Oracle BYOL – A Comprehensive Guide for 2023

Introduction to Oracle BYOL and Its Implications

This article comprehensively guides Oracle BYOL (Bring Your Own License). Here are the key points:

1. Understanding Oracle BYOL: Oracle BYOL allows you to bring your own license to any public cloud platform such as AWS RDS, MS Azure, GCP, or even Oracle Cloud. The article explains how Oracle Cloud BYOL works, its benefits, and how it differs from using existing Oracle licenses in AWS and Azure.
2. Oracle BYOL License Models and Calculation: The article discusses the available Oracle BYOL license models, including full-use licenses, Oracle ASFU licenses, and proprietary application hosting licenses. It also explains how Oracle licenses are calculated for BYOL.
3. Compliance and Transition to Oracle BYOL: The article highlights the license compliance risks associated with Oracle BYOL and provides recommendations for customers considering Oracle BYOL. It also outlines the process of using existing Oracle licenses for Oracle BYOL.

Which Oracle BYOL license models are available?

• Full-use licenses are the normal end-customer licenses that are most common. Generally, you apply for one processor license for enterprise products, and they will give you 2 OCPUs.  Pay attention that any restrictions you have in your license terms apply to the cloud rights as well.
• Oracle ASFU licenses which is an application-specific full-use licenses that Oracle partners resell with its application package. You can only use that license for the specific application if you want to move it to the Oracle cloud.
• Proprietary application hosting licenses (subject to an ISV amendment from Oracle).
• For all of the above licenses, to qualify for Oracle, you need an active support agreement for the CSI / license agreement you want to use as BYOL. This means you cannot use unsupported licenses for Oracle BYOL.
• Oracle ESL licenses are not eligible for BYOL usage.
• Oracle BYOL works both for the Public cloud and Oracle different cloud solutions for on-premise such as Oracle cloud at the customer.
• Transition period – Oracle allows customers to run on-premises and BYOL for up to 100 days. After that, you cannot run both on-premises and BYOL with the same license.

Oracle Licenses to BYOL – Calculation

Most Oracle Enterprise products are mapped to one processor license equals 2 OCPUs in the Oracle cloud. If you have a standard edition, it maps to 4 OCPU.
If you have named users plus licenses for the enterprise, they are mapped to 1 OCPU per 25 named users.

Oracle Java Cloud Service – Weblogic BYOL

The BYOL requirements are based on the edition of the WebLogic Server that you choose to
run in the BYOL Cloud Service environment.

• You may activate up to 4 OCPUs of the BYOL Cloud for each supported Processor license. Service. Conversion Ratios for WebLogic Enterprise Edition and WebLogic Suite:
• You may activate up to 2 OCPUs of the BYOL Cloud Service for each supported Processor license.
• For every 25 supported Named User Plus licenses, you may activate 1 OCPU of the BYOL Cloud Service.

Java Cloud Service Standard

If you elect to run Oracle Java Cloud Service Standard as a BYOL Cloud Service, then your BYOL the requirement is to bring licenses of Oracle WebLogic Server Standard Edition

Java Cloud Service Enterprise

If you elect to run Oracle Java Cloud Service Enterprise as a BYOL Cloud Service, then your
BYOL requirement is to bring licenses of Oracle WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition

Java Cloud Service High Performance

Suppose you run Oracle Java Cloud Service High-Performance edition as a BYOL Cloud Service. Any of the following supported program licenses may be aggregated to meet the above conversion ratio. Oracle WebLogic Suite or Oracle WebLogic Suite for Oracle Application

Advantages of Using Oracle Cloud Over AWS and Azure

When you opt for Oracle BYOL and bring your Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, you unlock several benefits:

• You gain the rights to use Diagnostics, Tuning, Data masking, and Real application without any additional license purchases.
• There’s no need to expend Oracle Universal Cloud Credits to acquire platform services. This results in a significant difference in the pricing model compared to purchasing Universal Cloud (UC).
• It’s important to note that Oracle BYOL can only be mapped to Oracle platform services, not compute services.

License Compliance Risks with Oracle BYOL

When using Oracle BYOL, there are several key points to consider to ensure license compliance:

• You must manage both your on-premises and cloud deployments to ensure you have adequate licenses to cover both platforms.
• If you’re in an Oracle Unlimited License Agreement (ULA), you can use the ULA for BYOL, which can reduce costs. However, when the Oracle ULA ends, you cannot include BYOL deployments in the certification number. You may be non-compliant if you’ve used your Oracle ULA for BYOL, as those deployments will not provide you with any licenses.
• Reviewing your licensing agreements for usage limitations is crucial, as these will still apply even if you transition to Oracle Cloud BYOL.
• Oracle has launched a License Manager function for Oracle BYOL, but it only covers a limited set of Oracle licenses.

How do you start using existing Oracle licenses for Oracle BYOL?

• You need to have an Oracle Cloud Account.
• You will need to have Oracle Universal Cloud Credits (Oracle Cloud currency to purchase their services on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure)
• You either Pay as you go or sign an Oracle Annual Commit (better pricing and upfront payment)
• Pay as you go – you are invoiced monthly.

Recommendations for customers considering Oracle BYOL

• Oracle customers should consider all public cloud platforms to review which is the most cost-effective and right choice to move the Oracle workload to.
• Oracle customers who will utilize Oracle Cloud or Oracle Cloud at customer need to review to understand if purchasing new Oracle Universal Cloud Credits or using BYOL is the most cost-effective.

FAQ on Oracle BYOL

Licensing for Oracle BYOL Autonomous Database

Are you considering using your Oracle Database Enterprise and Standard Edition licenses for BYOL to Oracle Cloud and enabling the autonomous cloud? If so, you’ll be pleased to know that the answer is Yes. Oracle’s Bring-Your-Own-License (BYOL) program lets you map your license entitlements toward Oracle platform services.

However, it’s important to remember that with BYOL, the onus of license compliance falls squarely on you, the end user. The autonomous database uses a variety of Enterprise Edition options, and if you don’t have these licenses on-premises, you could be under-licensed.

Understanding what you own and what is required to run the autonomous database from a licensing perspective.

Oracle Database SE BYOL

For Oracle Database Standard Edition (SE) BYOL:

• You can only have an instance with a maximum of 8 Oracle CPUs (CPUs).
• You are permitted to use options such as:
  • Multitenant
  • Real Application Clusters (RAC)
  • Partitioning
  • Advanced Security
  • Label Security
  • Database Vault
  • Autonomous Data Guard

Oracle Database Enterprise BYOL

For Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) BYOL:

• You must bring both Oracle Database Enterprise Edition License.
• If you use more than 17 or more OCPUs per autonomous database instance, you must bring a RAC license.
• You must have an Active Data Guard license if you are using an autonomous data guard.

Our Services to Facilitate Your Oracle Licenses Transition to Public Cloud

At Redress Compliance, we offer a suite of services designed to make your transition of Oracle licenses to the public cloud as smooth and beneficial as possible:

1. Oracle Licensing Assessment: Our team of experts will thoroughly analyze your current Oracle licenses. We’ll help you understand the scope, requirements, and potential savings as you plan your move to the cloud.
2. Oracle Entitlement Review: We’ll comprehensively review your Oracle software entitlements. This ensures compliance and identifies any underutilized assets or potential risks before you migrate to the cloud.
3. Oracle Licensing Optimization: Our experienced consultants will recommend the most cost-effective and efficient Oracle licensing options for your cloud migration. We take into consideration your unique business needs and objectives.
4. Licensing Issue Resolution: Our team is adept at handling any issues that may arise with your Oracle licenses during the migration process. We’ll negotiate with Oracle on your behalf to resolve disputes, achieve better terms, or secure additional discounts.

Take the Next Step with Redress Compliance

Ready to make the transition to the public cloud with your Oracle licenses? Don’t navigate the complexities alone. Let our team of experts at Redress Compliance guide you through the process, ensuring a smooth transition and optimal cost savings. Contact us today to start your journey to the cloud with confidence.