What is the Oracle core factor?

Licensable processors equal physical cores multiplied by a core factor from Oracle's table. For x86 the factor is 0.5, so a 32 core server counts as 16 processor licences.

Does the core factor apply in the cloud?

No. On authorized cloud environments like AWS and Azure the vCPU rule applies and the core factor does not. Carrying the 0.5 assumption into the cloud under licenses by half.

What is the core factor for x86 hardware?

Intel and AMD x86 processors carry a 0.5 core factor. IBM POWER and System z are 1.0, and some older SPARC is 0.25. Always read the current table for the exact chip.

How does the core factor work with VMware?

Oracle counts every physical core the database could run on, not the assigned vCPUs. Soft partitioning does not bound the count; only hard partitioning Oracle recognises does.

Does the core factor affect Named User Plus?

Yes. The Named User Plus minimum is 25 per processor, and the processor count is core-factored, so the factor sets the user floor as well as the Processor licence.

Do I have to talk to a salesperson to read it?

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White Paper · Oracle Database

The Oracle Core Factor Table: Counting Processors Right

Oracle licenses cores times a core factor, not raw cores. The 0.5 x86 factor, the worked counting, the virtualization trap, and where the factor stops applying.

Format PDF + HTML

Read Time 16 Minutes

Last Updated July 14, 2026

What you will take away

The formula: licensable processors equal physical cores times the core factor
The 0.5 x86 factor and the table values that matter
Where the factor applies on premises and where it does not, in the cloud and on SE2
The VMware soft-partitioning trap and how Oracle counts all cores
How one factor sets the Processor licence, the NUP minimum, and every option

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The Oracle Core Factor Table: Counting Processors Right

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