A comprehensive guide for CIOs, CTOs, and IT asset managers navigating GoldenGate licensing across public cloud platforms, hybrid deployments, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure — with BYOL strategies, vCPU calculations, and cost optimization tactics.
Oracle GoldenGate deployments increasingly span on-premises data centers and public clouds. As organisations migrate workloads to AWS, Azure, and OCI, the licensing model shifts from traditional core-factor counting to cloud-specific vCPU rules — creating significant compliance risks for teams unfamiliar with the differences. This guide explains how Oracle's cloud licensing policy applies to GoldenGate, covers the critical requirement to license both source and target systems in every environment, and provides actionable strategies to optimise costs across hybrid architectures. For the foundational overview, start with our Oracle GoldenGate Licensing Overview.
Oracle's standard cloud licensing policy applies when deploying GoldenGate on Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. In these third-party clouds, Oracle uses a simple rule: two vCPUs count as one Processor licence. The on-premises core factor table does not apply — a critical distinction many organisations miss.
You must licence all virtual CPUs allocated to any virtual machine where GoldenGate runs. For example, an eight-vCPU instance in AWS requires four GoldenGate Processor licences. This is strictly a Bring Your Own Licence (BYOL) scenario: you can use existing perpetual licences or purchase new ones, but there is no cloud-only GoldenGate SKU.
In AWS and Azure, divide total vCPUs by two. Always round up. An instance with 6 vCPUs needs 3 Processor licences. The Intel/AMD core factor table from Oracle's on-premises documentation does not apply here.
Every GoldenGate environment — both the system capturing changes (Extract) and the system applying changes (Replicat) — must be independently licensed. There is no exemption for one end of a replication pair being in the cloud. See our full licensing overview.
Your existing on-premises GoldenGate licences can be redeployed to AWS or Azure, provided they are not simultaneously used elsewhere and you maintain active Oracle Support. This makes cloud migration straightforward from a licensing standpoint.
Unlike on-premises VMware deployments — where Oracle may require you to licence every core in the physical cluster — AWS and Azure are recognised as authorised cloud environments where sub-capacity licensing applies. You only licence the vCPUs assigned to your specific VM, not the entire underlying host.
Do not apply the on-premises core factor (e.g., 0.5 for Intel Xeon) in AWS or Azure. The 2:1 vCPU rule replaces the core factor table entirely. Applying the core factor in the cloud results in under-licensing and compliance exposure during an Oracle audit.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure offers GoldenGate as a fully managed cloud service, removing the need to install or manage the software yourself. This service provides two distinct pricing models — Licence-Included and BYOL — each with significantly different cost structures.
The GoldenGate software licence is bundled into the hourly compute cost. Oracle's published rate is approximately $0.67 per OCPU-hour (~$0.32 per vCPU-hour). You pay only for compute time consumed — ideal for variable or short-term workloads where elasticity matters.
If you already own GoldenGate Processor licences with active support, apply them to OCI's managed service at approximately $0.16 per OCPU-hour — a savings of roughly 75% versus Licence-Included pricing. One OCPU corresponds to one Processor licence under BYOL.
OCI bills based on OCPU-hours, where 1 OCPU = 2 vCPUs on x86 hardware. Deploying 4 OCPUs continuously for one month (~730 hours) at the licence-included rate costs approximately $1,960. Under BYOL, the same deployment drops to about $470 — plus your existing support fees.
| OCI Pricing Model | Rate (OCPU/hr) | 4 OCPU / Month | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence-Included | ~$0.67 | ~$1,960 | Short-term, variable workloads |
| BYOL | ~$0.16 | ~$470 | Steady-state, long-running |
Need help evaluating OCI vs AWS vs Azure for GoldenGate?
Oracle Advisory Services →Hybrid and multi-cloud architectures are the most common — and the most compliance-risky — GoldenGate deployment pattern. Whether you're replicating from an on-premises Oracle database to an Azure SQL instance, or synchronising across OCI and AWS, the core rule is straightforward: every environment running GoldenGate must be independently licensed according to its platform's rules.
Count physical cores × core factor (e.g., 0.5 for Intel). 16-core server = 8 licences. VMware clusters may require licensing all hosts.
Count vCPUs ÷ 2. An 8-vCPU Azure VM = 4 licences. Core factor does not apply. OCI: 1 OCPU = 1 licence (BYOL).
Standby/DR instances require full licensing if GoldenGate is actively applying data. The 10-day failover rule typically does not apply.
Replicating to SQL Server, MySQL, Kafka etc. requires the separate Non-Oracle Database module.
One of the most common findings in Oracle audits is unlicensed GoldenGate on disaster recovery servers. If GoldenGate is actively applying changes for DR readiness, that server requires a full licence complement. See our HA/DR Licensing Guide for complete details.
Scenario: Replicating from an on-prem Oracle database (32 Intel cores × 0.5 core factor = 16 licences) to an AWS EC2 instance (8 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 4 licences). Total requirement: 20 GoldenGate Processor licences. If non-Oracle databases are involved at either end, you also need the GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database module licence.
Understanding the differences between licensing environments is critical for accurate compliance planning. The table below summarises the key distinctions across AWS, Azure, OCI, and traditional on-premises deployments.
| Licensing Factor | On-Premises | AWS / Azure | OCI (Managed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counting Method | Physical cores × core factor | vCPUs ÷ 2 | OCPUs (1 OCPU = 1 licence) |
| Core Factor Table | Yes (e.g., 0.5 for Intel) | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Licence Model | Perpetual, Term, or NUP | BYOL only | BYOL or Licence-Included |
| Virtualisation Risk | High (full cluster licensing) | Low (sub-capacity allowed) | Low (Oracle recognises OCI) |
| Annual Support | ~22% of net licence price | ~22% of net licence price | Included in hourly rate |
| Elasticity | Low (fixed capacity) | Medium (resize = relicence) | High (auto-scaling) |
| DR Licensing | Required if active | Required if active | Required if active |
Learn how to read Oracle's price list, calculate processor counts, and understand discount tiers.
Oracle's LMS and GLAS teams increasingly scrutinise cloud deployments during audits. These are the most common compliance failures we encounter in our audit defence engagements:
Organisations apply the on-prem core factor (0.5 for Intel) to cloud vCPUs, halving their calculated licence requirement. Oracle's cloud policy is explicit: the core factor table does not apply in AWS or Azure.
Teams often licence the on-prem source but overlook the cloud target. GoldenGate requires licensing on every server where Extract or Replicat processes run.
If an 8-vCPU instance scales to 16 vCPUs during peak load, you need 8 GoldenGate licences for that period — not 4. Without monitoring, auto-scaling events silently create licence shortfalls.
A single Processor licence cannot be simultaneously used on-premises and in the cloud. Running in both locations doubles your licence requirement.
Replicating between Oracle and non-Oracle databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL) in the cloud requires the GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database module in addition to the base licence.
Facing an Oracle audit? Our independent team has reduced compliance claims by millions.
Audit Defence Service →Based on our experience advising Fortune 500 organisations on Oracle contract negotiations and licensing optimisation, we recommend the following strategies for GoldenGate cloud deployments:
Always use Oracle's two-vCPU-equals-one-licence rule for AWS and Azure. Do not apply on-premises core factors in the public cloud. Ensure your ITAM team and cloud architects are aligned on this distinction.
In any hybrid or multi-cloud setup, budget for licences at both the source and target. There is no free pass for target systems in the cloud — every active GoldenGate process requires full licensing.
If using OCI GoldenGate pay-as-you-go, closely monitor OCPU-hours consumed. Shut down instances when not actively needed (e.g., dev/test). Set alerting on auto-scaling thresholds to avoid surprise licence shortfalls.
If you already own perpetual GoldenGate licences with active support, use those in cloud deployments — including OCI's BYOL option. The 75% savings on OCI hourly rates makes this a high-impact optimisation for steady-state workloads.
Evaluate cloud versus on-premises total cost. For continuous 24/7 workloads, owning licences is often cheaper over 3–5 years. For variable or short-term migrations, cloud subscriptions provide superior flexibility. Factor in support costs, scaling needs, and exit costs.
Record all GoldenGate instances in the cloud: vCPU/OCPU counts, assigned licence entitlements, deployment dates, and decommission dates. Good documentation is your primary defence during audits.
When negotiating new purchases or Oracle agreements, push for explicit BYOL rights, cloud mobility clauses, and flexible deployment terms. Our GoldenGate Negotiation Strategies guide covers specific tactics.
Before migrating GoldenGate workloads to the cloud or negotiating a renewal, get an independent licensing assessment. Oracle's own representatives have a vested interest in maximising your spend — an independent advisor provides unbiased guidance.
Optimising GoldenGate licensing costs in cloud environments requires both architectural decisions and commercial strategy. Here are the most impactful approaches based on our engagements across Fortune 500 enterprises:
GoldenGate's resource demands scale with transaction volume, not database size. Over-provisioned VMs waste both compute costs and licences. A 4-vCPU instance handling moderate replication requires only 2 licences versus 8 for an over-provisioned 16-vCPU instance.
If GoldenGate is needed for a 12–24 month migration, consider term licences instead of perpetual. Term licences cost approximately 20% of the perpetual price for one year — a dramatic savings for temporary use cases.
In on-premises VMware environments feeding cloud targets, isolate GoldenGate to a dedicated small-core VMware cluster rather than a large shared cluster. This limits the licensing blast radius on the on-premises side.
In OCI pay-per-use mode, stop GoldenGate instances in dev/test/UAT outside business hours. A 4-OCPU instance running 10 hours/day (250 business days) versus 24/7 saves approximately 58% on cloud compute costs annually.
In a recent engagement, we helped a global financial services client reduce their projected GoldenGate cloud licensing costs by 42% by combining BYOL optimisation, right-sized instances, and term licensing for migration workloads. Read more in our Oracle Licensing Assessment Case Studies.
Perpetual vs term vs cloud licensing, BYOL tactics, and architecture decisions that reduce licence counts.
Our independent Oracle licensing experts have helped hundreds of enterprises navigate complex cloud and hybrid licensing scenarios, reduce compliance risks, and optimise costs by millions of dollars.