Exploring the Oracle Cloud Free Tier offers an affordable entry point into cloud services.
What you should know:
- Oracle Cloud offers a free tier known as “Oracle Cloud Always Free,” which provides various services at no cost as long as the user stays within the specified limits. Charges will apply if these limits are exceeded or paid services are used.
- The “Always Free” tier includes Compute Instances, Storage, Database, Networking, and Security services. However, it’s important to note that idle Always Free compute instances may be reclaimed by Oracle.
- While Oracle Cloud Always Free is not entirely free forever, it allows users to try out Oracle Cloud services at no cost within the limits defined by Oracle. It’s a valuable resource for those looking to explore Oracle Cloud or test some cloud services, as long as they understand the limitations and usage policies to avoid unexpected costs.
Oracle Cloud Always Free Introduction
Oracle Cloud is a cloud computing platform that offers a range of services to businesses. In addition to its paid services, Oracle provides a free tier called Oracle Cloud Always Free.
This guide will explore Oracle Cloud Always Free, what you get with it, and its limits.
Is Oracle Cloud Free Forever?
- Oracle Cloud offers an “Always Free” tier, but this doesn’t mean it’s entirely free forever.
- You can use the free tier indefinitely if you stay within Oracle’s specified limits.
Key Points:
- If your usage stays within the free tier limits, it remains free.
- If you exceed these limits or use paid services, charges will apply.
- The charges will be based on Oracle’s pricing policy.
Remember, Oracle Cloud isn’t wholly free forever, but its Always Free tier can be used indefinitely, provided you adhere to the usage limits!
What is always accessible in Oracle Cloud?
The “Always Free” tier of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) offers various services you can use without cost if you use them within the specified limits. Here is a summary of what you can get with this tier:
Compute Instances:
- Up to two VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro instances using an AMD processor, which comes with 1/8th of an OCPU, 1GB of memory, and a 50 Mbps network bandwidth via the internet
- Up to 3,000 OCPU hours and 18,000 GB hours per month for VM instances using the VM.Standard.A1.Flex shape, which has an Arm processor. This can be equivalent to 4 OCPUs and 24 GB of memory. You can create up to four compute instances depending on the size of the boot volume and the number of OCPUs you allocate to each Ampere A1 Compute instance.
Storage:
- 200 GB total of combined boot volume and block volume. Always Free Block Volume storage in the home region. For instance, the default boot volume size is 50 GB, which counts towards your allotment of 200 GB. Five total volume backups (boot volume and block volume combined) in the home region
- 20 GB of Always Free Object Storage and 50,000 Object Storage API requests per month
Database:
- Two Always Free Oracle Autonomous Databases with a processor of 1 Oracle CPU, 20 GB storage, and maximum simultaneous database sessions of 20. Also, an Oracle NoSQL Database with up to 133 million reads per month, 133 million writes per month, and three tables with 25 GB storage per table is available
Networking:
- Five certificate authorities (CAs) and 150 certificates
Security:
- Twenty essential versions of master encryption keys protected by a hardware security module (HSM) and 150 Always Free Vault secrets17.
It’s also important to note that idle Always Free compute instances may be reclaimed by Oracle.
Oracle will deem virtual machine, and bare metal compute instances as idle if, during seven days, the CPU utilization for the 95th percentile is less than 15%, network utilization is less than 15%, and memory utilization is less than 15% (applies to A1 shapes only)
FAQ on Oracle Cloud Free Tier
Is Oracle free tier free?
The Oracle Free Tier is indeed free of charge. It offers an Oracle Cloud account that comes with a variety of services that are always free, along with a Free Trial that includes US$300 in free credits.
What can you run on Oracle free tier?
The Oracle Free Tier supports a broad spectrum of Oracle services. This encompasses services like Autonomous Databases, Object storage, and more. Additionally, you receive $300 in credits for a 30-day period to utilize a broader range of services.
How many instances can you have in Oracle Free Tier?
The quantity of instances you can operate in Oracle Free Tier is contingent on the specific service you are utilizing. For comprehensive information, it’s recommended to consult the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure documentation.
How to create an Oracle free tier account?
To establish an Oracle Free Tier account, navigate to the Oracle Cloud Free Tier Signup webpage and follow the instructions.
Conclusion
Oracle Cloud Always Free is a free tier offering by Oracle that provides users access to a range of cloud services. While it is not entirely free forever, it allows users to try out Oracle Cloud services at no cost within the limits Oracle defines.
If you’re looking to explore Oracle Cloud or need to test some cloud services, Oracle Cloud Always Free is worth considering. Just understand the limits and usage policies to avoid incurring unexpected costs.
