How is Oracle WebCenter Sites Licensed, and Are WebLogic or Coherence Included?
Oracle WebCenter Sites is a comprehensive solution designed to manage complex web experiences. It is licensed based on two standard Oracle metrics:
- Processor licensing: Licensing is calculated by counting processor cores and applying Oracle’s Core Factor Table.
- Named User Plus (NUP) licensing: Licensing is per named user or device, with a minimum of 10 NUP licenses per processor.
Organizations typically choose the licensing model based on their expected user count or infrastructure scale. Processor licensing is usually preferred for websites serving large, unpredictable audiences, whereas NUP licensing can be cost-effective for smaller, internal user bases.
What’s Included in the WebCenter Sites License?
Oracle WebCenter Sites licensing includes several restricted-use components bundled explicitly to support the primary use case—web experience management:
1. Oracle WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition (Restricted-Use)
WebCenter Sites comes with a restricted-use license of Oracle WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition. This allows you to deploy and run WebCenter Sites without needing to purchase a separate WebLogic Server license, provided:
- WebLogic is used solely to run the WebCenter Sites application.
- No other custom Java applications or unrelated Oracle middleware products are deployed on the included WebLogic instance.
This bundled WebLogic license simplifies deployment and reduces additional licensing costs typically associated with middleware servers.
2. Oracle WebCenter Content (Restricted-Use)
The WebCenter Sites license includes a restricted-use license for Oracle WebCenter Content. This content management functionality provides:
- A repository for managing assets like documents, images, and media files used by WebCenter Sites.
- Built-in content workflow and lifecycle management specifically for assets managed within Sites.
However, this included content license is strictly for content related to WebCenter Sites websites. If you use WebCenter Content for broader enterprise document management outside the scope of the Sites application, you must acquire additional licenses.
3. Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition (Restricted-Use)
Oracle WebCenter Sites also includes a restricted-use license for Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition. Oracle Coherence is integrated into Sites specifically to:
- Handle asset caching and locking mechanisms.
- Provide performance optimization and ensure consistency during concurrent editing and publishing of content.
This bundled Coherence license covers only caching related to WebCenter Sites’ internal operations. Deploying Coherence as a standalone or general-purpose data grid outside Sites requires a separate, full-use license.
Read How is Oracle WebCenter Content Licensed, and What’s Included.
Licensing Examples and Practical Scenarios
Scenario 1: Processor Licensing
Your organization plans to deploy WebCenter Sites on a server with 8 Intel cores. Applying Oracle’s core factor (0.5 for Intel cores):
- Calculation:
8 cores × 0.5 core factor = 4 Processor licenses required - With these 4 Processor licenses, you can run:
- WebCenter Sites application itself
- Bundled WebLogic Server EE (restricted-use)
- Integrated WebCenter Content repository for site assets
- Bundled Coherence Enterprise Edition for internal caching
If usage remains within Sites’ bundled restrictions, you would not owe additional fees for WebLogic, Coherence, or content management.
Scenario 2: Named User Plus Licensing
Suppose you have a WebCenter Sites installation used internally by 15 named employees for managing content:
- The server hosting Sites is one processor (after core factor adjustment).
- Oracle requires at least 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor. Since your actual user count (15) exceeds this minimum, you license all 15 users.
- These licenses include WebLogic, WebCenter Content, and Coherence, restricted to WebCenter Sites’ use.
Important Licensing Considerations
While Oracle WebCenter Sites’s bundled components are comprehensive, it is crucial to remember their limitations:
- WebLogic Server EE: Restricted to WebCenter Sites only. No custom Java applications or additional middleware deployments are allowed.
- WebCenter Content: Restricted to managing content assets used exclusively within the WebCenter Sites deployment. Broader use cases need separate licensing.
- Oracle Coherence: Limited to internal asset caching for Sites. Separate deployments or broader caching solutions must be separately licensed.
These restrictions mean you must carefully evaluate your intended use case to remain compliant.
Practical Recommendations for Licensing Compliance
To ensure compliance and cost efficiency:
- Document how bundled components (WebLogic, Content, Coherence) are utilized to demonstrate audit compliance.
- Regularly review infrastructure changes—adding servers or deploying WebCenter Sites on new instances increases licensing requirements accordingly.
- Evaluate periodically whether your use case might extend beyond bundled components—acquiring standalone licenses proactively avoids compliance issues.
Conclusion
Oracle WebCenter Sites licensing offers significant advantages by bundling WebLogic Server, WebCenter Content, and Oracle Coherence, making it a comprehensive platform for managing web experiences without additional middleware licensing costs. However, these components have strict usage limitations.
By carefully understanding these bundled licenses and staying within their defined scope, organizations can effectively manage web content with WebCenter Sites while maintaining compliance and cost control.
