Oracle Licensing on Amazon RDS for Oracle
When using Amazon RDS for Oracle, licensing can be managed in two ways: License Included or Bring Your Own License (BYOL). Each approach has specific rules, limitations, and considerations.
Here’s a practical breakdown of how Oracle licensing applies to RDS, including clear examples and compliance guidance.
Read Oracle on AWS Licensing FAQs 2 of 4
1. License-Included Option (Standard Edition Only)
What it is:
AWS provides Oracle Standard Edition (currently Standard Edition 2 (SE2)) licenses included in the hourly RDS pricing.
Key points:
- AWS manages all licensing responsibilities.
- No separate Oracle licenses are required from you.
- Limited to Oracle SE2 (Enterprise Edition not available as license-included).
- Restricted to certain Oracle database versions supported by AWS RDS.
Practical Example:
- You launch an RDS Oracle SE2 instance in “License Included” mode:
- You pay hourly fees to AWS (license cost bundled).
- No separate Oracle license compliance is required.
- You cannot use Enterprise Edition features/options.
2. Bring Your Own License (BYOL) Option
What it is:
You provide your own Oracle licenses for Amazon RDS, typically for Oracle Enterprise Edition (EE) or when leveraging existing Standard Edition licenses.
Key points:
- Indicated at RDS instance creation (“BYOL” mode).
- You pay AWS only for infrastructure (no Oracle license fees included).
- You must own sufficient Oracle licenses to cover RDS instance vCPUs.
License Counting Rules (RDS BYOL):
- AWS RDS uses standard Oracle cloud vCPU licensing rules:
- 2 vCPUs = 1 Oracle Processor license (assuming hyper-threading).
- Oracle core factor does not apply on AWS RDS.
Practical Example:
- RDS instance with 8 vCPUs running Oracle EE in BYOL mode:
- Requires 4 Oracle EE Processor licenses from your existing licenses.
3. Tracking and Compliance for RDS BYOL
Your responsibilities:
- Ensure adequate Oracle licenses allocated to RDS instances (based on vCPUs).
- Maintain internal documentation clearly distinguishing between BYOL vs. License-Included instances.
- AWS clearly states how many vCPUs each RDS instance has, simplifying compliance checks.
Audit Considerations:
- Oracle can audit your BYOL usage on AWS RDS.
- AWS “License-Included” instances are not part of your license obligations (AWS is responsible).
- Document which RDS instances are BYOL to demonstrate compliance quickly during audits.
Read Oracle on AWS: Minimum License Requirements.
4. Feature and Option Licensing on RDS (BYOL required)
- RDS has some Oracle feature restrictions due to its managed nature (limited SYSDBA access, etc.), but you can use Oracle database options like:
- Advanced Security Option (Transparent Data Encryption – TDE)
- Multitenant option (more than 3 Pluggable Databases)
Licensing Oracle Options (BYOL):
- Advanced Security or Multitenant must be licensed separately through your Oracle agreements.
- AWS does not include Oracle EE options in License-Included RDS.
Practical Example:
- You run Oracle EE with 5 Pluggable Databases (PDBs) on RDS (Oracle 19c):
- Requires Oracle Multitenant option licenses in addition to Oracle EE licenses.
- AWS won’t restrict you from using these features if you use BYOL, but you must ensure compliance.
Practical Licensing Scenarios: RDS for Oracle
| Scenario | License Model | Licensing Required |
|---|---|---|
| RDS Oracle SE2 instance (basic DB) | License-Included | No separate Oracle licenses required |
| RDS Oracle EE (8 vCPUs) | BYOL | 4 Oracle EE processor licenses (8 ÷ 2) |
| RDS EE with Advanced Security Option (TDE) | BYOL | EE processor licenses + Advanced Security licenses |
| RDS EE Multitenant with 4+ PDBs | BYOL | EE processor licenses + Multitenant licenses |
Summarized Licensing Checklist for RDS Oracle
✅ License-Included: Available for SE2 only
✅ BYOL is required for Enterprise Edition and options
✅ Track vCPUs clearly for BYOL compliance
✅ Oracle options (e.g., TDE, Multitenant) require separate BYOL licenses
✅ Maintain clear internal documentation (BYOL vs License-Included)
Common Misunderstandings Corrected
- Misconception: “AWS includes all RDS Oracle licenses.”
Reality: Only Standard Edition 2 (SE2) is available as license-included. - Misconception: “RDS Enterprise Edition includes Oracle options licensing.”
Reality: Oracle EE and additional options always require BYOL. - Misconception: “AWS prevents unauthorized Oracle options usage.”
Reality: AWS doesn’t technically block option usage—responsibility for compliance rests entirely with you (BYOL mode).
Read Oracle Database Editions on Amazon RDS.
Conclusion: Oracle Licensing on Amazon RDS
Amazon RDS for Oracle offers two distinct licensing models:
- License Included (SE2 only): AWS provides licenses as part of the hourly cost. No additional compliance is required.
- BYOL (EE & options): You provide Oracle licenses, ensuring compliance with database and optional features.
Understanding these licensing models ensures Oracle compliance, cost-effective operations, and effective use of Amazon RDS for Oracle deployments.
