Oracle Enterprise Manager Licensing Best Practices for Compliance
Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) is a powerful suite, but its licensing can become a compliance minefield. This article guides CIOs, CTOs, and IT asset managers on using OEM features within legal bounds.
We highlight common licensing pitfalls, how to set internal controls to avoid them, and steps to prepare for Oracle audits, ensuring your organization stays compliant and audit-ready.
Understanding OEM Licensing Structure
OEM’s licensing has two layers: basic features included with the Oracle Database license and advanced features that require separate Management Pack licenses.
Key points:
- Included vs. Licensable: Basic monitoring and admin features (included with the DB license) are free, while advanced features are grouped into “management packs” (Diagnostics Pack, Tuning Pack, etc.) that must be purchased separately.
- Matching License Metrics: License OEM packs with the same metric as your database (processor or Named User Plus). If your database is per-processor, license packs per-processor (covering all CPUs of that server); if by NUP, license the appropriate user count (with Oracle’s minimum of 25 Named Users per processor for Enterprise Edition).
Knowing which features are free versus licensable is the foundation of compliance.
Common OEM Licensing Pitfalls
Beware of these common compliance pitfalls:
- Enabled but Unlicensed Packs: Oracle often installs packs (like Diagnostics, Tuning) as enabled by default. Many inadvertently use features they didn’t buy. Solution: Disable any OEM pack you haven’t licensed immediately to prevent accidental use.
- “Access Granted” vs “Access Agreed”: In OEM settings, “Access Granted” means the software can use a pack’s features; it doesn’t mean you own a license. Solution: Only set “Access Agreed” for purchased packs, and keep unlicensed packs turned off.
- Untracked Feature Usage: DBAs might unknowingly trigger pack features (e.g., generating an AWR report using Diagnostics Pack) that are recorded in Oracle’s usage logs. Solution: Educate staff about which actions require a pack. Regularly run Oracle’s feature usage reports to catch any unintentional use early.
Read Oracle Enterprise Manager Licensing in Cloud and Hybrid Environments.
Internal Compliance Practices
Build these practices into your operations to avoid license violations:
- Centralized License Tracking: Maintain a clear inventory of which OEM pack licenses you have and which databases use them. Assign a license manager to update this whenever environments change.
- Enforce Change Control: Require approval before enabling any pack feature on a database. For instance, if a DBA wants to use SQL Tuning Advisor, ensure a Tuning Pack license is accounted for.
- Disable What’s Not Licensed: Make it policy that upon database or OEM installation, all unlicensed packs are turned off in the OEM console. This technical control prevents most accidental violations.
- Periodic Self-Audits: Schedule quarterly or annual internal audits. Use Oracle’s scripts to detect pack usage across all databases. If you find a feature was used without a license, address it immediately (disable it and consider purchasing a license if the feature is ongoing).
- Staff Training: Regularly brief your DBAs and developers on Oracle’s licensing rules. When teams know the impact of cost and compliance, they will be more careful not to use features blindly.
Recommendations
- Regularly audit OEM usage with Oracle’s own tools, and fix compliance gaps before Oracle finds them.
- Disable all unlicensed features in OEM by default to prevent mistakes.
- Keep an updated license inventory – know exactly what packs you have rights to and where they are deployed.
- Train IT staff on the licensing impact of using OEM features so they avoid costly errors.
- Use free alternatives first: Try Oracle’s free STATSPACK or manual methods for performance tuning before enabling a pack, to see if it meets your needs.
- Negotiate and budget for OEM packs if you truly need them – buying upfront is better than paying penalties later.
- Be audit-ready: Treat Oracle audits as inevitable. Good documentation and internal compliance reviews will make any audit relatively painless.
FAQ
Q1: Which OEM features can we use without extra licenses?
A: All the standard OEM functionality with Oracle Database (basic monitoring, alerting, etc.) is free. Only the advanced capabilities of specific OEM packs require purchasing licenses.
Q2: How can I detect if we used a pack feature without a license?
A: By running Oracle’s provided feature usage reports (for example, querying DBA_FEATURE_USAGE_STATISTICS). These reveal if any pack features (like an AWR report for Diagnostics Pack) have been used in your databases.
Q3: Can we use pack features in test environments without a license?
A: No. Oracle requires a license for pack features in any environment (production or not). After any short trial/evaluation period, continued use in dev/test also mandates a proper license.
Q4: Does the Tuning Pack require a Diagnostics Pack license?
A: Yes. Oracle’s policy is that you cannot use the Tuning Pack unless that database is also licensed for the Diagnostics Pack. The Tuning Pack relies on the Diagnostics Pack’s functionality, so you must have both on any database where you want tuning features.
Q5: What do OEM packs cost, like diagnostics or tuning packs?
A: They are expensive. For example, the Diagnostics Pack list price is roughly $7,500 per Oracle-licensed processor, and the Tuning Pack is around $5,000 per processor, plus about 22% of those fees each year for support. (Oracle’s price list provides exact figures, and large customers often negotiate discounts.)
Q6: Can third-party tools reduce the need for OEM packs?
A: Partially. Oracle’s free STATSPACK or other monitoring tools can cover basic performance monitoring and tuning needs, potentially reducing reliance on OEM packs. However, they may not be as comprehensive, and some tools still rely on Oracle’s performance data, which technically requires a pack license. Alternatives help, but they don’t fully replace Oracle’s packs in functionality.
Q7: What if we accidentally used a pack feature?
A: Disable the feature immediately and document the incident. If it truly was a one-time, minor usage, simply ensuring it won’t happen again may be enough. If it was significant or repeated, it’s wise to purchase the appropriate license to cover that past usage (before Oracle potentially discovers it in an audit).
Q8: Do we need to pay annual support on OEM pack licenses?
A: Annual support (about 22% of the license price) is optional but necessary for updates and Oracle assistance. If you forego support, you can keep using the licenses you bought, but you won’t receive upgrades or official support, and rejoining support later can incur penalties.
Q9: What happens if Oracle audits our OEM usage?
A: Oracle’s audit team will check if you used any pack features without a license. If so, they will require you to purchase licenses for that usage (often with backdated support fees). If you have documentation and proactively address issues, the audit should go smoothly; otherwise, you must negotiate a settlement or purchase a new license.
Read about our Oracle License Management Service.
