Licensing Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) on AWS (Step-by-Step Guide)

Licensing Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) on AWS

Oracle fully supports Running Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) on AWS, but licensing involves several key considerations, including application modules, database, middleware, and customization limits.

Here’s a clear, practical guide detailing exactly how to license Oracle EBS correctly when deploying it on AWS.

Read Oracle on AWS Licensing FAQs 3 of 4.

Step 1: Application Module Licensing (Clearly Explained)

Oracle EBS modules (Financials, HR, Supply Chain, CRM, etc.) have licensing based on user metrics or business metrics (not CPU-based):

• Licensed per user, employee, named user plus (NUP), or specific business metrics (like Order Lines, invoices, etc.).
• Unaffected by migration to AWS—your license count remains the same as on-premises.

Practical Example Clearly Explained:

• If you have 100 Financial users licensed on-premises, you must have the same 100 user licenses when running EBS on AWS.
• AWS migration itself doesn’t trigger additional application module licensing.

Step 2: Oracle Technology Licenses Included with EBS

When licensing EBS, Oracle provides restricted-use licenses for:

• Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE)
• Oracle WebLogic Server (formerly Oracle Application Server)

These licenses have specific conditions:

• Restricted-use licenses limited exclusively to running Oracle EBS.
• Not allowed for running custom or other applications beyond Oracle-approved integrations.

Clearly Explained Example:

• Oracle Database EE is used only for the EBS database tier on AWS EC2 and requires no additional licenses.
• WebLogic Server is included and can only host the EBS application tier.

Step 3: Staying Within Restricted-Use License Conditions

Oracle clearly defines conditions that, if breached, require purchasing additional full-use licenses:

• There are no significant schema modifications beyond standard EBS customization guidelines.
• No running custom, non-EBS applications using the restricted-use Oracle database or WebLogic instances provided for EBS.

Practical Scenario Clearly Explained:

• If you modify the EBS database extensively (adding custom triggers, procedures, or tables beyond Oracle-approved interfaces):
  • Oracle requires purchasing full-use Oracle Database EE licenses.
• Similarly, extensive WebLogic customizations may require separate WebLogic licensing.

Read Oracle Database Licensing for Oracle E-Business Suite on AWS.

Step 4: Deploying EBS on AWS EC2 (Recommended Approach)

Typically, EBS on AWS uses EC2 instances for:

• Application Tier (Web, Forms, Concurrent Manager):
  • Multiple EC2 instances are possible, each running a certified OS (Oracle Linux, RHEL).
• Database Tier:
  • You should deploy Oracle Database EE on an EC2 instance using the included restricted-use license (no separate DB license is needed).
  • Avoid using AWS RDS Oracle Standard Edition (EBS requires Enterprise Edition Database).
  • AWS RDS Custom (with BYOL) is possible but typically unnecessary since you already have a restricted-use DB license provided by EBS.

Clearly Explained Deployment Example:

Step 5: Oracle Support for EBS on AWS

Oracle supports running EBS on AWS if you follow Oracle’s guidelines:

• Use certified Operating Systems (Oracle Linux, RHEL, Windows Server).
• Maintain supported EBS application versions and patches.
• Access Oracle’s certification matrix for OS, Database, Middleware, and EBS versions.

Clearly Explained Practical Example:

• Oracle supports EBS running on AWS EC2 if using certified environments:
  • OS: Oracle Linux 7 or 8, RHEL 7 or 8.
  • Database: Oracle Database EE 19c.
  • Middleware: Oracle WebLogic Server 12.2.
  • Documented certified combinations provided by Oracle.

Read Running Oracle Fusion Middleware Products on AWS.

Step 6: Handling Customizations and External Applications

If you extend EBS usage beyond standard allowed customizations, you must license separately:

• A separate Oracle Database EE license is needed if using the EBS DB for custom applications beyond EBS.
• Separate WebLogic licenses are needed if hosting custom applications or integrations not permitted by restricted-use licenses.

Clear Practical Scenario:

• Deploying a custom Java application integrated heavily with EBS database schema on AWS:
  • You clearly must purchase additional Oracle Database EE and potentially WebLogic licenses.

Practical Licensing Examples for Oracle EBS on AWS (Clearly Summarized)

Oracle EBS Licensing Checklist for AWS (Clearly Summarized)

✅ Maintain Existing Application Module Licenses (user/business metrics)
✅ Use Included Restricted-Use DB/WebLogic Licenses (EBS usage only)
✅ Avoid Significant Schema or Custom Application Extensions (or clearly license separately)
✅ Deploy Certified OS/DB/EBS Versions on AWS EC2
✅ Clearly understand AWS RDS Limitations (Standard Edition not supported, Custom possible BYOL EE)
✅ Clearly Document EBS AWS Deployments for Oracle Audits

Common Misunderstandings Clarified

• Misconception: “EBS application licenses must be repurchased for AWS.”
  • Clarification: There are no new licenses; user/business metric licenses remain the same.
• Misconception: “AWS deployment always requires new DB licenses.”
  • Clarification: Oracle provides restricted-use DB licenses for EBS—no new DB licenses are needed unless heavily customized.
• Misconception: “AWS RDS Oracle Standard Edition supported for EBS.”
  • Clarification: The EBS database requires Enterprise Edition; RDS SE is unsupported.

Conclusion: Oracle EBS Licensing on AWS Clearly Explained

Running Oracle E-Business Suite on AWS follows straightforward licensing rules: existing application module licenses are transferred without change. Oracle provides restricted-use DB and WebLogic licenses for EBS-exclusive use.

Remain within Oracle-defined customization boundaries to avoid additional licensing costs. Deploy on AWS EC2 with a certified OS and clearly documented certified combinations for full Oracle support. Following these guidelines ensures compliance, minimizes cost, and simplifies Oracle EBS deployments on AWS infrastructure.

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