Oracle / GoldenGate
Oracle GoldenGate licensing. Beyond the Oracle source.
Oracle GoldenGate is licensed on every source and target it touches. Replicate into PostgreSQL, Kafka, or a data lake and the GoldenGate line follows.
Oracle GoldenGate is licensed on every source and target it touches. Replicate into PostgreSQL, Kafka, or a data lake and the GoldenGate line follows.
Oracle GoldenGate licenses per processor on every source and target it touches, so replicating into a non Oracle database or a big data platform can cost more in GoldenGate than the target itself.
Oracle GoldenGate is real time data replication software. Oracle describes the product on the Oracle GoldenGate site and prices it per processor in the Oracle Technology Price List.
The licensing trap is simple. GoldenGate is licensed where it runs and what it connects, not only on the Oracle database you started from.
Oracle GoldenGate is licensed per processor on every system where it captures or delivers data. That means both the source database server and the target server need licenses, even when the target is not an Oracle product.
GoldenGate counts processors using the Oracle Processor Core Factor table. Multiply physical cores by the core factor for the chip to get licensable processors. The same rule applies to non Oracle target hardware.
A capture on an Oracle source and a delivery into a SQL Server target needs GoldenGate licensed on both servers. Buyers who license only the Oracle side carry an exposure on the target.
Yes. Replicating into PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MySQL, or any supported non Oracle database still requires GoldenGate licensing on that target server. The target being free software does not make the GoldenGate path free.
GoldenGate licensing by target type
| Target | Product needed | Licensed on |
|---|---|---|
| Oracle Database | GoldenGate | Source and target |
| PostgreSQL or SQL Server | GoldenGate | Source and target |
| Kafka or streaming | GoldenGate for Big Data | Source and delivery |
| Data lake or Hadoop | GoldenGate for Big Data | Source and delivery |
GoldenGate supports many non Oracle databases as documented on the Oracle GoldenGate product page. Each supported target type still draws a license. Confirm the supported version matrix before you build the path.
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GoldenGate for Big Data is a separate product that delivers change data into streaming and big data targets such as Kafka, Hadoop, and cloud object stores. It carries its own per processor licensing distinct from classic GoldenGate.
If the destination is a message stream or a data lake rather than a relational database, the path usually needs GoldenGate for Big Data. Licensing the classic product for a streaming target is a frequent misconfiguration.
The common assumption is that GoldenGate licensing follows the Oracle database, so a team that owns Oracle Database licenses believes its replication is covered. We disagree. In the GoldenGate estates Fredrik Filipsson reviewed, the unlicensed exposure sat on the non Oracle targets and the big data delivery side, not the Oracle source. The buyer side move is to map every source and target pair, license GoldenGate where it actually runs, and test whether a native or open source replication tool can carry the heterogeneous paths at a fraction of the cost. Treating GoldenGate as an Oracle only line item is how the audit finding gets written.
Source: Redress Compliance advisory engagement file, 2024 to 2025.
GoldenGate is licensed where it runs, not where you bought it. The non Oracle target is still an Oracle license.
For many non Oracle and big data paths, native database replication, open source change data capture tools, and cloud provider services replace GoldenGate at lower cost. The fit depends on latency, throughput, and support needs.
Tools built on log based change data capture handle many relational to relational and relational to streaming paths. They trade vendor support for lower license cost and need engineering ownership.
Yes. GoldenGate is licensed per processor on every server where it captures or delivers data. Both the source and the target need licenses, including non Oracle targets.
Yes. Replicating into PostgreSQL or any supported non Oracle database still requires GoldenGate licensing on that target server. The target being open source does not remove the GoldenGate requirement.
GoldenGate for Big Data is a separate product that delivers change data into streaming and big data targets such as Kafka, Hadoop, and cloud object stores. It carries its own per processor licensing distinct from classic GoldenGate.
GoldenGate counts processors by multiplying physical cores by the Oracle core factor for the chip. The same calculation applies to non Oracle target hardware running GoldenGate processes.
Unlicensed targets. Estates frequently license the Oracle source and run live delivery into non Oracle or big data targets without the matching GoldenGate licenses, which surfaces as a true up.
For many heterogeneous and streaming paths, yes. Open source change data capture, native database replication, and cloud services cover common cases, trading vendor support for lower license cost.
Yes. The Oracle Processor Core Factor table applies wherever GoldenGate runs, so the target server cores convert to processor licenses the same way the source does.
No. Redress Compliance is 100 percent buyer side. We do not resell or implement Oracle software. We review the GoldenGate footprint and licensing position for the customer.
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