Oracle Service Bus Licensing and Costs
- Prerequisite License: Requires Oracle WebLogic Suite.
- Database Requirement: Oracle Database is needed for specific features.
- Restricted Use: Includes limited access to Oracle Web Services Manager.
- Pricing: Named User Plus: $460, Processor: $23,000.
- Annual Support: NUP: $101.20, Processor: $5,060.
Oracle Service Bus Licensing and Costs
Oracle Service Bus is a key component of Oracle’s middleware offerings. It provides a lightweight Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) integration platform, often referred to as an “enterprise service bus” (ESB). It facilitates communication between various services in a complex environment and easily integrates applications.
Below is a detailed breakdown of Oracle Service Bus licensing requirements, costs, and related considerations.
Licensing Structure
Oracle Service Bus is licensed as an option to Oracle WebLogic Suite and is included in Oracle SOA Suite and Oracle Mobile Suite.
Licensing Oracle Service Bus comes with specific prerequisites and restrictions, making it important for organizations to fully understand these before implementing them.
Key Licensing Prerequisites
- Oracle WebLogic Suite License: A license to Oracle WebLogic Suite is mandatory to license and use Oracle Service Bus. Any organization looking to deploy Oracle Service Bus must first obtain a WebLogic Suite license.
- Oracle Database License: An Oracle Database license (either Standard Edition 2 or Enterprise Edition) is required to access certain features within Oracle Service Bus. Features requiring an Oracle Database license include:
- Reporting provider
- Re-sequencer
- Xrefs
- Enterprise Scheduler
Restricted Use Licenses
- Enterprise Scheduler: Oracle Service Bus includes access to the Enterprise Scheduler feature. However, its use is restricted to scheduling internal Oracle Service Bus jobs and proxy services only. If additional scheduling capabilities are required, they may need to be purchased separately.
- Oracle Web Services Manager: Oracle Service Bus includes a restricted-use license for Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM). OWSM’s use within Oracle Service Bus is limited to policy enforcement. Authoring new policies or managing tools outside the Oracle Service Bus console requires command-line or scripting tools. A separate Oracle SOA Suite license is necessary for full use of OWSM.
License Types and Costs
Oracle Service Bus follows a pricing model that includes Named User Plus (NUP) and Processor licensing, which are common across Oracle products. Below is a breakdown of the associated costs for Oracle Service Bus:
- Named User Plus (NUP) License:
- Cost per NUP: $460
- Software Update License & Support (annual): $101.20
- Processor License:
- Cost per processor: $23,000
- Software Update License & Support (annual): $5,060
The costs for Oracle Service Bus follow Oracle’s standard pricing structure, which means organizations must pay a base licensing fee and an ongoing annual support fee.
Considerations for Oracle Service Bus Licensing
- WebLogic Server Basic: Oracle SOA Suite users running on WebLogic Server Basic cannot run Oracle Service Bus. This limitation is important to keep in mind when planning Oracle architecture.
- Policy Management: The restricted use of Oracle Web Services Manager within Oracle Service Bus means that an additional Oracle SOA Suite license may be required for organizations needing more complex policy management. Depending on the extent of the use of Web Services Manager, this can increase the overall cost.
- Cost Impact of Enterprise Scheduler and Other Features: Certain advanced Oracle Service Bus features require an Oracle Database license, which adds to the overall cost. For organizations that plan to use these features (e.g., re-sequencer, Xrefs), this needs to be factored into the total cost of ownership.
Read our guide on how to license Oracle Internet Developer Suite.
Optimizing Oracle Service Bus Costs
For organizations looking to optimize their Oracle Service Bus licensing costs, the following strategies may be helpful:
- Accurately Assess License Needs: To avoid over-licensing, it’s essential to determine how many users and processors need to be licensed. This can be done by analyzing current and projected use cases to ensure licenses are properly aligned with actual needs.
- Leverage Named User Plus Licensing: For organizations with a relatively small user base accessing Oracle Service Bus, Named User Plus licenses may provide significant savings compared to processor-based licensing. However, processor-based licensing is beneficial in high-volume environments with multiple users.
- Monitor License Utilization: By monitoring the utilization of Oracle Service Bus features (such as Oracle Web Services Manager or Enterprise Scheduler), organizations can ensure that they are not paying for unused functionality or incurring unnecessary licensing costs.
- Consolidate Services: Consolidating services and utilizing Oracle Service Bus’s capabilities to integrate multiple platforms can reduce the need for additional middleware solutions, helping to control costs.
Read about how to license SOA suite for non-Oracle middleware.
FAQ: Oracle Service Bus Licensing and Costs
What is required to license Oracle Service Bus?
A license for Oracle WebLogic Suite is required to use Oracle Service Bus.
Can I use the Oracle Service Bus without the Oracle Database?
No, features like Reporting Provider and Re-sequencer require an Oracle Database license.
Does Oracle Service Bus include Web Services Manager?
Yes, but its use is restricted to policy enforcement within Oracle Service Bus.
How much does a Named User Plus license for Oracle Service Bus cost?
The cost is $460 per Named User Plus.
What is the cost of a Processor license for Oracle Service Bus?
A Processor license costs $23,000.
Is annual support required for Oracle Service Bus licenses?
Annual support costs $101.20 for Named User Plus and $5,060 for Processor licenses.
What features are restricted by the Oracle Service Bus license?
Restricted features include Enterprise Scheduler, which is used only for internal Oracle Service Bus jobs.
Can I run Oracle Service Bus on WebLogic Server Basic?
No, Oracle Service Bus is not supported on WebLogic Server Basic.
What alternatives exist for Oracle Service Bus licensing?
Oracle SOA Suite and Oracle Mobile Suite also include Oracle Service Bus.
What licensing options are available for users?
Oracle Service Bus offers both Named User Plus and Processor-based licensing.
Are Oracle updates included in the license cost?
No, updates are part of the annual support fee.
What are the prerequisites for using advanced features?
Advanced features like Xrefs and Enterprise Scheduler require an Oracle Database license.
Is there a limit to creating new policies for Oracle Web Services Managers?
Creating new policies is restricted to using command line or scripting tools only.
Can Oracle Service Bus reduce integration costs?
Yes, as a middleware platform, it integrates services, reducing the need for additional middleware solutions.
How can I optimize Oracle Service Bus licensing costs?
Monitor utilization, choose between Named User Plus and Processor licenses, and ensure only necessary features are licensed.
Read about our Oracle License Management Services.
