Oracle GlassFish Server Licensing: Enterprise IT Advisory

Oracle GlassFish Server Overview and Editions

Oracle GlassFish Server originated from Sun Microsystems' open-source GlassFish project — the reference implementation of Java EE. After acquiring Sun, Oracle provided Oracle GlassFish Server as a commercially supported edition alongside the free open-source edition. Understanding this dual distribution model is crucial for licence compliance.

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Edition	Cost	Support	Best For
GlassFish Open Source Edition	Free (open-source licence)	No Oracle support or guaranteed patches — community-supported only (now managed by Eclipse Foundation)	Development environments, non-critical applications, teams comfortable with self-support
Oracle GlassFish Server (Commercial)	Paid licence + support contract	Oracle technical support, regular security patches, enterprise features (clustering load-balancer plugin, advanced admin tools)	Mission-critical production deployments requiring vendor-backed support and maintenance

Key distinction: The open-source edition is free to use in any environment, but you are entirely responsible for patching, security, and troubleshooting. The commercial edition requires a paid Oracle licence and typically an annual support contract. If you're running GlassFish in production and need vendor support, you need the commercial edition. If you're comfortable with community support (or third-party support from vendors like Payara), the open-source edition may suffice.

Licensing Models and Cost Structures

Oracle GlassFish Server licensing follows Oracle's standard metrics, offering two ways to licence the software based on your usage pattern — per processor or per Named User Plus (NUP):

Licensing Metric	Licence Cost (USD)	Notes
Processor Licence	~$5,000 per processor	Unlimited users per licensed processor. Use Oracle's core factor table (e.g. a 0.5 factor means 2 cores = 1 licence). Ideal for high-traffic or public-facing applications.
Named User Plus (NUP)	~$100 per named user	Count unique users (direct and indirect access). Minimum 10 NUP per processor required. Suited for controlled environments with a known user count.

Note: These are Oracle list prices; enterprise agreements may differ. Annual support fees (granting access to patches and updates) are approximately 22% of the licence cost and are in addition to the prices above.

Example: Processor Licensing

Licensing a single 8-core Intel server via the processor model would cost roughly 4 processor licences × $5,000 = $20,000 (since 8 cores at a 0.5 factor require four licences), plus approximately $4,400 per year in support.

Example: Named User Plus Licensing

A small deployment with 25 users could be licensed for approximately $2,500 using NUP (25 × $100, meeting the 10-per-processor minimum) plus approximately $550 per year in support.

Choosing the right model matters: If you have a large or unpredictable user base (or external-facing applications), processor licensing provides unlimited user access for a fixed cost per CPU. If you have a small, controlled group of internal users, NUP licensing is significantly cheaper. The crossover point depends on your specific user count and hardware configuration. For a broader understanding of how Oracle pricing works across all technology products, see Oracle Technology Price List — How to Calculate Pricing.

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Oracle's Support Policy Change and Its Impact

In 2013, Oracle made a strategic shift that significantly affected Oracle GlassFish Server licensing and support. Oracle announced it would stop releasing new commercial versions of GlassFish after version 3.x, effectively discontinuing Oracle's support for GlassFish in favour of its flagship WebLogic Server.

Impact Area	Detail
No Oracle Support for New Versions	GlassFish 4.0 and later (Java EE 7/8 and beyond) have been released only as open source, with no Oracle-supported commercial edition. Oracle ceased selling new GlassFish licences for those versions. Enterprises running GlassFish 4+ must rely on community updates, which increases security and stability risks.
End-of-Life for Older Versions	Existing customers on GlassFish 2.x/3.x received support up to 2017 under Oracle's lifetime support policy. After 2017, only indefinite "Sustaining Support" remained (basic assistance, no new patches). This effectively marked the end of fully supported GlassFish in Oracle's product line.
WebLogic as the Replacement	Oracle's official recommendation is to migrate to Oracle WebLogic Server. However, WebLogic licences are roughly twice as expensive per CPU as GlassFish was, and the platform is more complex. Migration requires careful justification from both IT and financial perspectives.
Third-Party Support Options	Vendors like Payara (a GlassFish fork) offer professional support and regular updates. This provides a middle path: continuing the GlassFish technology stack with vendor support — just not from Oracle. Third-party GlassFish support can be more affordable than a WebLogic migration.

WebLogic migration cost trap: Oracle will recommend migrating to WebLogic — but WebLogic Enterprise Edition licences cost approximately $25,000 per processor versus GlassFish's $5,000. That's a 5× increase in middleware licensing costs before you factor in migration effort, retraining, and operational complexity. Always evaluate third-party GlassFish support (Payara, etc.) and open-source alternatives before committing to a WebLogic migration. See Oracle Coherence Licensing and Cost Overview for how middleware costs compound when additional Oracle components are involved.

Compliance Risks and Common Pitfalls

Managing Oracle GlassFish Server licences requires careful attention to avoid compliance issues and unexpected costs. These are the most common licensing pitfalls Oracle's audit teams look for:

Pitfall	Risk	How to Avoid
Miscalculating Processor Counts	Under-licensing (non-compliance) or over-licensing (unnecessary cost) from incorrect core factor application	Always use Oracle's official core factor table. For Intel chips, apply the 0.5 factor — 8 physical cores = 4 processor licences, not 8.
Ignoring NUP Licence Minimums	Non-compliance even with only a few users if the 10-per-processor minimum is not met	Always licence the greater of actual users or 10 NUP per processor. A 2-processor server requires minimum 20 NUP regardless of actual users.
Using Oracle Patches Without Entitlement	Applying Oracle-issued patches or using Oracle commercial binaries without a licence violates compliance requirements	Strictly separate Oracle-provided software from your environment if you don't have a support contract. Use open-source builds only.
Deploying Commercial-Only Features on Open Source	Features like the GlassFish HTTP load balancer plug-in and HADB clustering were available only to commercial licensees	Verify you haven't deployed add-ons or components that require a commercial licence. Remove them or obtain appropriate support coverage.
Forgetting Java SE Licensing Impact	Dropping GlassFish support may leave you unlicensed for Oracle Java SE if you continue using Oracle's JDK in production	Review Java dependencies tied to your GlassFish environment. Replace Oracle JDK with OpenJDK if you forego Oracle support. See Oracle Java Licensing Changes — Updated Guide.

Virtualization amplifies the risk: If you run GlassFish on VMware or Hyper-V, Oracle's soft partitioning policy means you may need to licence all physical cores in the cluster — not just the cores allocated to your GlassFish VM. This can multiply your licensing exposure dramatically. See Oracle Licensing in Virtualized Environments for strategies to contain this risk.

Licence Management Best Practices

Even as Oracle steps back from GlassFish, enterprises should apply strong licence management practices to remain compliant and control costs:

Best practices for GlassFish licence management:

1. Perform regular internal audits. Periodically review all GlassFish instances to confirm their licensing status (processor vs NUP) and ensure the counts align with your entitlements. An internal audit after any significant infrastructure change — hardware refresh, virtualisation move, cloud migration — is especially important.

2. Maintain detailed records. Keep an up-to-date inventory of GlassFish deployments documenting the edition (open-source or commercial), version, host hardware (CPU type and cores), and the number of users or processors licensed for each instance. This documentation is your primary defence during an Oracle audit.

3. Educate and inform stakeholders. Ensure developers, system administrators, and procurement officers understand Oracle's GlassFish licensing terms. Simple steps — reminding teams not to download Oracle's GlassFish installer in production without approval, or to report when a new server is deployed — can prevent accidental violations.

4. Plan for change. Develop a roadmap for how your organisation will handle GlassFish going forward. If staying on GlassFish without Oracle support, decide how you'll obtain critical patches (open-source community or third-party support). If migrating, start budgeting and training now. Being proactive minimises rushed, costly decisions.

5. Choose the right licence model. Use processor-based licences for high-volume or externally-facing servers, and NUP licences for smaller internal user groups. Periodically re-evaluate as user counts change. See Oracle Database Licensing Models and Costs for how Oracle's standard licensing metrics work across all products.

Recommendations

Based on Oracle's withdrawal from GlassFish and the current licensing landscape, here are our strategic recommendations:

Recommendation	Detail
Apply Core Factors Rigorously	Always apply Oracle's core factor rules when counting processor licences. Double-check the core counts and factors whenever you upgrade or change hardware to avoid licensing errors.
Meet Minimum NUP Requirements	Oracle's minimum requirement is 10 NUP per processor. Always purchase at least the minimum, even if your actual user count is lower, to remain compliant.
Track All Deployments	Maintain an internal registry of all GlassFish installations with CPU cores and user counts. This visibility makes it easy to see if you're within licensed limits and flags when additional licences are needed.
Avoid Unauthorised Patches	Do not apply Oracle's GlassFish patches without a valid support contract. If you need critical fixes, seek community patches or explore third-party support options.
Evaluate Third-Party Support	Consider Payara or similar GlassFish forks as an alternative to migrating away entirely. Third-party support can extend the life of your GlassFish applications without incurring WebLogic-level expenses.
Budget for Transitions	If phasing out GlassFish, allocate budget early. Whether moving to WebLogic, JBoss, or cloud services, early planning gives you leverage in negotiations — Oracle may offer credits toward other products.
Engage Experts Proactively	Don't wait for an audit. Engage Oracle or an independent licensing advisor proactively. They can clarify your position or help negotiate solutions such as credits for unused GlassFish support toward other products.

Checklist: 5 Actions to Take

✅ GlassFish Licensing Action Checklist

Inventory your GlassFish deployments. Document all instances in use (version, open-source vs Oracle edition). Record hardware details (CPU count/type) and purpose (dev, test, production).
Verify licence compliance. For each production deployment, calculate required licences using core factors for processors or counting Named Users. Compare to purchased licences/support contracts. Address any shortfall or excess.
Assess support coverage. Check which GlassFish servers have active support (Oracle or third-party) and which do not. For any mission-critical system running without support, evaluate the risk and take action.
Educate your team. Brief developers and IT administrators on GlassFish licensing basics. Establish an internal policy to review licensing whenever there's a change to the GlassFish environment.
Plan your go-forward strategy. Determine how your organisation will manage GlassFish over the next 1–2 years. Set up third-party support or create a migration timeline and budget. Review with IT and procurement stakeholders.

FAQ

Is Oracle GlassFish Server free to use?

GlassFish Open Source Edition is free to download and use in any environment. However, the Oracle GlassFish Server commercial edition is not free — it requires purchasing a licence (and typically an annual support contract) to use it in production with Oracle's support. You can run GlassFish without paying Oracle if you use the open-source version, but you won't have Oracle's support or proprietary updates.

How is Oracle GlassFish Server licensed in an enterprise?

Oracle offers two licensing metrics: per processor (counting CPU cores with Oracle's core factor adjustments) or per Named User Plus (counting each user who accesses the system, subject to a minimum of 10 users per processor). You choose the model that is more cost-effective for your scenario. The licences also entitle you to use related components such as the GlassFish Message Queue and Java SE under the terms of the agreement.

What happened to Oracle's commercial support for GlassFish?

Oracle ended commercial support for GlassFish after version 3.x. They did not release a supported Oracle GlassFish Server 4.0 or later. Premier support ended in 2014, extended support ended in 2017, and only Sustaining Support (basic assistance, no new patches) remains. Oracle now positions WebLogic Server as its supported Java EE application server. If you need support for the latest GlassFish versions, you must use a third-party provider like Payara.

What are our options if we rely on GlassFish in production?

You have three main options. First, continue with open-source GlassFish without Oracle support, accepting the risks and relying on the community for fixes. Second, obtain support from a third-party vendor such as Payara, which provides its own distribution and professional support. Third, migrate to another application server — Oracle WebLogic (if staying with Oracle), JBoss EAP/WildFly, TomEE, or shift to a cloud platform. Each option has trade-offs in cost, effort, and risk.

How can we optimise costs associated with GlassFish licensing?

Start by right-sizing your licences: use the metric that results in the lower cost for each deployment. Track unused licences — if servers are decommissioned, cancel or reallocate support contracts. Consolidate workloads where possible to reduce total server licences. Consider whether you truly need Oracle's support for each deployment (non-production environments may work fine with the free open-source edition). Compare Oracle's support costs with third-party support options.

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Whether you're managing legacy GlassFish deployments, evaluating a WebLogic migration, or preparing for an Oracle audit, our Oracle middleware licensing specialists can help you optimise costs and eliminate compliance risk. Every recommendation is made purely in your commercial interest — we have no relationship with Oracle.

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Fredrik Filipsson

Co-Founder @ Redress Compliance

20+ years in enterprise software licensing. Former IBM, SAP, and Oracle. 11 years as an independent consultant advising hundreds of Fortune 500 companies on Oracle, Microsoft, SAP, IBM, Salesforce, and ServiceNow licensing, contract negotiations, and cost optimisation.

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