The licensing of Oracle Database In-Memory works like this:
- Extra Cost Option: It is an additional cost option for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Oracle Database Enterprise Edition – Exadata (EE-Exa).
- Licensing Metric and Quantity: The licensing model must align with the metric and quantity of your Oracle Database Enterprise Edition license. If you have a processor-based license or a named user plus license for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, your Oracle Database In-Memory license must follow the same model.
Oracle Database In-Memory Licensing
Oracle Database In-Memory is a powerful add-on feature for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Oracle Database Enterprise Edition – Exadata (EE-Exa).
It enables lightning-fast analytical queries by storing data in a columnar format directly in memory, making it an invaluable tool for businesses requiring real-time insights. However, understanding its licensing model is crucial to maximize value and ensure compliance.
Licensing Model for Oracle Database In-Memory
Oracle Database In-Memory licensing must align with the existing Oracle Database Enterprise Edition license.
If you are licensed under a processor-based model for Oracle Database EE, you must license Oracle Database In-Memory using the same metric. Similarly, the same applies if you use a Named User Plus (NUP) model.
Key Licensing Metrics
- Processor-Based Licensing
- Definition: Based on the number of processors used in your environment.
- Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing
- Definition: Licenses are granted to individual named users accessing the database.
Oracle Database In-Memory License Costs
The cost of Oracle Database In-Memory licensing depends on the metric used:
- Named User Plus (NUP) License: $460 per Named User Plus.
- Processor License: $23,000 per processor.
These costs are in addition to your existing Oracle Database Enterprise Edition licensing fees.
Matching the Metric and Quantity for Oracle Database In-Memory
Oracle Database In-Memory licensing must match the same metric and quantity as your Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) license.
For Processor-Based Licensing:
- If Oracle Database EE is licensed based on processors, Database In-Memory must also be licensed based on processors.
- Example: If you have 16 cores of Intel Xeon processors:
- Total Cores: 16
- Core Factor: 0.5
- Processor Licenses Required: 16×0.5=816 \times 0.5 = 816×0.5=8 (round to 8 processors)
For Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- If Oracle Database EE is licensed per user, Database In-Memory must match the same user count.
- Example: If 50 users are licensed for Oracle Database EE, 50 Named User Plus licenses are also required for Database In-Memory.
FAQs
What is Oracle Database In-Memory, and is it included in Oracle Database Enterprise Edition?
Oracle Database In-Memory is an add-on option for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Exadata (EE-Exa). It is not included in the base license and requires additional licensing.
How is Oracle Database In-Memory licensed?
Licensing for Oracle Database In-Memory must match the metric (Processor or Named User Plus) and quantity of the Oracle Database EE license.
What are the licensing costs for Oracle Database In-Memory?
The costs depend on the metric:
- Processor-based licenses are $23,000 per processor.
- Named User Plus (NUP) licenses are $460 per user.
How do you calculate processor-based licensing for Oracle Database In-Memory?
Determine the number of processors, apply the core factor from Oracle’s Core Factor Table, and multiply by the license cost. For example, with 8 processors and a core factor of 0.5: 8×0.5=48 \times 0.5 = 48×0.5=4 processors, costing 4×$23,000=$92,0004 \times \$23,000 = \$92,0004×$23,000=$92,000.
What is the Oracle Core Factor Table?
The Oracle Core Factor Table assigns a factor to processor types to adjust licensing costs based on performance. For example, Intel Xeon processors often have a core factor of 0.5, while SPARC processors are 0.75.
Can Named User Plus (NUP) licensing be used for Oracle Database In-Memory?
NUP licensing is an option if Oracle Database EE is also licensed with NUP. The total user count must match the Oracle Database EE NUP license count.
How do you calculate Named User Plus licensing for Oracle Database In-Memory?
Multiply the number of licensed users by the per-user cost. For example, if there are 100 users, the cost is 100×$460=$46,000100 \times \$460 = \$46,000100×$460=$46,000.
Do I need separate licenses for each database using In-Memory?
Yes, each database instance that uses Oracle Database In-Memory must be licensed individually according to the applicable metric.
Are there additional costs for Oracle Database In-Memory on Exadata systems?
No extra licensing costs are specific to Exadata. However, Oracle Database In-Memory still requires separate licensing for Exadata environments.
What happens if I do not match licensing metrics for Database In-Memory and Oracle Database EE?
Non-compliance with Oracle’s licensing terms can lead to audits, penalties, and additional charges to resolve discrepancies.
Does Oracle Database In-Memory support cloud environments?
Yes, Oracle Database In-Memory is available for Oracle Cloud Database services. Licensing depends on the cloud service package chosen.
Is Oracle Database In-Memory included in any other Oracle Database versions?
It is included in Oracle Database Personal Edition and some Oracle Cloud configurations, such as Enterprise Edition High Performance (DBCS EE-HP).
Can I transition from NUP to processor-based licensing for Database In-Memory?
Yes, transitioning is possible, but it requires reevaluating both Oracle Database EE and Database In-Memory licensing to ensure compliance.
