• WebLogic Suite includes a full Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition license.
• This allows you to deploy Coherence fully as a standalone distributed caching layer or data grid for your applications.
• Ideal if you require advanced caching, in-memory data management, or application acceleration features.

Additional Components Included:

• WebLogic Suite also includes other advanced features and tools not available in EE or SE, such as:
  • WebLogic Management Pack for Oracle Enterprise Manager
  • Advanced monitoring and diagnostics
  • Enhanced Java SE licensing (historically Java SE Suite with JRockit, Java Mission Control, Flight Recorder, etc.)

Comparing Editions – Oracle Coherence Inclusion

Practical Licensing Examples

Scenario 1 (SE):
You use WebLogic SE and want to deploy a caching layer with Coherence for your web application.

• Licensing Outcome: You must purchase separate Oracle Coherence licenses.

Scenario 2 (EE):
You use WebLogic EE and leverage built-in session replication through Coherence internally within WebLogic.

• Licensing Outcome: This internal use is permitted without additional Coherence licenses.

Scenario 3 (EE):
You have WebLogic EE but wish to deploy a Coherence-based data grid that is accessible directly by your custom Java apps.

• Licensing Outcome: Separate Oracle Coherence licenses are required, or you must upgrade to WebLogic Suite.

Scenario 4 (WebLogic Suite):
You deploy a fully featured Coherence data grid as part of your WebLogic Suite deployment.

• Licensing Outcome: Fully covered—no additional licenses needed.

Read Oracle SOA Suite Licensing: Processor vs Named User Plus (NUP).

Middleware Products with Included Coherence

Note that some Oracle middleware products running on WebLogic may have restricted Coherence licenses built-in:

• Example: Oracle WebCenter Sites includes a restricted Oracle Coherence license for internal caching specifically tied to WebCenter Sites functionality.
• However, WebLogic Server does not extend this Coherence license to general purposes unless you have the Suite edition.

Additional Included Components in WebLogic Editions

Aside from Coherence, WebLogic editions bundle other components under restricted or limited use licenses:

• Java SE Advanced (restricted): This is included with EE and Suite and allows advanced JVM monitoring and diagnostics specifically for WebLogic use.
• WebLogic Management Pack: Included only in WebLogic Suite, enabling detailed diagnostics and performance monitoring via Oracle Enterprise Manager.
• Java SE Suite/JRockit: Historically bundled with WebLogic Suite for enhanced JVM capabilities.

These components are for use only within the scope of WebLogic itself and typically do not permit standalone usage without separate licensing.

Summary of Key Points

• WebLogic SE: No coherence is included; additional licenses are required for full use.
• WebLogic EE: Restricted Coherence for internal clustering/caching within WebLogic features.
• WebLogic Suite: This suite includes a full Oracle Coherence EE license and is suitable for general-purpose data grids.
• Other middleware products (WebCenter, SOA Suite) may include limited Coherence use specific to their internal product functionality.

Recommendations

• Consider WebLogic Suite or purchasing Coherence licenses separately if you require a standalone Coherence data grid.
• For basic WebLogic clustering and internal caching, the EE edition is sufficient.
• Always verify Oracle’s official licensing documentation, as terms and inclusions change periodically.

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