Introduction to Oracle E-business suite database licensing
Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) is a comprehensive suite of business applications for enterprises. It includes modules for various business functions such as finance, supply chain, human resources, and customer relationship management.
However, understanding the licensing policy for Oracle EBS, particularly the database licensing, can be a bit complex.
This article aims to demystify the Oracle EBS database licensing policy for you.
Oracle EBS Database Licensing: The Basics
When you purchase Oracle EBS, you receive default Oracle technology licenses. These include licenses for the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Middleware components.
These licenses are restricted-use licenses, meaning they can only be used to run the licensed Oracle EBS applications and cannot be used for other purposes.
However, the licensing requirements change when you modify the Oracle Database and Application Server. Oracle distinguishes between three levels of modifications, each with increasing licensing requirements for the underlying database and other technologies.
Please note the following information is presented in italics as it is a direct quotation from Oracle’s licensing policy.
Oracle distinguishes between three levels of modifications to its Oracle E-Business Suite Applications, which have increasing licensing requirements for the underlying database and other technologies. These modification levels are:
No Modifications: The customer is deploying the application without modifications. In this case, the customer receives a restricted-use license for the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition, which includes WebLogic Server Basic, and a limited set of other products. This restricted-use license may only be used to run with the licensed application(s); it cannot be used for any other purposes.
Modifications implemented as Java programs and/or modifications to Forms, Reports and/or Workbooks: These modifications include any creation or modification of reports, forms, and/or workbooks. In addition, modifications implemented as Java programs, which include Java that produces html interface or Java business logic fall under this category. In these two scenarios, the customer receives a restricted-use license for the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and a limited set of other products. This restricted-use license may only be used to run with the licensed application(s); it cannot be used for any other purposes. Additionally, the customer is required to purchase licenses for a limited set of products, including Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition for the total number of end users1 or processors for which the modifications are deployed.
Modifications to the database: Examples of these modifications include adding and/or modifying the tables, columns, stored procedures and triggers, which are part of Oracle E-Business Suite application schema. In this situation, the customer is required to purchase licenses for the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, as well as Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition for the total number of end users1 or processors for which the modifications are deployed. The customer receives a restricted-use license of a limited set of products. Additionally, a limited set of other products is required to be licensed as defined in the following table.
If you modify the database or the application server, you must purchase full-use licenses for both the database and the application server.
Remembering this is crucial, as it can significantly impact your organization’s Oracle licensing costs.
In conclusion, while Oracle EBS comes with default Oracle technology licenses, the licensing requirements can change based on your modifications to the Oracle EBS applications.
Understanding these licensing requirements is crucial to ensure compliance and avoid unnecessary costs.
FAQs
What licenses do I receive with Oracle E-Business Suite by default?
When you purchase Oracle E-Business Suite, you receive default Oracle technology licenses. These include licenses for the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and Middleware components. These are restricted-use licenses, meaning they can only run the licensed Oracle EBS applications and not for other purposes.
Do I need to purchase full-use licenses to modify the database or application server?
If you modify the database or the application server, you must purchase full-use licenses for both the database and the application server.
