Is There a Minimum Number of Named User Plus Licenses Required Per Processor for Oracle Middleware Products?

Is There a Minimum Number of Named User Plus Licenses Required Per Processor for Oracle Middleware Products

Oracle mandates minimum licensing requirements for middleware products when using the Named User Plus (NUP) metric. This minimum is set per processor to establish a baseline licensing floor, ensuring that organizations cannot license powerful middleware servers with few users. This article covers:

• What the Named User Plus (NUP) licensing minimum is for Oracle Middleware
• How this minimum is calculated and applied
• Examples of how it applies practically
• Middleware products affected by this requirement
• Special considerations for cloud environments

Read Oracle middleware FAQs.

What Is the Oracle Middleware NUP Minimum Requirement?

Oracle Fusion Middleware products—including WebLogic Server, SOA Suite, WebCenter, Oracle Business Intelligence (OBIEE/OAS), Oracle Identity Management, and similar offerings—require a minimum of 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor.

This differs from the higher minimum of 25 NUP per processor that Oracle Database Enterprise Edition requires. Oracle sets middleware minimums lower (10 NUP) than the database minimums (25 NUP). Still, the principle is identical: you must license at least the minimum, even if your actual user count is lower.

How the Middleware NUP Minimum Is Calculated

Oracle calculates the minimum required Named User Plus licenses based on the number of processors:

• Each processor (or equivalent) in the server hosting the middleware product must have at least 10 NUP licenses.
• You must license your user count or the minimum, whichever is higher.

Example Calculation:

• If you have fewer users than the minimum (e.g., only three users on a single-processor server), you still need 10 licenses.
• If you have more users than the minimum (e.g., 15 users on a single-processor server), you license all 15 users, not just the minimum.

Practical Examples of Middleware NUP Minimum Licensing

Here are two examples that show how this minimum requirement applies practically:

Scenario 1: WebLogic Server Deployment

• Server: 2 processors (e.g., Intel CPUs, eight cores each)
• Actual User Count: 8 developers/testers
• Required Licenses: Even though you have only eight actual users, Oracle’s minimum is 10 NUP per processor.
• Total Required: 20 Named User Plus licenses (10 per processor × 2 processors).

Scenario 2: Oracle SOA Suite Deployment

• Server: 1 processor (4-core Intel CPU)
• Actual User Count: 25 business analysts
• Required Licenses: Since the user count (25) exceeds Oracle’s minimum (10), you must license the actual user count.
• Total Required: 25 Named User Plus licenses.

Which Oracle Middleware Products Does This Rule Affect?

Oracle applies the 10 Named User Plus per-processor minimum rule across its Fusion Middleware product family, including but not limited to:

• Oracle WebLogic Server (Standard, Enterprise, Suite)
• Oracle SOA Suite
• Oracle Business Process Management (BPM)
• Oracle WebCenter
• Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE)
• Oracle Analytics Server (OAS)
• Oracle Identity Management (Oracle Access Manager, Oracle Identity Manager, OID/OUD)

All these middleware products must follow the minimum licensing guidelines of 10 NUP per processor.

Special Considerations for Cloud Environments

Oracle also applies this middleware licensing rule in cloud deployments (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.), adapting it slightly for virtualized hardware:

• Oracle’s standard cloud policy typically maps eight vCPUs in authorized clouds to 1 Oracle Processor for middleware licensing purposes.
• The minimum remains 10 NUP per Oracle Processor, meaning that every cloud instance with up to 8 vCPUs must have at least 10 Named User Plus licenses.

Example (AWS Cloud):

• Instance type: AWS EC2 with eight vCPUs
• Middleware deployed: WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition
• Actual user count: 6 developers
• Licensing required: 10 Named User Plus licenses (the minimum)

This ensures Oracle’s licensing minimums remain consistent, even as technology shifts from physical servers to cloud-based virtual machines.

Common Misunderstandings Addressed

• Misconception:
  “We have fewer than 10 users on our middleware; we only license actual users.”
  Reality:
  Oracle requires you to license the minimum (10 per processor), regardless of user count.
• Misconception:
  “The minimum is always 25 NUP per processor, just like the database.”
  Reality:
  Middleware products have a lower minimum (10 NUP), distinct from the database’s 25 NUP.
• Misconception:
  “The cloud eliminates NUP minimums.”
  Reality:
  The 10 NUP per-processor minimum also applies proportionally in cloud environments (10 NUP per 8 vCPUs).

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

Recommendations and Best Practices for Middleware Licensing

Given Oracle’s clear rules around middleware minimum licensing:

• Assess your real user counts regularly to determine whether Named User Plus or processor licensing is more cost-effective.
• NUP licensing might still be efficient if users are close to or exceed the minimum.
• If the minimum requirement significantly exceeds actual users, consider processor licensing to avoid unnecessarily inflated costs.
• Document all middleware deployments and associated user counts. Accurate records simplify Oracle audits and licensing renewals.
• Negotiate licensing terms with Oracle at renewal, especially if middleware usage patterns change significantly.

Summary: Key Points to Remember

• Oracle middleware requires a minimum of 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor.
• Actual user count versus minimum must be evaluated—license whichever is higher.
• This applies to all Fusion Middleware products like WebLogic, SOA Suite, OBIEE, etc.
• Cloud deployments follow similar rules (minimum 10 NUP per 8 vCPUs in authorized cloud environments).

Organizations can stay compliant and optimize their Oracle software licensing costs by clearly understanding and proactively managing these middleware licensing minimums.

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