Oracle Database Enterprise Edition Options Licensing:
- Add-ons: Optional features like RAC, Data Guard, and Partitioning.
- License separately: Each option must be licensed beyond the base edition.
- Costly: Options add to the total licensing expense.
- Per processor: Options are typically licensed per processor, not per user.
- Usage monitoring: Ensure features are licensed when used.
Oracle Database Enterprise Edition Options Licensing
Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) offers a range of additional options that can be licensed separately to enhance the functionality and capabilities of the core database software. Understanding the database licensing requirements for these options is crucial for organizations to optimize their database performance while maintaining compliance and cost-effectiveness.
Key Enterprise Edition Options
Some of the most important Oracle Database Enterprise Edition options include:
- Multitenant
- Real Application Clusters (RAC)
- Active Data Guard
- Partitioning
- Advanced Compression
- Advanced Security
- Label Security
- Database Vault
- OLAP
- Database In-Memory
Licensing Model for EE Options
Oracle Enterprise Edition options are licensed using the same metrics as the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition itself:
- Processor-based licensing
- Named User Plus (NUP) licensing
The choice between these models depends on factors such as the number of users, the type of application, and the hardware configuration.
Matching Principle
Oracle enforces a “matching principle” for option licensing. This means that if an organization licenses an option, it must be licensed for all processors or named users that can use the Enterprise Edition database, even if the option is not used on all of them.
For example, suppose a company has licensed Oracle Database Enterprise Edition for ten processors and wants to use the Partitioning option. In that case, they must license Partitioning for all 10 processors, regardless of whether Partitioning is used on all of them.
Pricing for EE Options
As of December 2023, the list prices for some popular Enterprise Edition options (per processor) are:
- Multitenant: $17,500
- Real Application Clusters: $23,000
- Active Data Guard: $11,500
- Partitioning: $11,500
- Advanced Compression: $11,500
- Advanced Security: $15,000
- Label Security: $11,500
- Database Vault: $11,500
- OLAP: $23,000
- Database In-Memory: $23,000
These prices are in addition to the base Enterprise Edition license cost of $47,500 per processor.
Named User Plus Minimums
Organizations must adhere to user minimums when licensing options under the Named User Plus model. For most options, the minimum is 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor. However, some options may have different minimums:
- Real Application Clusters: Minimum of 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor
- Database In-Memory: Minimum of 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor
Licensing Considerations for Specific Options
Multitenant
Oracle Multitenant licensing is crucial to utilizing Oracle’s database consolidation architecture. As of Oracle Database 19c, organizations can create and use up to three user-created Pluggable Databases (PDBs) within a Container Database (CDB) without requiring a Multitenant license.
However, a Multitenant license becomes necessary when deploying four or more PDBs within a single CDB.Oracle offers two primary licensing models for
Multitenant: Named User Plus (NUP) and Per Processor. The NUP model costs $350 per named user, covering all users and devices accessing the PDBs. The Per Processor model costs $17,500 per processor core running the PDBs.
Real Application Clusters (RAC)
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) is an add-on option for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition that requires separate licensing. Key points about RAC licensing include:
Standard Edition Restrictions: RAC use with Oracle Database Standard Edition has specific limitations and is unavailable for Standard Edition 2 as of 19c.
Licensing Model: RAC follows the same licensing metrics as Oracle Database Enterprise Edition:
- Processor-based licensing
- Named User Plus (NUP) licensing
Matching Principle: The RAC license metric and quantity must match the Oracle Database EE license. If you license Oracle Database EE by the processor, you must license RAC by the processor as well.
Processor-based Licensing:
- Cost: $23,000 per processor
- Calculation: Uses the Oracle Core Factor Table to determine the number of licenses needed
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- Minimum: 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor
- Cost: $460 per named user
All Nodes Coverage: All nodes in a RAC cluster must be licensed for RAC, even if some nodes are only used for failover.
Matching Quantity: The number of RAC licenses must equal the number of Oracle Database EE licenses.
Cloud Environments: RAC is supported in Oracle Cloud, but Oracle does not support RAC on non-Oracle public cloud environments.
Active Data Guard
Oracle Active Data Guard is an add-on option for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition that requires separate licensing. Key points about Active Data Guard licensing include:
- Standby Database Considerations: Opening the standby database in read-only mode without recovery doesn’t require Active Data Guard licensing, but enabling managed recovery while open does.
- Separate License: Active Data Guard requires an additional license apart from Oracle Enterprise Edition.
Matching Principle: The licensing metric and quantity must match the Oracle Database EE license.
Processor-based Licensing:
- Cost: $11,500 per processor
- This applies to both primary and standby databases
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- Minimum: 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor
- Must match the primary database licensing model
- Full Licensing: Both primary and standby databases must be fully licensed for Active Data Guard.
Edition Requirement: Both databases must run the same Oracle Database Enterprise Edition.
Feature Usage: Certain features, like real-time query on standby, trigger the need for Active Data Guard licensing.
Partitioning
Oracle Partitioning is an additional Oracle Database Enterprise Edition option requiring separate licensing.
Key points about Partitioning licensing include:
- Licensing Options: Can be licensed either by processor or Named User Plus, matching the database licensing model.
- Separate License: Partitioning requires an additional license apart from Oracle Enterprise Edition.
Matching Principle: The licensing metric and quantity must match the Oracle Database EE license.
Processor-based Licensing:
- Cost: $11,500 per processor
- Calculation: Uses the Oracle Core Factor Table to determine the number of licenses needed
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- Cost: $230 per named user
- Minimum: 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor
Enterprise Edition Requirement: Partitioning is only available with Oracle Database Enterprise Edition.
Advanced Compression
Oracle Advanced Compression is an additional Oracle Database Enterprise Edition option requiring separate licensing.
Key points about Advanced Compression licensing include:
- Table Compression: Using table compression features requires Advanced Compression licensing.
- Separate License: Advanced Compression requires an additional license apart from Oracle Enterprise Edition.
Licensing Cost:
- Processor-based: $11,500 per processor
- Named User Plus: $230 per named user (minimum 25 NUP licenses per processor)
Matching Principle: The licensing metric and quantity must match the Oracle Database EE license.
- Feature Activation: Advanced Compression can be inadvertently activated through various database operations, potentially leading to compliance issues.
- Data Pump Considerations: Using Data Pump compression for data (not just metadata) triggers the need for Advanced Compression licensing.
- RMAN Compression:
- Basic RMAN compression doesn’t require Advanced Compression licensing.
- Using zlib compression algorithms (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH) in RMAN does require licensing.
Advanced Security
Oracle Advanced Security is an additional Oracle Database Enterprise Edition option requiring separate licensing. Key points about Advanced Security licensing include:
- Backup and Recovery: TDE-encrypted backups require Advanced Security licensing on the recovery database, even if decryption is not performed.
- Separate License: Advanced Security requires an additional license apart from Oracle Enterprise Edition.
Licensing Cost:
- Processor-based: $15,000 per processor
- Named User Plus: $300 per named user (minimum 25 NUP licenses per processor)
Matching Principle: The licensing metric and quantity must match the Oracle Database EE license.
- Feature Coverage: Advanced Security includes Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) and Data Redaction features.
- Full Environment Licensing: All processors or users with access to the database must be licensed for Advanced Security, even if only some data is encrypted or redacted.
- Activation Considerations: Using any feature of Advanced Security, such as enabling TDE, requires full licensing.
- Compliance Risks: Inadvertent use of Advanced Security features can lead to significant licensing compliance issues.
- Cloud Environment: Licensing requirements may differ in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure or other cloud environments.
- Regular Auditing: Organizations should regularly audit their Oracle database usage to ensure compliance with Advanced Security licensing terms.
Best Practices for EE Options Licensing
- Conduct regular license reviews to identify which options are in use and ensure proper licensing.
- Document option usage across your organization.
- Implement license management tools to track and monitor Oracle database and option usage.
- Evaluate alternatives before licensing an option to ensure it’s necessary for your needs.
- Consider future growth when licensing options to avoid unexpected costs.
- Consider negotiating an enterprise agreement with Oracle for more favorable terms for large-scale deployments.
By understanding the licensing requirements for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition options and following best practices, organizations can maximize the value of their Oracle database investments while maintaining compliance and controlling costs.
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