GoldenGate Licensing Overview

Oracle GoldenGate Licensing

• Oracle GoldenGate Licensing: Oracle GoldenGate is a powerful tool for capturing real-time change data and moving large volumes of transactional data between databases. It requires licensing for both the source and target databases.
• Licensing Metrics: Oracle GoldenGate can be licensed with named user plus or processor metrics. The license fee for a processor is $17,500.
• Oracle Active Data Guard is included in Oracle GoldenGate licenses and does not require a separate license.
• Common Compliance Issues: Common compliance issues include using GoldenGate for non-Oracle databases, not licensing source and target databases, and miscalculating the core factor table.

Oracle GoldenGate Licensing: A Practical Guide

Oracle GoldenGate is a powerful data replication and integration platform, but its licensing can be complex and costly if not properly understood.

IT decision-makers must navigate various licensing models (on-premises vs. cloud, perpetual vs. term, etc.), ensure compliance across different environments, and optimize costs for budgeting and planning.

This advisory guide provides an independent analysis of GoldenGate licensing, covering all major models and use cases in a clear, neutral tone.

Key topics include an overview of GoldenGate’s licensing structure, pricing metrics, platform-specific licensing (Oracle vs. non-Oracle vs. Big Data), cloud deployment considerations, high availability/disaster recovery scenarios, common audit pitfalls, and cost optimization strategies.

Read this Oracle GoldenGate Licensing Negotiation Strategies for CIOs and CTOs

Licensing GoldenGate On-Premises (Classic GoldenGate)

• Processor-Based Metric: GoldenGate is primarily licensed on a per-processor basis. You must count all physical CPU cores (multiplied by Oracle’s core factor) on each server where GoldenGate runs. (For most x86 CPUs, the core factor is 0.5, so two cores = 1 license.) For example, a server with 20 Xeon cores (core factor 0.5) requires 10 GoldenGate processor licenses​.
• License Both Ends: GoldenGate requires a source and target system license. Suppose you replicate from Server A to Server B. In that case, you must license GoldenGate on A and B. (Even if one end is only a standby, Oracle typically requires licenses if GoldenGate is active there.) For instance, to replicate from an on-prem Oracle DB to a cloud Oracle DB, you’d need GoldenGate licenses for both on-prem and cloud hosts.
• No Named-User Option: Unlike some Oracle products, GoldenGate generally does not offer a Named User Plus (NUP) licensing option for production use​. Plan on processor-based licensing; user-count metrics are not typically available. (Third-party sources occasionally mention NUP, but Oracle’s official guidance treats GoldenGate as core-licensed.)
• Virtualization Rules: If GoldenGate runs on virtual machines (VMs or containers), count all cores in the physical cluster if GoldenGate is used on any VM. For example, if GoldenGate runs in one VM on a VMware cluster of four servers (with a total of 64 cores), you may need to license all 64 cores, not just the VM’s eight vCPUs.
• Support and Maintenance: GoldenGate licenses are perpetual (one-time) but require annual support (22% of license list price) for updates and patches. Include support costs in your budgeting (approximately 22% per year).
• Ancillary Components: Licenses for GoldenGate for non-Oracle databases (e.g., MySQL, SQL Server) or GoldenGate Veridata, Big Data, and Studio are separate products, each with its own processor license requirements. For example, Oracle lists GoldenGate for non-Oracle databases at $17,500 per processor (the same as the base GoldenGate). Replicating to or from MySQL or SQL Server typically requires the base GoldenGate license, plus the “Non-Oracle” license for the other end.

Licensing GoldenGate Cloud Service (OCI GoldenGate)

• Managed Service (OCPU Subscription): Oracle’s GoldenGate Cloud Service (on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, OCI) is licensed as a pay-as-you-go service. You choose an OCPU allocation (Oracle CPUs, where 1 OCPU = 2 vCPUs on x86) for your GoldenGate deployment. Billing is by OCPU per hour (including autoscaling usage)​. For example, if you reserve 4 OCPUs and run continuously for a month (~730 hours), you pay for those OCPUs * 730 hours at the current rate (around $0.32 per OCPU-hour USD, per Oracle’s pricing page​). Cloud billing is metered – spin down or scale to zero when not in use to save costs.
• BYOL vs Pay-as-You-Go: OCI offers both BYOL (Bring Your Own License) and subscription (metered) options. BYOL means you purchase GoldenGate licenses (as on-prem) and deploy on OCI, then pay Oracle only for the compute (OCPU) hours. The pricing is similar: typically, Oracle publishes the same base compute rate and a comparison price (e.g., ≈approximately $0.16 per vCPU-hour, which equals ≈approximately $0.32 per OCPU-hour). In practice, pay-as-you-go and Bring Your License (BYOL) rates on OCI GoldenGate are comparable; consult Oracle for the current rates.
• AWS/Azure Deployments: On AWS or Azure, you deploy GoldenGate on virtual machines (VMs) under a Bring Your Own License (BYOL) model. Oracle counts two vCPUs = 1 GoldenGate license, ignoring core factor tables​. For example, a 16-vCPU AWS EC2 instance requires 8 GoldenGate processor licenses. Do not apply on-prem core factors in the cloud—simply use the 2:1 ratio.
• Feature Parity: The cloud service offers the same replication features as on-premises GoldenGate, but without requiring software management or patching. It integrates with OCI tools for monitoring and scaling. However, there is no perpetual license option for GoldenGate in OCI – it is always billed by the hour.

Read Oracle GoldenGate Licensing in Cloud and Hybrid Environments: AWS, Azure, and OCI.

Pricing Metrics and License Measurement

Understanding how Oracle GoldenGate licenses are measured and priced is crucial for compliance and budgeting.

Oracle uses its standard license metrics for GoldenGate, primarily on processor-based licensing.

Key metrics and concepts include:

• Processor Licensing (Per Core/CPU): Oracle GoldenGate is most commonly licensed per processor core on the machines where it runs. In Oracle’s terminology, a “Processor” license is not a literal physical CPU count, but rather a function of the number of cores and a core-to-processor conversion factor. Each core is multiplied by a Core Factor (per Oracle’s Core Factor Table) to determine the required Processor licenses. For example, Oracle’s core factor for Intel and AMD x86 processors is 0.5. If GoldenGate runs on a server with 16 physical cores (Intel Xeon), the license requirement is 16 × 0.5 = 8 Processor licenses. Oracle always rounds up to the next number of licenses, so any fractional result requires an additional license. The Processor metric ensures licensing is tied to the hardware capacity GoldenGate can utilize.
• Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing: Oracle theoretically allows a Named User Plus metric for some products, which licenses based on several distinct users. However, GoldenGate is typically not offered under NUP in practice. Oracle’s policies indicate GoldenGate is “licensed exclusively using Processor licenses” and that Named User Plus licensing is not usually permitted for GoldenGate. This is likely because GoldenGate is an infrastructure tool rather than end-user software, making user-count licensing less practical. Important: The source and target database users must be counted if an environment has NUP licensing (perhaps via older contracts or exceptions). Oracle’s price list notes that for GoldenGate, you must count “(a) the users of the source database and (b) the users of the target database” to determine NUP licenses required. Additionally, Oracle mandates a minimum of 25 Named Users per processor if NUP is used (as with most of its products). Unless a specific NUP agreement exists, most organizations should plan on Processor licensing for GoldenGate by default.
• “Per Stream” or Other Metrics: Oracle GoldenGate does not use a per-connection or per-stream licensing model – the license cost does not directly depend on how many replication streams, extract processes, or tables you replicate. You can configure multiple data replication processes under the same license if you remain on the licensed processors. The only quasi-exception is if you are integrating with certain messaging systems (like JMS or Kafka) under the Big Data license, where Oracle defines a conversion of message queues/topics into “processors” or “users” for licensing count purposes (covered in the Big Data section). But generally, no metric charges per replication stream; it’s purely based on the servers’ CPUs or users.
• Pricing and Costs: Oracle’s list price for GoldenGate can be substantial. As of recent price lists, Oracle GoldenGate for Oracle Database is listed at approximately $17,500 per Processor license (list price). The GoldenGate licenses for other platforms are in a similar range (for example, GoldenGate for non-Oracle Database is ~$17,500 per Processor; GoldenGate for Big Data is slightly higher at ~$20,000 per Processor). These prices are before any discounts that might be negotiated. Additionally, if you purchase a perpetual license, you typically pay yearly support at ~22% of the license price (which provides software updates and support). Term licenses, if used, cost a percentage of the perpetual price (e.g., a 1-year term might be 20% of the list, a 3-year term ~50%, etc.), which can make them cheaper upfront for short-term use. Always refer to the latest Oracle price list for updated figures, and remember that these are public list prices – actual street prices can be lower if you negotiate enterprise agreements.
• Oracle Processor Core Factor Table: Oracle maintains a full Core Factor table for all chip models, but the above covers the most common servers. When calculating licenses, the core factor discounts certain processors (x86 cores count as half, older SPARC T cores even quarter). Notably, Oracle uses a different approach (detailed in the Cloud section) in cloud environments where core factors are not applied, and a fixed vCPU-to-license ratio is used instead.

In summary, GoldenGate licensing is measured mostly by the processing capacity (cores) of the environments where it runs. Decision-makers should carefully calculate their license needs using Oracle’s formulas, double-checking core counts and factors for each server to avoid under- or over-licensing.

Read Cloud-Based GoldenGate Licensing: OCI, AWS, and Azure.

Pricing Examples (On-Prem vs Cloud)

The table illustrates that a typical on-prem deployment can cost six figures in upfront license fees plus annual support, whereas a cloud deployment shifts costs to operational usage charges.

GoldenGate Free (in a Docker container) may eliminate licensing for light or test usage. However, the total cost of ownership should always factor in support renewal (approximately 22% per year) for perpetual licenses.

Real-World Deployment Scenarios

• Enterprise Data Center (Oracle-to-Oracle DR): A financial firm has two on-premises Oracle databases (production and warm standby) in separate data centers. They use GoldenGate for zero-downtime sync. Licensing requires GoldenGate on DB servers (counting all cores) and standard Oracle DB licenses. The company also secured a ULA (Unlimited License Agreement), which covers unlimited GoldenGate licenses in exchange for an upfront fee. This simplifies counts but requires strict usage tracking. Actionable tip: audit your core counts and include standby servers; avoid under-licensing standby or DR hosts.
• Hybrid Cloud Migration: A retailer is migrating their order history from an on-premises Oracle DB to a cloud-based PostgreSQL/Greenplum. They deploy GoldenGate on-prem (licensed per core) and use GoldenGate Cloud Service on OCI to capture and apply changes. In OCI, they choose a 4-OCPU service and pay by the hour. They also license “GoldenGate for Non-Oracle” for the non-Oracle target. Insight: evaluate BYOL vs OCI subscription – for steady-state loads, bring-your-own (licensing on-prem) plus minimal OCI service can save money, but for spiky ETL loads, pay-as-you-go can avoid idle licenses.
• Multi-Cloud Analytics: A tech company replicates Oracle and SQL Server databases into a Hadoop/Spark analytics cluster. They purchase GoldenGate licenses for Oracle and SQL Servers (based on the processor metric) and GoldenGate for Big Data (per OCPU on the analytics cluster). GoldenGate Veridata is added for data validation. They ensure to license the database hosts and the analytics cluster servers where replication processes run. Lesson: Count each environment separately. For example, if the Spark cluster has 20 cores, that is 20 × 0.5 = 10 Big Data licenses.
• Non-Production and Dev/Test: A startup replicates data into Docker containers using GoldenGate Free for its dev/test environments. In production, it licensed four GoldenGate cores on-premises to replicate data into AWS for a pilot. Later, it scaled to OCI GoldenGate Service for production load. Recommendation: Use GoldenGate Free for sandbox testing (it has identical functionality) to save costs. When moving to production, switch to a paid model.
• Disaster Recovery Consideration: A healthcare provider uses GoldenGate to replicate data to a disaster recovery (DR) site in Azure. Oracle’s rules mandate licensing all active use, but they negotiated in their contract that standby/DR GoldenGate nodes (not actively running unless failover) would not require full licenses. Always check DR/standby licensing terms carefully – some use cases allow limited standby without licensing if idle, but this is rarely automatic.

Read GoldenGate License Optimization Strategies.

Licensing for Oracle, Non-Oracle, and Big Data Environments

Oracle GoldenGate’s licensing requirements differ slightly depending on the type of databases or systems being replicated. Oracle sells different GoldenGate product editions for various source/target technologies, and each has specific rules on what must be licensed.

Below, we break down licensing considerations for GoldenGate for Oracle databases, GoldenGate for non-Oracle databases, and GoldenGate for Big Data integration. (Other specialized variants like GoldenGate for Mainframe and GoldenGate for Teradata are also mentioned.)

GoldenGate for Oracle Databases

“Oracle GoldenGate for Oracle Database” is the edition used to replicate data from or to Oracle Database instances.

Key points for its licensing:

• License Both Source and Target Oracle Servers: Each Oracle DB environment that GoldenGate extracts from or delivers must be fully licensed when replicating between Oracle databases. For example, in an Oracle-to-Oracle replication scenario (say between a production database and a reporting database), you need GoldenGate licenses covering the processors on the production DB server and the processors on the reporting DB server. This ensures the capture (source) and apply (target) processes are licensed.
• Counting Processors or Users: As noted, Oracle DB GoldenGate licenses are usually per processor. Oracle’s rules state that you count “(a) the processors running the Oracle database from which you capture data and (b) the processors running the Oracle database where you apply the data” to determine the number of licenses required. In other words, you license the CPU capacity of both the source Oracle DB and the target Oracle DB. If, by rare chance, using Named User licensing, you would count the distinct users of both databases, but again, this metric is seldom used for GoldenGate.
• Example: Suppose you have an Oracle OLTP database (source) replicating transactions to an Oracle data warehouse (target) using GoldenGate. The OLTP server has 16 cores (x86), and the warehouse server has 32 cores. Using the core factor 0.5, the OLTP requires 8 GoldenGate Processor licenses, and the warehouse requires 16 licenses, totaling 24 GoldenGate Processor licenses in this configuration. Both would need to be the GoldenGate for Oracle Database licenses.
• Included Features: A GoldenGate for Oracle license has some bundled rights. It includes an Oracle Active Data Guard license and Oracle XStream for the same Oracle databases. This is a restricted use inclusion – Active Data Guard can be used on the licensed databases (for physical replication/standby), and XStream (an API for streaming Oracle changes) can be used, provided the databases are Enterprise Edition. The inclusion simply means you don’t have to buy Active Data Guard separately if GoldenGate is licensed on that DB. However, this inclusion is moot if your Oracle DB is Standard Edition (which does not support Data Guard). It’s worth noting that Oracle expects GoldenGate to sometimes complement or even replace Active Data Guard for replication, and they package it accordingly, but license-wise, GoldenGate is still separate from the database license.
• Mixed Database Versions/Platforms: If you replicate between different Oracle Database versions (say 11g to 19c) or different OS platforms (Linux to Windows), the GoldenGate licensing doesn’t change – you still license per environment. There’s no extra cost for heterogeneity in versions or OS. However, you should ensure your GoldenGate version supports both ends. Oracle typically provides GoldenGate binaries per platform. You might need to deploy GoldenGate software on each platform and thus need licenses. (Separate licenses per OS are not required – e.g., you don’t buy a “Windows GoldenGate license” vs “Linux license” – the license is tied to GoldenGate product edition and processors, not the OS. But practically, you might download separate software packages for each OS.)

Read GoldenGate Common Audit Risks and Non-Compliance Scenarios.

GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Databases

Oracle GoldenGate also supports a variety of non-Oracle databases (such as Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.).

Oracle provides this via the product edition called “Oracle GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database” (sometimes referred to as GoldenGate for Open Systems).

Licensing this has similar principles with a few nuances:

• License All Database Endpoints: If you use GoldenGate to replicate between an Oracle and non-Oracle databases, you must license both sides with the appropriate GoldenGate edition. For instance, replication from Oracle Database to SQL Server should be considered. You would need: (a) GoldenGate for Oracle Database licenses to cover the Oracle source side, and (b) GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database licenses to cover the SQL Server target side. The Oracle source’s processors are counted under the first license, and the SQL Server’s processors under the second license. Both licenses are required – one type does not cover the other. Similarly, if replicating between two non-Oracle databases (say SQL Server to Db2), you would license both under GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database, counting the processors of each DB server.
• Processor vs NUP for Non-Oracle: The metric works the same: count processors running the non-Oracle source database and processors running the non-Oracle target database for processor licenses. If NUP were used (again, uncommon), count the users of the source and target non-Oracle databases.
• Example: You have a MySQL database replicating to an Oracle database using GoldenGate. On MySQL, you must license GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database for that server’s cores. On the Oracle side, you license GoldenGate for Oracle Database for that server’s cores. If each server has eight cores (x86), you’d need 4 Processor licenses of each edition (because 8 × 0.5 = 4), totaling eight licenses split across two GoldenGate product types.
• License Cost: GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database is priced similarly to the Oracle version (roughly $17.5k per processor list price). So, budget-wise, licensing a heterogeneous replication link can be nearly double the cost (since you effectively buy two GoldenGate licenses). Keep this in mind for ROI calculations – the value of GoldenGate in enabling heterogeneous replication is high, but so is the licensing investment.
• Special Cases: Some non-Oracle platforms have dedicated GoldenGate products. Notably, IBM Mainframes and Teradata:
  • GoldenGate for Mainframe covers sources like DB2 on z/OS and certain legacy systems. It is significantly more expensive (around $100,000 per processor license list price for a mainframe). Mainframe environments typically define “processor” differently (e.g., mainframe MIPS or engines), and the cost reflects the niche integration. If you have mainframe sources, expect to engage Oracle on specific terms.
  • GoldenGate for Teradata Replication Services is a specialized version for Teradata databases, priced around $17,500 per processor, similar to other non-Oracle versions. Oracle’s price list notes that to deliver to Teradata, you also need a GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database license as a prerequisite, and even a Teradata-specific access module from Teradata might be required. Essentially, replicating with Teradata might involve multiple components.
  • For most other databases (SQL Server, Sybase, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.), the generic GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database license applies.
• Restricted-Use inclusions: A GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database license includes a restricted use of GoldenGate for Big Data, similar to the Oracle version (only for specific use with Oracle Coherence or Oracle Stream Analytics targets). This has limited relevance in practice unless you are piping data into those Oracle products.

In summary, GoldenGate for non-Oracle databases must be licensed for each non-Oracle source/target environment, just like for Oracle. Plan for multiple license types if you are doing cross-platform replication.

Read GoldenGate Licensing for High Availability and Disaster Recovery.

GoldenGate for Big Data

Oracle GoldenGate for Big Data is an edition that provides adapters to deliver data to big data systems and messaging platforms (such as Apache Hadoop/HDFS, Kafka, JMS, NoSQL databases, etc.).

It has a somewhat different licensing rule that can be advantageous:

• License Only the Source Side: For GoldenGate for Big Data integrations, Oracle’s policy is that only the source databases/repositories must be licensed. You do not have to license the big data target cluster with GoldenGate. This is a crucial difference. For example, suppose you capture transactions from an Oracle Database and stream them into a Hadoop-based data lake using GoldenGate for Big Data. In that case, you only count the processors on the Oracle source database server for licensing. The Hadoop nodes receiving the data do not require a GoldenGate license. This one-sided licensing applies whether the source is an Oracle DB, a non-Oracle DB, or even a NoSQL source – you count the source side CPUs.
• Messaging Systems Conversion: If the source GoldenGate is capturing is a messaging system (e.g., Kafka topics or JMS queues, rather than a database), Oracle defines a rule to translate that into “processors” for licensing. Specifically, every 25 message queues or topics from which GoldenGate captures is counted as 1 Processor for licensing purposes. For the Named User metric, every queue/topic is one user. Pulling from a Kafka cluster with 100 topic counts as 4 Processor licenses (100/25). This rule will likely approximate the load/throughput rather than tying to physical cores.
• Multiple Sources: If GoldenGate for Big Data handles multiple source databases or streams, you must sum up all source processors (or messaging queues) to determine licenses. For instance, one GoldenGate Big Data instance capturing from an Oracle DB and a MySQL DB would require licensing both the Oracle and MySQL source server processors under the Big Data edition.
• Targets Covered: GoldenGate for Big Data covers a broad range of targets: Hadoop, Hive, HBase, Kafka, Kinesis, Cassandra, MongoDB, and others. It essentially takes the trail from GoldenGate and applies it to these systems. Since those targets often scale out across many nodes, Oracle’s decision to license only the source is customer-friendly – you don’t have to attempt to license every node of a big data cluster.
• License Cost: GoldenGate for Big Data has a slightly higher price (~$20,000 per Processor list), reflecting its specialized nature. But since you license fewer servers (source only), the total cost can be lower for a given pipeline compared to licensing source and target with the other editions.
• Example: You use GoldenGate to stream data from an Oracle OLTP database into an Apache Kafka cluster in real-time (for downstream consumers). The Oracle DB server has 16 cores (x86). Under GoldenGate for Big Data licensing, you would need 8 Processor licenses (16 × 0.5) of GoldenGate for Big Data to cover that source. The Kafka cluster, even if it’s 10 brokers, requires no GoldenGate license. If you also capture from a PostgreSQL database (8 cores) into Kafka using the same GoldenGate for a Big Data environment, you’d add four more licenses (8 × 0.5), totaling 12. Essentially, you are licensing each source database server, but nothing on the target side.
• GoldenGate for Big Data “Targets”: Oracle’s price list refers to “GoldenGate for Big Data and GoldenGate for Big Data Targets”. This suggests there was also a product to handle capturing from big data sources (like capturing from Kafka into something else). However, Oracle has since introduced GoldenGate for Distributed Messaging or similar features that unify some of this. The key licensing takeaway is the same: license the data source side. Oracle also recently announced GoldenGate for Distributed Applications and Analytics, extending Big Data capabilities. According to Oracle, existing GoldenGate for Big Data customers can use it without extra licensing (likely treated under the same license umbrella).

GoldenGate for Big Data provides a one-sided licensing model focused on sources. This can result in significant cost savings for big data pipelines because you don’t pay for target platform CPUs.

Organizations leveraging GoldenGate to feed Hadoop, Kafka, or NoSQL environments should ensure they have the GoldenGate for Big Data licenses for their source systems and carefully count all source inputs (especially if capturing from many message queues or multiple databases).

It’s also important not to misuse a standard GoldenGate (Oracle/Non-Oracle) license for a Big Data pipeline. If your target is Kafka or Hadoop, you should have the Big Data edition license to be compliant (the standard licenses technically cover only databases as targets).

Read Oracle GoldenGate Licensing for Non-Oracle Databases and Big Data.

Summary of GoldenGate Editions and Their Licensing Scope

To clarify the differences, here is a quick summary:

• GoldenGate for Oracle Database: Use for Oracle-to-Oracle replication. License all Oracle DB servers involved (source and target). Includes ADG/XStream rights for Oracle DB. Metric: processors or NUP on each DB server.
• GoldenGate for Non-Oracle Database: Use it for any non-Oracle DB sources/targets (SQL Server, Db2, MySQL, etc.). License all participating DB servers (source and target). It is often used in combination with the Oracle edition for cross-platform.
• GoldenGate for Big Data: Use for pipelines into big data systems (Kafka, Hadoop, NoSQL). License the source database servers only (or count messaging topics for source messaging systems). No license needed for the big data target cluster.
• GoldenGate for Mainframe: This is a special case for mainframe sources/targets (e.g., DB2 z/OS). License mainframe processors (very high cost per unit). Also, license any other side (Oracle or open systems) normally.
• GoldenGate for Teradata: Special case for Teradata databases. License Teradata nodes and the other side. Typically combined with a non-Oracle DB license.
• GoldenGate Veridata / Studio, etc.: These are optional tools (Veridata for data comparison/verification, Monitor/Studio for management) with their licensing. For brevity, we focus on core replication licensing in this article. If you use those tools, check their specific license terms (e.g., Veridata is priced per processor, ~$30k each).

By understanding which GoldenGate edition applies to your environment and how Oracle measures its usage, you can accurately assess what licenses you need for compliance. Next, we’ll look at how things change in cloud deployments, which introduce their licensing models and opportunities.

Recommendations

• Plan for Both Ends: Always count and license source and target environments. When replicating an Oracle database, remember that the target (whether a data warehouse or non-Oracle system) requires a GoldenGate license if GoldenGate processes run there.
• Document Rigorously: Keep a centralized inventory of GoldenGate deployments, including server names, core counts, OCPU subscriptions, and source/target types. Document core factors used. This helps in audits and renewal planning.
• Audit Internally: Conduct regular internal audits of GoldenGate usage. Ensure that no servers or VMs slip outside the licensed count. Check that DR/standby nodes are compliant. Catching issues early avoids surprise audit fines.
• Evaluate Cloud vs. On-Prem: Compare the cost of OCPU-hour subscription (operational expense) against a perpetual license plus support (capital expense). For bursty or seasonal workloads, cloud pay-as-you-go pricing may be more cost-effective. For steady, heavy loads, on-prem licenses might pay off over time.
• Leverage Discounts and Offers: Oracle occasionally offers promotions, such as 90% off the GoldenGate Cloud Service for migration scenarios. Inquire about bundling GoldenGate with other cloud or database purchases. Consider multi-year commitments if you plan to use the cloud long-term (Oracle offers discounts for reservations of 1-3 years).
• Watch for Pitfalls: Do not apply on-premises core factors in the cloud – use a 2:1 vCPU-to-license ratio. Do not forget to license GoldenGate on any VM host in a cluster. Treat GoldenGate licenses like any mission-critical asset: track usage, renew support on time, and plan expansions before capacity is reached.
• Training and Expertise: Ensure architects and DBAs understand GoldenGate’s licensing rules. Misunderstanding (e.g., underestimating core counts, ignoring support costs) can lead to hefty audit bills. If needed, engage a licensing expert to review complex deployments (especially virtualized or multi-cloud setups).

By carefully counting CPU cores or OCPUs, licensing both the source and target, and selecting the right model (processor vs. subscription) for each environment, you can utilize GoldenGate’s power without incurring unexpected costs.

Proper planning and documentation will help your organization maintain compliance and control expenses in data replication projects.

Frequently asked questions.

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