Oracle Middleware Licensing FAQs

Oracle Middleware Licensing FAQs

What licensing metrics are available for Oracle Middleware, and how do Processor and Named User Plus differ?

Processor or Named User Plus (NUP) can license Oracle middleware products. A Processor license allows unlimited users but is tied to the hardware capacity (CPUs/cores) on which the software runs​. In contrast, a Named User Plus license counts the number of distinct users (including humans and devices) authorized to use the software. It is still linked to the software’s processors (with a minimum user count per processor)​.

For example, if a middleware server is licensed per Processor, any number of users may access it; if NUP licenses it, you must acquire a license for each user (with a minimum number of users per processor, as described in the next question). This flexibility lets organizations choose the model that fits their use case – unlimited users via Processor licensing or a user-based approach with NUP when the user count is limited.

When should I choose Processor licensing versus Named User Plus licensing?

The choice depends on how many users you have and how easily you can count them:

• Use Processor licensing when user counts are high, indeterminate, or external (e.g., a public-facing website). Processor licenses allow unlimited users, making them ideal if the population is large or cannot be precisely tracked​. For example, if your application is accessible to hundreds of customers or the general public, counting each user would be impractical – a Processor license covers them all.
• Use Named User Plus licensing when the user population is relatively small and known. Oracle generally prices one Processor license roughly equal to 50 NUP licenses, so NUP can be more cost-effective if you have fewer than ~50 users per processor​. For instance, an internal application used by 20 employees on a single server might be cheaper to license by 20 Named User Plus licenses (subject to the minimum requirement) rather than one full Processor license.
• Rule of thumb: If the number of users exceeds 50× the number of processors, Processor licensing is likely more economical; if it’s lower, NUP may save cost​. Production systems with large audiences often use a Processor, whereas small test or development systems can use NUP. You can even mix models by licensing critical production servers per Processor and non-production or small-user systems by NUP, as long as each installation is licensed consistently with one metric (Oracle allows this flexibility)​.

Is there a minimum number of Named User Plus licenses required per processor for Oracle Middleware products?

Yes. Oracle requires a minimum count of Named User Plus licenses for each processor (or for each group of cores) to ensure a baseline coverage:

• For most Oracle Fusion Middleware programs, the minimum is 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor​. This rule applies to WebLogic Server, SOA Suite, WebCenter, OBIEE, Oracle Identity Management, etc. For example, if a server has two processors (as defined by Oracle’s licensing policy), at least 20 NUP licenses are required – even if you have fewer users.
• (By comparison, Oracle Database Enterprise Edition uses a 25 NUP per processor minimum, but middleware products use 10.) You must always license the greater of the actual user count or the required minimum. So if you have three users on a WebLogic server that Oracle counts as one processor, you still need 10 Named User Plus licenses (the minimum). If you had 15 users on that same server, you would need 15 NUP licenses (since the actual count exceeds the 10 minimum).
• In cloud environments, Oracle adapts this rule proportionally (e.g., requiring 10 NUP per 8 vCPUs in authorized clouds)​. Still, the concept remains: you cannot license fewer than a certain floor of users per processor. This prevents extremely low per-user licensing on powerful hardware. (For instance, eight vCPUs in AWS would require at least 10 NUP if you go by user licensing.)

How do I calculate the number of Processor licenses needed for a given server (what is the Oracle Processor core factor)?

Oracle defines a “processor” for licensing based on physical CPU cores and a Core Factor Table. The number of required Processor licenses = (Number of cores) × (core factor) for the hardware:

• Each CPU type has an Oracle-specified core factor (e.g., Intel and AMD x86 cores have a factor of 0.5). For example, a physical server with 32 cores (two 16-core Intel CPUs) would need 32 × 0.5 = 16 Processor licenses​. Always round up any fractions to the next whole license.
• Some products use different counting rules: WebLogic Server Standard Edition is licensed per occupied CPU socket (not per core)​. So a dual-socket server (regardless of core count) needs 2 Standard Edition licenses. WebLogic Enterprise Edition is licensed per core (with core factor)​. For instance, a server with eight cores (Intel) has a factor of 0.5, requiring 8×0.5 = 4 WebLogic EE licenses.
• Oracle provides an official Processor Core Factor to determine each processor type’s factor. It’s important to apply this for Enterprise Edition products. (Standard Edition products often use simpler rules like per-socket licensing or have their limitations.)
• Cloud note: Oracle does not use the core factor table in authorized public clouds but instead uses fixed vCPU conversions (discussed below). For example, in AWS or Azure, two vCPUs = one license. So the core factor is mainly an on-premises consideration.
• Real-world example: A server with 2 AMD EPYC processors (32 cores total) running WebLogic EE: AMD EPYC has factor 0.5, so 32 × 0.5 = 16 Processor licenses needed. If the same server ran WebLogic Standard Edition, you would count two sockets = two licenses.

How is Oracle WebLogic Server Standard Edition licensed vs. Enterprise Edition?

WebLogic Server Standard Edition (SE) and Enterprise Edition (EE) use different licensing metrics:

• WebLogic SE is licensed per occupied processor socket on​ the server. This means you count physical CPU sockets (regardless of cores). If a machine has 2 CPU sockets, you need 2 Standard Edition licenses. If you prefer, WebLogic SE can also be licensed by Named User Plus (with the standard 10-user-per-processor minimum), but socket-based is the defa​ult.
• WebLogic EE is licensed per CPU core, using Oracle’s core factor. You count the physical cores and apply the core factor to determine how many Processor licenses are required. For example, a server with 8 Intel cores (factor 0.5) would require 8×0.5 = 4 WebLogic EE licenses. User Plus licensing is also available for EE (with the same 10 users/mi​n).
• Cost difference: Enterprise Edition licenses are more costly than Standard Edition because EE includes additional features (see next question) and uses per-core counting (which usually yields a higher license count than per-socket). Standard Edition is cheaper and limited in functionality.
• WebLogic Suite: This is a separate edition (a superset of EE) using core-based licensing. It includes everything in EE plus additional features like Oracle Coherence and advanced manag​event. (WebLogic Suite is relevant if you need those extras; it’s licensed per core similar to EE but at a higher price point.)

What features differ between WebLogic Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition (e.g., clustering)?

The editions differ significantly in capabilities:

• WebLogic Standard Edition provides core Java EE runtime but does not include advanced features. This means SE is generally intended for single-server or development use. You cannot use WebLogic’s high-availability clustering, distributed deployment, or certain advanced JMS and management features under an SE license.
• WebLogic Enterprise Edition includes everything in SE plus support for clustering, high availability, load balancing, and failover. EE supports running multiple WebLogic instances in a cluster for scalability and uptime. It also includes more robust JMS (messaging) and EJB clustering, and it bundles Oracle Java SE Advanced (to improve the JVM monitoring and performance). In short, EE is meant for mission-critical production applications that require reliability and scalability.
• For example, if you want to run multiple WebLogic servers in a cluster (for failover or load balancing), you must have Enterprise Edition licenses for those servers—Standard Edition licensees are explicitly not entitled to use clustering​. Standard Edition is typically limited to a single server (or at least no cluster-wide session replication, etc.).
• Enterprise Edition also allows the use of Oracle Virtual Assembly Builder, advanced diagnostics, and other tools that Standard doesn’t include. But the big distinction to remember is clustering: SE cannot do it, but EE can. So use Standard Edition for simple or non-critical deployments and Enterprise Edition for production environments requiring robust HA and distributed deployment.

Does a WebLogic Server license include Oracle Coherence or other add-on components?

It depends on the edition.

• WebLogic Server Standard or Enterprise Edition licenses do not automatically include a full-use Oracle Coherence license. WebLogic EE has a limited, restricted-use Coherence for internal WebLogic caching (e.g., to support HTTP session state replication internally). Still, if you want to use Coherence as a general purpose data grid, you must license Coherence separately or have Weblogic Suite. WebLogic Standard Edition generally does not include Coherence (except maybe some tiny pieces for embedded caching, but not the Coherence standalone grid).
• WebLogic Suite (the highest edition) includes Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition. So, a WebLogic Suite license gives you the right to deploy Coherence clusters fully. WebLogic Suite includes the WebLogic Management Pack for Oracle Enterprise Manager and other extras not in EE.
• Other components: WebLogic EE and Suite licenses include some additional restricted-use items. For instance, WebLogic EE (and Suite) includes a restricted-use Java SE Advanced as mentioned, and WebLogic Suite includes Java SE Suite (with JRockit). These are bundled for use with WebLogic only.
• Summary: Coherence is included only with WebLogic Suite (or if you separately purchase Coherence licenses). Having WebLogic SE or EE does not give you the right to deploy a Coherence data grid for your applications (beyond the limited in-memory caching within WebLogic’s features). If Coherence-based caching or distributed data storage is needed and you’re on WebLogic EE, plan to upgrade to WebLogic Suite or license Coherence separately.
• Note: Some Oracle middleware products that run on WebLogic come with their own restricted Coherence or other components included. For example, Oracle WebCenter Sites includes a restricted Coherence license for its internal use specific to that product’s use. For WebLogic Server itself, Coherence is an add-on unless you have Suite.

What are the licensing requirements for Oracle SOA Suite (Processor vs NUP)?

Oracle SOA Suite can be licensed by Processor or Named User Plus, just like other middleware:

• Processor licensing: You must license each processor core (with core factor) on the servers where SOA Suite is installed. This model is often chosen for enterprise deployments with many services/users. (For pricing context, Oracle’s list price for SOA Suite is around $57,500 per processor, using the standard core factor table. Processor licensing lets you have unlimited users/invocations.
• Named User Plus licensing: This is an option if a limited, countable user base accesses your SOA Suite. The cost per NUP is much lower (roughly $1,200), but you must meet the 10 NUP per processor minimum like other products. NUP licensing for SOA is only practical if you have a small number of total SOA workflows/service users. (Often, SOA is behind the scenes, integrating systems, so user-based licensing is less common except for developers.)
• Minimums: Yes, the 10-per-processor minimum applies to SOA Suite as well, meaning even a small SOA deployment requires at least 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor if you choose that metric. For example, if you have one SOA server (counted as two processors after the core factor), you need at least 20 NUP licenses, even if only five people use it.
• Choosing metric: In practice, many SOA Suite customers go with Processor licensing because SOA workloads often serve many users or other applications indirectly. If you had 40 total services users on SOA Suite and it ran on a 2-processor server, NUP could be cheaper (40 NUP vs 2 Processor licenses – 40 NUP might cost less than 2×$57.5k). But if you have hundreds of users or uncertain usage,the Processor is safer. (A rule of thumb: ~50 users equals one processor in cost, so above that, the Processor is more cost-effective).
• WebLogic Suite dependency: One nuance – Oracle positions SOA Suite as an option on WebLogic. Technically, this means that to be properly licensed, you should have WebLogic and SOA Suite. In practice, you can purchase “SOA Suite for Oracle Middleware” licenses, which include the SOA components. Still, Oracle’s policy assumes you also have the underlying WebLogic covered (more on this next).

What components or features are included with Oracle SOA Suite, and which are separate?

An Oracle SOA Suite license is quite comprehensive regarding the middleware components it covers. When you license SOA Suite, you get rights to a whole family of products under that suite:

• Included in SOA Suite license: All the core SOA middleware components are included under one umbrella license. This includes:
  • Oracle BPEL Process Manager (the process orchestrat​ion)
  • Oracle Service Bus (OSB) (the enterprise service bus)
  • Mediator (the intra-suite mess​aging)
  • Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM) (for web service policy)
  • Oracle Business Rules
  • Oracle Human Workflow (for approvals)
  • Oracle Business Activity Monitor—Note that BAM in 12c includes a restricted use of Oracle Data Integrator, which is fine as part of BAM’s functionality.
  • Technology Adapters and B2B integration components (adapters for various legacy systems, B2B protocols).
    Essentially, SOA Suite bundles the above components; you do not need to buy them separately. You can use any of those features if you have SOA Suite licensed on a server.
• Separately licensed (not included):
  • The underlying WebLogic Server and Database – as discussed, those are not included; they are prerequisites.
  • Oracle Service Bus standalone: Historically, OSB could be licensed by itself (as an option to WebLogic), but since it’s included in SOA Suite, most just use the SOA Suite license. If you wanted OSB without the rest of SOA, you’d license it as part of WebLogic Suite or a separate “Service B​us”.
  • Oracle Event Processing was an add-on product (Complex Event Processing engine). In older licensing, OEP was not included in SOA Suite by default. (In 12c, Oracle did incorporate Event Processing into the suite license documentation, but with some caveats.) Check if OEP is needed – it might require a separate license or Oracle Stream Analytics in newer terms.
  • Business Process Management (BPM) Suite: Oracle has a separate Oracle BPM Suite (for modeling and executing BPMN processes). The BPM Suite is related to the SOA Suite (and shares components), but it is a separate license unless you have the unified middleware license. (In 12c, Oracle offered “SOA Suite and BPM Suite” together in one package for some editions.) If you need BPM (with features like Process Composer, etc.), ensure your license covers it.
• Example: If you licensed Oracle SOA Suite for your integration layer, that one license on a server allows you to build BPEL workflows that use Business Rules and Human Tasks, expose services through the Service Bus, secure them with OWSM policies, and monitor with BAM – all covered. You would not need, for example, a separate OSB license or a separate BAM license. The only other licenses needed are WebLogic to run it and the database in which it stores data, as noted. In contrast, if you did not have SOA Suite and only wanted OSB, you could license OSB alone (but then you wouldn’t have BPEL, BAM, etc.).

How is Oracle Internet Application Server (Oracle iAS) licensed, and does it include WebLogic?

Oracle Internet Application Server (Oracle iAS, which includes the older Oracle Application Server 10g/11g components) is licensed similarly by Processor or Named User Plus. Historically, iAS came in editions (e.g., Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition), with Enterprise Edition including more components.

Key points:

• Metrics: Both iAS Standard and Enterprise could be licensed per processor or NUP. The 10 NUP per processor minimum applies here as well. So, if you still run Oracle iAS for Oracle Forms/Reports or Oracle Portal, you must meet those minimums.
• WebLogic inclusion (WebLogic Basic): Oracle iAS (and related products like Forms & Reports) include rights to a special version of WebLogic Server called WebLogic Server Basic. This is a restricted-use license of WebLogic that comes at no extra cost with iAS. It entitles you to run the Oracle iAS components on WebLogic. For example, when Oracle moved to Fusion Middleware 11g, Oracle Forms and Portal had to run on WebLogic – Oracle allowed existing iAS customers to use WebLogic Basic instead of requiring a new WebLogic purchase.
  • WebLogic Server Basic is only for running the components provided with those products (Forms, Reports, Discoverer, Portal, etc.) and custom Java apps supported on OC4J. It cannot be used as a general-purpose WebLogic to deploy unrelated applications, and it doesn’t include advanced WebLogic features beyond what’s needed for those products.
• Standard vs Enterprise Edition: In the 10g era, iAS Standard included basic J2EE and web cache, while Enterprise included Portal, Forms, Reports, Business Intelligence Discoverer, and Identity Management components. Those components have moved to other product lines (WebCenter, separate Forms license, etc.). If you still have an iAS Enterprise Edition license, it covers those 10g components. It gives you WebLogic Basic rights to run them. iAS Standard would allow you to run your OC4J J2EE apps on WebLogic Basic.
• Example: Suppose you have Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition licenses from years ago, and you’re using them to run an Oracle Forms 11g application. You can install WebLogic Server, not pay for WebLogic, and use the included WebLogic Basic license to deploy Forms & Reports. You would count the processors for iAS EE (with core factor) or NUP for your users, but you wouldn’t need a separate WebLogic CPU license. If you then decided to deploy a custom WebLogic application on that same server unrelated to Forms/Reports, that would not be covered by WLS Basic and would need a full WebLogic license.

How do I license Oracle Forms and Reports? Does it include a WebLogic Server license?

Oracle Forms and Reports (now often just called Oracle Forms/Reports 12c) can be licensed independently. You license it through the processor or named user plus. Notably:

• WebLogic included: The Forms and Reports license includes a restricted-use WebLogic Server Basic license for running Forms & Reports on WebLogic Forms 12c runs on a WebLogic domain, and Oracle allows you to use WebLogic without purchasing it separately, as long as it is only used for the Forms/Reports application. This inclusion is similar to the iAS scenario above.
• Named User minimums: If using Named User Plus, the 10-per-processor minimum applies. Often, Forms applications are used by many end-users (e.g., an entire department of an organization), so many customers choose Processor licensing. But if you had a very limited-use Forms system (say used by 15 users on a small server), you could license by NUP (with, for example, 10 NUP minimum covering those 15 users if one processor).
• Clustering/HA: If you run Forms/Reports on multiple WebLogic servers for high availability, each server needs to be covered by a Forms & Reports license (which gives you WebLogic Basic on each). WebLogic Server Basic doesn’t support full WebLogic clustering beyond the scope of those products. Usually, Forms can be set up in an active-passive configuration (using the 10-day failover rule for the passive node if applicable; see the later FAQ on HA). If you needed active-active clustering of Forms across two nodes, that might push the limits of the Basic license (since clustering is a WebLogic EE feature). Many Forms deployments run on a single server or an active-passive pair to stay within the included rights.
• Summary: License Forms & Reports by counting its servers’ processors (or users). You do not need to buy WebLogic separately for those servers, as the Forms/Reports license covers the WebLogic instance for that use. You’d need additional licenses for those other products if those servers run other Oracle middleware beyond Forms/Reports.

How is Oracle WebCenter Portal licensed, and does it require WebLogic?

Oracle WebCenter Portal is licensed per Processor or Named User Plus (with the usual 10-user minimum per processor). One important detail is that WebCenter Portal requires Oracle WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition as a separate prerequisite.

The Portal license provides the portal software, but Oracle expects you to already have a WebLogic Server EE license to deploy it. In other words, the WebCenter Portal license does not include WebLogic, so you must factor that into your planning.

• The portal license does include some supporting components: it comes with a restricted-use license for Oracle WebCenter Content (the content repository) to store and manage content used by the portal. It also includes Oracle Secure Enterprise Search, which is restricted to indexing/searching content for the portal. So you don’t need to license a content management system or search engine separately for use within WebCenter Portal—those are bundled for portal use.
• However, the content and search included are only for the portal’s internal use. If you wanted to use WebCenter Content as a general enterprise document management outside the portal context, you would need a full WebCenter Content license. The Portal’s Content license is restricted to content that is part of the portal sites/applications.
• Example: If you set up an employee intranet using WebCenter Portal, you would purchase WebCenter Portal licenses for your server (plus ensure you have WebLogic EE licensed). With the Portal license, you can use the built-in content repository to store documents and media displayed on the portal, and you can use Oracle Secure Enterprise Search to index the portal content – all without extra licenses. But the WebLogic Server it runs on must be separately licensed (unless you already have one). If you later add a second node for Portal (for load balancing), that node also needs WebLogic EE license and Portal license coverage.

How is Oracle WebCenter Content licensed, and what’s included with it?

Processor or NUP licenses Oracle WebCenter Content (formerly Oracle UCM). WebCenter Content includes a restricted WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition license to run the content management application. This means that when you license WebCenter Content, you can deploy it on a WebLogic Server without purchasing WebLogic separately for that server (as long as that WebLogic is used only for the Content application). This greatly simplifies deployment since WebCenter Content 12c runs on WebLogic.

• WebCenter Content also includes restricted-use licenses for Oracle SOA Suite (BPEL, etc.) and Oracle BPM Suite components specifically to support content-centric workflows. This allows you to design and execute workflows (e.g., document approval processes, imaging workflows) initiated from WebCenter Content without needing a separate SOA/BPM license. Those SOA/BPM components are limited to processes that begin with actions in the Content system.
• In summary, with a WebCenter Content license, you get the content management system, the rights to use WebLogic as the application server, and the rights to use embedded BPEL/BPM workflow for content processes. You do not get the right to use that WebLogic server for unrelated applications, nor do you use the SOA/BPM components for non-content workflows. But for most Content use cases, everything you need is included.
• You still need to adhere to the usual user or processor counts. Many organizations choose Processor licensing for Content because it often serves an entire enterprise’s users (documents for potentially hundreds of users). Named User Plus is possible if you have a defined small user community.
• Example: A company licenses WebCenter Content to manage all corporate documents. They install it on a WebLogic domain using the included WebLogic EE rights (so no separate WebLogic purchase). They set up an approval workflow for documents using Oracle BPEL (covered under the Content license, since a content update triggers the workflow). All of this is legal under one Content license for the server. If they decided to use that BPEL engine to also orchestrate a process unrelated to content (say a general HR onboarding process not involving the content repository), that would violate the restricted-use terms – but purely for content-related processes, it’s allowed.

How is Oracle WebCenter Sites licensed, and are WebLogic or Coherence included?

Oracle WebCenter Sites (for web experience management) is licensed per Processor or NUP (10 NUP minimum per processor). The WebCenter Sites license includes a restricted-use WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition to run the Sites application similar to WebCenter Content. So you don’t need a separate WebLogic license for it – you can deploy Sites on the included WebLogic (just for that purpose).

• Additionally, WebCenter Sites includes a restricted-use Oracle WebCenter Content license for managing the assets (documents, media, web content) that are part of the websites you build with Sites. It bundles a content repository for the Sites’ web content management needs.
• It also includes a restricted-use Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition license, specifically for Sites’ asset caching and locking mechanism. Coherence is used under the covers by WebCenter Sites to ensure consistency and performance when multiple users are editing web content. The included Coherence can only be used for the Sites’ internal caching, not general application use.
• In short, the WebCenter Sites license is an all-in-one package for the web content management system: it covers the Sites application, the underlying WebLogic to run it, the content repository to store site content, and Coherence for caching – all restricted to the context of running WebCenter Sites. You just need to count the processors or users for the license itself.
• Example: You deploy WebCenter Sites to manage your public website content on a server with 8 cores (assuming a factor of 0.5, that’s 4 Processor licenses required). By purchasing 4 Processor licenses of WebCenter Sites, you can install WebLogic on that server (for Sites), set up Sites and its integrated Content server, and Coherence for caching. You wouldn’t owe anything additional for WebLogic or Coherence. If you later scale out to another server, you’d license that server’s cores similarly. Suppose you also decide to use WebCenter Content as a standalone document management system beyond the website; that would require a separate Content license. In that case, the one bundled with Sites is only for the web content in the Sites system.

How is Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) licensed (Processor vs NUP)?

Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) can be licensed by Processor or by Named User Plus, similar to other Oracle tech products:

• Processor licensing is common for OBIEE deployments that serve a large or external user base. You count the cores (with core factor) on the OBIEE servers. For instance, if OBIEE runs on an 8-core (Intel) machine, 8×0.5 = 4 Processor licenses are needed. This model allows unlimited end-users to access OBIEE (dashboards, analyses, etc.). It’s typically used when OBIEE serves an entire enterprise or customer base.
• Named User Plus licensing: Available if the BI user population is known and relatively small. You must still meet at least 10 Named Users per processor of the OBIEE server. For example, if you have OBIEE on a server counted as two processors minimum, you need at least 20 NUP licenses even if only five report developers actively use it. NUP licensing might make sense for a departmental OBIEE deployment with, for instance, 30 analysts using it, since 30 NUPs could be cheaper than 2 Processor licenses (assuming 2 processors are needed).
• In many cases, OBIEE is used enterprise-wide (hundreds of users), making Processor licensing more straightforward. One thing to note: OBIEE’s pricing was historically such that ~50 Named Users cost roughly the same as 1 Processor license (this is a general Oracle rule). So if you have more than 50 users per processor, Processor licensing tends to be more cost-effective.
• Example: If an organization has OBIEE for 100 users on a server that counts as 2 processors, licensing by NUP would require 100 NUP licenses (but a minimum of 20 would apply, and 100 is above that anyway). 100 NUP might cost about the same as 2 Processor licenses (since 2×50=100). If the user count grows beyond 100, a Processor would be better. If it shrinks, NUP could be better. Many organizations err on the side of the Processor for OBIEE to avoid user counting hassles, especially if OBIEE is embedded in other applications or accessible widely.

Can Oracle BI Publisher be licensed standalone, and how does it differ from OBIEE licensing?

Oracle BI Publisher can be licensed as a standalone product (Oracle Analytics Publisher). When licensed standalone (outside of the OBIEE suite):

• It uses the same metrics: Processor or Named User Plus. One notable difference is that Oracle Analytics Publisher (BI Publisher) has no minimum Named User Plus requirement. Oracle documentation indicates there is no minimum NUP for a full-use Publisher license. If you only have five users for BI Publisher, you could buy 5 NUP licenses (unlike most other products, which would require 10 as a minimum). This makes Publisher unique in that regard.
• A standalone BI Publisher license will typically include a restricted WebLogic server to run it (similar to other middleware products). BI Publisher can run on the same WebLogic Server Basic included with many Oracle products. If you only license BI Publisher, Oracle allows you to deploy it on a WebLogic instance without separately licensing WebLogic – as long as that WebLogic is only used for BI Publisher. (Often BI Publisher is deployed on Tomcat or a simple web container in standalone mode, but Oracle’s official line would be WebLogic since that’s their stack.)
• If you are OBIEE licensed, you automatically have BI Publisher rights, so you don’t need to purchase BI Publisher separately. The standalone BI Publisher is for customers who need a reporting solution without the full OBIEE suite.
• Example: A small enterprise needs only BI Publisher to generate reports (invoices, documents) from an Oracle database. They could license BI Publisher for 10 Named Users (if 10 staff will design/run reports). According to Oracle’s policy, that’s fine (no 10-per-proc minimum because 10 NUP is already at the general minimum, and documentation suggests no minimum anyway for the Publisher). They install and use BI Publisher on a WebLogic server. They don’t need to license WebLogic or OBIEE. If their usage grows, they might later upgrade to OBIEE. At that point, their BI Publisher licenses could be credited towards OBIEE licenses in a deal with Oracle, or they could simply keep using BI Publisher as part of OBIEE.

How are Oracle Identity Management products (OID, OAM, OIM, etc.) licensed?

Oracle Identity and Access Management products (such as Oracle Internet Directory (OID), Oracle Access Manager (OAM), Oracle Identity Manager (OIM), Oracle Directory Services, etc.) follow the same licensing models: Processor or Named User Plus.

• Each product or suite (for example, Oracle Identity Management Suite Plus, which includes multiple components) is licensed by counting the processors of the servers it runs on or by the number of users accessing it. In many cases, Processor licensing is chosen because these systems often authenticate or manage a very large number of users (e.g., all employees or customers). Suppose you have 10,000 users in an OAM SSO system. In that case, buying 10,000 Named User licenses (and Oracle would require 10 per processor minimum anyway) is usually not feasible – instead, you’d get Processor licenses for the OAM servers.
• Named User Plus can be used for smaller-scale identity deployments. For example, if you had an OID (LDAP directory) used by 50 administrators, you could license it through NUP. Remember the 10-per-processor minimum here, so even a small OID instance might require 10 or 20 NUP licenses minimum. You must count both human users and any non-human devices that bind to the directory as “users” in Oracle’s definition.
• Suppose you have an external-facing identity system (like OAM for customer logins on a website). In that case, generally, you’d use Processor licensing because the user count is not fixed or easily countable. Oracle’s contracts typically define a Named User Plus as an actual named person or device. Anonymous internet users can’t be counted that way, so Processor is the only practical choice.
• Oracle does offer these products in bundles. For example, Oracle Identity Management Suite could bundle OAM, OIM, OID, etc., under one license. In that case, if you buy the suite, you license it by Processor or NUP, which covers all its components on that server. If you buy individual products (say, just OAM), you license that product’s usage.
• Example: You want to use Oracle Access Manager for single sign-on for 5000 employees. You’d likely license OAM by Processor on the servers running it (maybe 2 Processor licenses for two servers, depending on cores). If you also deploy Oracle Identity Manager for provisioning, but only 10 IT admins use OIM’s interface, you might license OIM by NUP (10 NUP, subject to minimum). This is allowed since OAM and OIM are separate products. Just ensure that each environment is adequately licensed. Oracle’s 10 NUP per processor rule still applies to each product (so if the OIM server has two processors, you’d need 20 NUP even if only 10 admins use it). In such a case, some customers just go with the Processor for simplicity.

Do Oracle Identity Management products include a WebLogic Server license or other components?

Yes, when you purchase an Oracle Identity Management product, Oracle typically provides the necessary runtime components via restricted-use licenses, so you don’t have to buy them separately:

• Most Identity products (OID, OAM, OIM, Oracle Directory Services, etc.) run on an Oracle WebLogic Server or are used to run on an Oracle Application Server. Oracle includes a restricted-use license of WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition (or Oracle Internet Application Server EE) to serve as the host container for these products. For example, if you license Oracle Access Manager, you can install it on a WebLogic Server. That WebLogic is covered to run OAM (you don’t need to pay extra for WebLogic in that scenario). In this case, the WebLogic license is restricted: you can use it only to run the identity management software and its required components. You can’t deploy unrelated custom applications on that WebLogic unless you have a full WebLogic license.
• Similarly, Oracle Identity Manager and Oracle Directory Services include a restricted WebLogic (or OAS) license as part of their installation. Oracle’s licensing docs explicitly state, “A license to Oracle Directory Services includes a restricted-use license to Oracle WebLogic Server EE as host for only Oracle Directory Services…”. If Directory Services (which covers OID/OVD) is all you’re running on that WebLogic, you’re fine under the Directory product license.
• Many identity products also include a restricted-use Oracle BI Publisher for reporting. For instance, OAM and OIM come with out-of-the-box reporting (audit reports, user reports) that leverage BI Publisher. Oracle’s license for OAM includes a restricted BI Publisher to publish those predefined reports. This does not mean you can use that BI Publisher to create arbitrary reports on other systems, but you can use it for the product’s reporting needs without a separate BI Publisher license.
• Licensing a broader suite like Oracle Identity & Access Management Suite bundles multiple components (OAM, OIM, OID, etc.). It typically includes all the needed WebLogic and database rights for those components in one package. Always check the specific licensing document for that suite.
• Example: You have purchased Oracle Access Manager licenses to handle SSO. You install OAM on two WebLogic servers. You do not need to buy WebLogic EE licenses for those servers because the OAM license includes WebLogic-for-OAM. Those WebLogic instances should only be running OAM (and maybe OID if it’s collocated, etc., which are all part of identity management). They also run the embedded BI Publisher for OAM reports, which is allowed under your OAM license. You cannot, however, deploy an unrelated Java application on those WebLogic servers or start using them as a general app server for other apps without obtaining proper WebLogic licenses. However, the product license covers identity management purposes.

Do I need to license the passive node if my Oracle middleware deployment is in a cluster with a standby server for failover?

Oracle has a “10-day rule” for failover environments. Suppose you have an active-passive cluster (one primary server actively running and one passive server waiting on standby for failover). In that case, you do not need to license the passive node as long as it is truly idle and is only used during failover for no more than 10 days per year.

• The policy says you can run the software on an “unlicensed spare” for up to 10 separate 24-hour periods in any given year for failover purposes. The failover node must be fully licensed if it is used beyond 10 days in aggregate. Note that even a few minutes of daily use counts as one of the 10 days.
• Additionally, only one failover node can be exempt per clustered environment. If you have multiple passive nodes (e.g., a multi-node failover scenario), only one can be unlicensed under this rule; any additional ones would need licenses if running simultaneously as additional failover instances.
• This rule applies to Oracle technology programs (database and middleware) uniformly. In practice, for middleware, you can install one standby application server with WebLogic/SOA/OBIEE, etc., and leave it unlicensed until it kicks in during a failover. If it’s used for more than 10 days, you’re expected to procure a license for it.
• Example: You have a WebLogic Server in production and a second server configured as a cold standby. You do not purchase a license for the standby. One day, the primary fails, and you switch to standby for 2 days while repairing the primary. Later in the year, you have another incident and use the standby for 3 days. That totals five separate days of use – no issue, still under 10. If a catastrophic failure required the standby to run for 15 days continuously, you’ve exceeded the 10-day rule – at that point, you’d be required to buy a license for the standby (or otherwise be out of compliance for those extra 5 days of use).
• Keep logs of failover usage if you intend to rely on this policy. In an audit, Oracle may ask for evidence that the unlicensed server was only used within the allowed limits. Also note: the 10-day rule is for failover situations, not for other usages like testing or load balancing.

How do I license a disaster recovery environment where the servers are always on and syncing data (e.g., a standby site or active-active DR)?

Suppose your DR environment involves servers installed with the Oracle software and running in any capacity (even if just applying standby updates or doing periodic tests). In that case, those servers typically must be fully licensed except in the specific 10-day failover scenario described above. Oracle’s policies distinguish true passive failover from other DR setups:

• Standby / remote mirroring: If you maintain a secondary server or site where Oracle software is installed and maybe constantly synchronized (like a WebLogic server in a secondary datacenter receiving replication, or an OBIEE server kept in sync, or a database in Data Guard apply mode), Oracle considers that server as “installed or running” the software. According to the license rules, any installed/running instances must be licensed unless covered by the 10-day failover exception. The 10-day rule only applies when the secondary isn’t normally running the software except during failover. If it’s continually running (even in standby mode), it doesn’t qualify as an “unlicensed spare.”
• This means if you have an active-active cluster across two sites (both processing or at least both powered on with the software loaded), both need licenses. If you have an active primary in one site and a warm standby in another that’s constantly updating via replication and possibly ready to take over immediately, Oracle’s stance is you should license both because the standby is in use (just not serving end-users yet, but it’s installed and syncing).
• Oracle updated its policies to clarify this because many customers assumed a Data Guard physical standby for a database didn’t need a license—Oracle says it does unless it’s idle and only opened during a failover under 10 days/year. The same logic applies to middleware.
• Testing and drills: If you periodically activate your DR server for testing (say, you bring up your DR WebLogic server for one day each quarter to verify it works), those days count against the 10-day allowance if you haven’t licensed that server. You should license the DR server if your testing and real failovers exceed 10 days. Some clients license it anyway to do more extensive testing or run it in parallel (e.g., for reporting).
• Example: You have Oracle SOA Suite running in an active data center and another SOA instance in a remote data center applying transaction logs (but not serving traffic). This secondary is started monthly for a couple of hours for testing. Oracle sees that as installed and periodically running, so strictly speaking, a license would be required after 10 such test days. Many companies in this scenario will license the DR server to avoid limitations. Alternatively, they refrain from turning it on except in a real disaster (accepting risk), which would fall under the 10-day rule if a disaster happens.
• In summary, any environment where Oracle software is installed and kept ready (not completely powered off) must be licensed. Only a truly idle, powered-off spare can escape licensing until it’s used – and even then only for up to 10 days per year. There is no discounted “DR license”; it’s the full license if needed. So plan for that in your budgeting for high availability and disaster recovery.

How does licensing work on virtualized environments like VMware or Hyper-V for Oracle middleware?

Oracle’s licensing in non-Oracle virtualization environments (like VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, etc.) is notoriously strict. Oracle generally does not recognize virtualization “soft partitioning” to reduce license counts.

Key points:

• Oracle typically requires licensing all physical cores of the server (or cluster) on which the Oracle VMs reside if the virtualization technology is not an approved hard partitioning method. VMware ESXi, for example, is considered soft partitioning, which means setting a VM to use four vCPUs does not limit your licensing to 4 cores – Oracle will say you must license the entire physical host (or even cluster) where that VM could run has huge implications. For instance, if you run a small WebLogic instance with four vCPUs on a VMware cluster of three hosts with 2 CPUs (16 cores each) per host (total 48 cores), Oracle will insist you license all 48 cores for WebLogic (because theoretically the VM could run on any of those cores) with factor 0.5, that would mean 24 Processor licenses required, even though your VM only uses four vCPUs. In Oracle’s eyes, the entire cluster must be covered.
• Oracle’s policy document on partitioning explicitly calls out that technologies like VMware, Hyper-V, Linux KVM, etc., are not valid for limiting licenses (they are not recognized as hardware partitioning). Only certain solutions (Oracle VM, IBM LPAR, Solaris Zones capped, etc.) are recognized. Unless you use those, you must license the full physical environment.
• Practically, this means that many customers running Oracle middleware on VMware either need to license every host in the vCenter cluster that could ever run the Oracle VM or create a dedicated cluster for Oracle workloads to contain the license scope. Oracle licensing auditors have assumed that if a VMware cluster is not segregated, all hosts in the entire vCenter (or linked vCenters) could need licensing. This is beyond contractual language (Oracle’s interpretation), but it’s a risk to be aware of.
• Recommendation: If you use VMware/Hyper-V, consider isolating Oracle workloads on specific hosts or clusters and limit VM mobility (no vMotion to unlicensed hosts). Document this thoroughly. For absolute clarity, some organizations use Oracle’s virtualization (Oracle VM) for Oracle products to take advantage of Oracle’s hard partitioning allowances (more on that next).
• Example: You have an ESXi cluster of 10 hosts, and you deploy Oracle SOA Suite on a VM with eight vCPUs pinned to Host1. If Host1 is part of a DRS cluster with the other 9 hosts, Oracle will say all 10 hosts must be licensed for SOA (even if you pin it, unless you completely prohibit VM movement at a level Oracle accepts). To avoid that, you might carve out Host1 as a separate cluster just for SOA and ensure the VM can’t move elsewhere. Then you’d license Host1’s cores for SOA. Without such isolation, the cost would be enormous. So, planning Oracle virtualization is critical to avoid compliance issues or massive license bills. Use Oracle’s virtualization or containers to reduce licensing costs for middleware.Oracle does allow certain hard partitioning or its virtualization technologies to limit license requirements:
• Oracle VM Server (OVM): Oracle VM is recognized as a hard partitioning technology if you pin vCPUs to physical cores. For example, if you create an OVM guest and dedicate four physical cores (using OVM CPU pinning), you can license those four cores for an Oracle product instead of the whole machine. This is officially allowed by Oracle’s partitioning policy (documented on Oracle’s website). You must configure it according to Oracle’s guidelines and not change it.
• Oracle Linux KVM: Oracle now treats Oracle Linux’s KVM with Oracle’s hard partition orchestration (e.g., using taskset or cgroups with certain parameters) as an approved hard partitioning (as of recent policies). This means that on Oracle Linux KVM hosts, you can pin VMs to specific cores and achieve a license containment similar to OVM. Always check the latest policy, but Oracle has been expanding approved methods for its tech.
• IBM LPAR, Solaris Zones: Oracle recognizes IBM Power LPAR (with static settings) and Solaris Zones (configured as capped zones) as hard partitions. So, if you run Oracle middleware on these, you can license per the assigned cores of an LPAR or capped zone. This is typically more relevant for Oracle Database, but it could apply if someone ran WebLogic on IBM PowerVM or Solaris.
• Docker / Kubernetes: Containers by themselves are not recognized as hard partitions. If you run Oracle WebLogic in Docker on a 32-core VM, you still have to license what’s underneath (likely the whole VM, which might require licensing the whole host if that’s not partitioned). Currently, no Oracle license policy lets you, for example, only pay for the CPU a Docker container uses unless the underlying host is partitioned with an approved method. In the cloud, containers would fall under the cloud’s vCPU counting rules. On-prem, treat containerized Oracle workloads as just processes on the host – i.e., the host needs to be fully licensed or partitioned.
• Oracle Cloud (OCI): While not on-prem virtualization, it’s worth noting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is very license-friendly for Oracle products. In OCI, if you choose BYOL (bring your license), Oracle will let you count OCPUs (physical cores) exactly against your licenses. OCI VMs or bare metal can be a convenient way to use partial licenses because OCPUs correspond 1:1 with processor licenses (or 2 OCPUs per license if hyperthreading is considered). OCI is designed to only need licenses for the cores you allocate in the cloud.
• Summary: Yes, you can reduce costs by using these methods. Using Oracle VM with pinned cores is a common solution for on-prem to avoid licensing entire servers. For example, on a 32-core server, pinning an Oracle VM to 8 cores means you only need to license eight cores (with the appropriate factor). Ensure any such configuration is well-documented and compliant (no VM drift). And if using OCI or authorized clouds, use BYOL on shapes that match your license counts.
• Example: You have a 16-core server and only need WebLogic for a small application. You’d likely need to license all 16 cores if you run it on VMware. If you use Oracle VM and create a VM pinned to 4 cores for WebLogic, you only need to buy licenses for four cores (e.g., 4×0.5 = 2 Processor licenses if Intel). That’s a big saving. For this reason, many Oracle customers adopt Oracle’s virtualization when running many Oracle products on large hardware.

How does Bring Your Own License (BYOL) work for Oracle middleware in the cloud (AWS/Azure/OCI)?

BYOL allows you to use your existing on-premises Oracle licenses on cloud platforms. The main considerations for how to license Oracle in the cloud environment are:

• Oracle has designated AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud as “Authorized Cloud Environments”. In these environments, Oracle uses the conversion: for AWS/Azure/GCP, 2 virtual CPUs = 1 Oracle Processor license (assuming hyper-threading is enabled on those vCPUs). If the instance type has hyper-threading (which most do), they count two vCPUs as one core. If enabled, then one vCPU = 1 Processor license.
• The Oracle Processor Core Factor is not applied in these public clouds. They simplified it to the 2-for-1 rule across the board. So, for example, even though an Intel core has a factor of 0.5 on-prem, in AWS, an “Oracle Processor” has just two vCPUs (which correspond to 1 physical core with hyper-threading). This sometimes means you need slightly more licenses in the cloud if your on-prem factor was 0.5. (E.g., an eight vCPU AWS VM = 4 Oracle licenses in the cloud. On-prem. Those eight vCPUs might correspond to 4 cores at 0.5 factor = 2 licenses. But Oracle doesn’t honor the 0.5 in AWS, so it’s four licenses in that scenario.)
• Named User Plus in the cloud: You can also use NUP licenses in the cloud. You still must meet the on-prem minimum rules. Oracle provides guidance, such as the Standard Edition database needs 10 NUP per 8 vCPUs. The same logic would apply for middleware: you need at least 10 NUP per 4 OCPUs (8 vCPUs) in an authorized cloud. In practical terms, if you’re using NUP, just ensure your user count covers actual users or the minimum relative to the instance size. Many clients find using Processor licensing in the cloud for middleware simpler because user-counting in a dynamic cloud environment can be complex.
• Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): In OCI, Oracle uses OCPUs (each OCPU = 1 physical core, which provides two vCPUs). Oracle’s BYOL in OCI is very straightforward: 1 Oracle Processor license allows you to use 2 OCPUs of compute (because those 2 OCPUs correspond to two threads of one core each, effectively four vCPUs) if we assume Intel CPUs. Oracle often says, “Use the same number of licenses as you would on-prem for the cores you allocate.” So, OCI essentially follows the same rule: 2 vCPUs = 1 license. However, since OCI presents OCPUs (physical cores), you can match those directly to licenses (with core factor 1.0 on OCI by policy).
• The bottom line: If you have X processor licenses on-prem, you can launch cloud instances such that total vCPUs/cores consumed correspond to that X under Oracle’s conversion. It’s your responsibility to ensure you don’t exceed it. Cloud providers won’t enforce your license limits (except OCI, which has a BYOL option where you declare your licenses).
• Example: You own four processor licenses for WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition. How many AWS resources can you run? Using the Oracle cloud policy: 1 license covers two vCPUs. So, four licenses cover eight vCPUs. That means, for instance, you could run one AWS EC2 instance with eight vCPUs, or two instances with four vCPUs each, etc., as long as the total vCPUs allocated to WebLogic across all instances is 8 (and you have hyperthreading on). If hyperthreading is off (very rare in the cloud), then four licenses would cover four vCPUs. In Azure, the same math applies. In OCI, launching a VM with 4 OCPUs (which is eight vCPUs) would consume your 4 licenses.
• Also note: When licensing by NUP in the cloud, Oracle expects you to have enough NUP licenses to cover all users, just like on-prem. The cloud doesn’t change NUP counting except possibly how minimums map to vCPUs (as noted above).
• BYOL is beneficial because you only pay the cloud provider for infrastructure, not Oracle again for software. Just maintain support on your licenses. If you move a workload fully to the cloud and no longer use it on-prem, you can reallocate those licenses to cloud use. Keep records of such moves to show compliance (especially if audited, you want to show you didn’t double-use one license in two places). Oracle does allow license mobility between on-prem and cloud as long as you don’t exceed the count at any given time.

Can I use my Oracle middleware licenses interchangeably on-premises and in the cloud (license mobility)?

Yes, one of the advantages of Oracle’s perpetual licenses is that you can deploy the software in different environments as needed, with certain caveats:

• Your Oracle licenses are generally not tied to a specific location. If you have a WebLogic Processor license, it can be used on a physical server in your data center or on a VM in AWS or Oracle Cloud – provided you adhere to the counting rules in each environment. This is often called license mobility or BYOL. There is no extra Oracle fee to move a license to the cloud. You simply have to ensure you’re not using more licenses than you own at any one time.
• If you move a license to the cloud, you should reduce or stop using it on-prem (unless you have excess licenses). For example, if you have four licenses and start an AWS instance that consumes all 4, you shouldn’t simultaneously run those four licenses’ worth of software on-prem. You can architect hybrid scenarios, but you need to allocate licenses accordingly. Some clients split licenses (e.g., 2 for on-prem, 2 for cloud) – that’s fine as long as the total in use doesn’t exceed 4.
• Practical steps: If you plan to shift to the cloud, you can repurpose your existing support contract for those licenses to cover the cloud deployment. Oracle likes customers using OCI (they even have tools to track BYOL usage in OCI). On AWS/Azure, you self-report usage (for example, in AWS, you might use Oracle’s license manager or just keep internal records). In the event of an audit, you demonstrate that “these instances in the cloud correspond to these licenses, and we’re not also using them elsewhere.”
• Authorized clouds only: Ensure the cloud you use is in Oracle’s authorized list (currently AWS, Azure, GCP, and Oracle Cloud). If you wanted to use another cloud or hosting provider, Oracle might treat it differently (for instance, Oracle treats Oracle-approved cloud providers specially; others might be treated like traditional data centers, which could be worse regarding rules). But most major ones are covered now.
• One note: Some Oracle agreements (like legacy Unlimited License Agreements—ULAs) might restrict cloud usage unless you certify or convert them. But for regular licenses, BYOL is straightforward.
• Example: You have an on-prem test environment using 20 NUP of WebCenter Portal, and you want to move that to Azure. You can simply spin it up in Azure and use the same 20 NUP licenses to cover it (making sure the VM size in Azure doesn’t mandate more, per the 2 vCPU = 1 rule). You then would retire or repurpose the on-prem installation. There’s no formal process needed with Oracle to​ move your license; your support contract remains the same. If Oracle audits, you show them the Azure deployment specs and your license count to prove compliance.

Can I mix Named User Plus licensing for some environments and Processor licensing for others?

Yes, you can, as long as you compartmentalize the deployments. Oracle allows different metrics to be used for the same product in different environments – you just can’t apply both metrics to the same instance of software:

• A common approach is to license production systems with Processor licenses (unlimited usage) and non-production systems (dev/test) with Named User Plus to save on costs. This is acceptable and quite normal. Oracle’s rules don’t force you to use the same metric for all installations as long as each installation is properly licensed under one metric.
• You should separate the environment​. For example, you might have 4 Processor licenses covering WebLogic in production and 20 Named User Plus licenses covering WebLogic in a dev environment used by 15 developers. There’s no cross-over in usage; one set of licenses applies to prod and another to dev. This is fine.
• What you shouldn’t do is try to mix metrics in one environment, e.g., “Half my users by NUP and processor on the same server.” Oracle would not permit that because each server (or clustered set of servers) should be licensed under one metric. If audited, Oracle will consider the whole server as processor-licensed or user-licensed, not a combination.
• If NUP initially licensed you and outgrew it, you can convert by purchasing additional Processor licenses. In some cases, Oracle might offer credit for existing NUP, but usually, it’s just an additional purchase. Many customers proactively choose Processor for production even if user counts are small to accommodate growth without needing to constantly true-up user licenses.

Are there any components of Oracle Middleware that need separate licenses (like management packs)?

Certain add-ons and management tools are not included in base licenses and require separate licensing.

• Management Packs for WebLogic: For example, Oracle Enterprise Manager has a WebLogic Management Pack (for advanced monitoring, diagnostics, and provisioning) not included with a standard WebLogic EE license. It is included with WebLogic Suite, but if you have just WebLogic EE and want to use that OEM Management Pack, you must license it separately. Using it without the license is considered a compliance issue (one of the common mistakes).
• Oracle Coherence: As discussed, Coherence is separate unless you have WebLogic Suite. So if you want to run a Coherence data grid and only own WebLogic EE, you’d need to buy Coherence licenses. (Coherence comes in Standard One, Enterprise, and Grid editions—Processor or NUP would similarly license each).
• SOA Suite Options: Oracle SOA Suite is comprehensive, but historically, there were a few optional components. For instance, B2B (Business-to-Business integration) was an option in older SOA Suite versions (it’s now usually included, but Oracle once licensed it separately for EDI, etc.). Also, Oracle API Manager or API Gateway are separate products (nowadays, Oracle API Gateway is separate from SOA Suite). If you need API management, that’s a different license.
• Oracle Service Bus standalone: If you choose not to get SOA Suite, OSB could be licensed as an option to WebLogic Suite. But if you have SOA Suite, you already have OSB rights.
• Identity and Access Management extras: If you license OAM but want OAuth or Federation, Oracle has different SKUs (e.g., Oracle Access Manager with Mobile and Social included, or Oracle Identity Federation as a separate SKU). Ensure you have the right module licensed. Oracle now often sells OAM Suite, which includes Federation and OAuth features.
• Oracle HTTP Server (OHS): This usually comes with WebLogic (and iAS) licenses, so it’s not separate. But if someone without WebLogic wanted to use OHS standalone, they’d need a Web Tier license (a rare scenario).
• Oracle Advanced Security or other DB options for middleware schemas: These are generally not applicable, but if a middleware product uses Oracle Database and you turn on a database option (like Advanced Security TDE for encryption of the middleware schemas), you need to license that DB option—it’s a database licensing matter, not middleware, but worth noting for completeness.
• The key is to read the Licensing Information document for each Fusion Middleware product (Oracle provides these on OTN). They have sections listing “Included restricted-use licenses” and what’s not included. Anything not mentioned as included likely requires its license.
• Example gotcha: A team enabled Oracle Coherence caching on WebLogic EE to speed up an application, not realizing Coherence isn’t included in EE. In an audit, Oracle flagged unlicensed Coherence usage. The resolution was either disable Coherence or buy Coherence licenses (or upgrade to WebLogic Suite, including it). Another example is when an admin started using the WebLogic Diagnostic Framework with Oracle Enterprise Manager’s fancy dashboards, which triggered the need for the Management Pack license. These things are often overlooked, so be careful which “check boxes” you turn on in WebLogic Console or Enterprise Manager.
• The main licenses cover core middleware functionality, but advanced management, additional middleware products, or cross-product integrations might require separate licenses. When in doubt, consult Oracle’s price list or ask Oracle reps if a component is included.

What are some practical best practices to remain compliant with Oracle middleware licensing?

Staying compliant can be challenging, but here are some actionable best practices:

• Inventory and Document: Keep a detailed inventory of all Oracle middleware installations (WebLogic instances, SOA servers, etc.), including hardware details (number of cores, processor type) and how they are licensed (Processor or NUP and how many). Document which licenses (by license number or CSI) are assigned to which environments. Also note any restricted-use components included. This documentation will save you in an audit or internal review.
• Monitor feature usage: Be mindful of features that are not included in your license. For example, don’t accidentally use WebLogic Suite features (like Coherence or the Management Pack) if you only have WebLogic EE. Similarly, if you have SOA Suite, know which adapters or options are included and which aren’t. Oracle’s LMS scripts (for WebLogic, etc.) can detect the usage of certain features. It’s wise to run internal checks – e.g., use Oracle’s Java Mission Control only if you have Java SE Advanced licensed, use WebLogic clustering only if you have EE, etc.
• Train your administrators: Make sure your IT staff understands the licensing implications of configuration changes. A WebLogic admin should know that enabling Coherence*Web Edition (for HTTP session caching) is fine under EE, but using a full Coherence grid needs a Suite. Or that deploying an application on an unlicensed server (like a new VM in a VMware cluster) could break compliance. A little licensing awareness in the team helps prevent mistakes.
• Segregate Oracle workloads: To avoid the virtualization licensing trap, isolate Oracle software to specific hosts or clusters. If you can use Oracle VM or OCI, consider it for cost efficiency. If using VMware, keep Oracle VMs on as few hosts as possible and document host affinity rules to show they can’t drift (and don’t vMotion Oracle VMs to unlicensed hosts). This containment will make it much easier to defend your licensing position.
• Leverage Oracle’s 10-day rule carefully: If you have a passive failover server, decide whether to rely on the 10-day rule or just license it. If you rely on it, ensure the server remains down except during emergencies and keep track of failover occurrences. If you anticipate frequent failover or testing, it may be better to license it and not worry about counting days.
• Regular self-audits: Periodically perform a self-audit. Oracle provides scripts for some products (like LMS collect for WebLogic and the Oracle Audit Tool for databases). You can simulate an audit to see if you’re using anything unexpected. Also, review user counts vs NUP licenses occasionally, especially if your business user count grows.
• Stay updated on licensing policy changes: Oracle sometimes updates its licensing policies or definitions (for example, changes in authorized cloud policy, new hard-partitioning tech, or Java licensing changes). Keep an eye on announcements or updates to Oracle’s official documents. The “Licensing Information” manuals for each product version can change – e.g., what’s included in 12c might differ from 11g. Make sure you’re following the rules for the version you run.
• Maintain support: While not a direct compliance point, staying current on support for your licenses ensures access to the latest versions (which might include license changes or additional included features) and allows you to get Oracle’s help when needed. Also, only supported licenses are eligible for things like cloud BYOL programs.
• Engage experts if needed: If your deployment is complex (many products, virtualization, DR sites, etc.), consider consulting with an Oracle licensing expert or a third-party licensing service periodically. They can often identify compliance gaps or optimization opportunities that save money and avoid penalties.
• In summary, Oracle licensing should be an ongoing process, not a one-time purchase. Keep records, educate your team, and be proactive. That way, if Oracle initiates an audit, you’ll be well-prepared to show compliance and won’t be surprised by using unlicensed features or insufficient coverage. It’s much better to self-correct any issues than to have Oracle point them out with potential back fees or penalties. With the knowledge from this FAQ and good IT governance, you can manage Oracle middleware licenses confidently and effectively.

Does the OBIEE license include WebLogic Server or other components (like a database or BI Publisher)?

Yes, Oracle BI EE comes with some supporting software included:

• OBIEE includes a restricted-use WebLogic Server Standard Edition to host the OBIEE application. Installing OBIEE 11g/12c requires WebLogic Server, but you don’t need to buy a WebLogic license separately – the OBIEE license covers WebLogic usage for OBIEE. However, this WebLogic is limited: it can only be used for OBIEE and related components. If you want to enable WebLogic clustering for OBIEE (for scaling out or high availability), the included WLS Standard Edition isn’t enough because clustering is an EE-only feature. The OBIEE documentation notes that if clustering is needed, the customer must purchase WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition licenses for the OBIEE servers.
• OBIEE also includes Oracle BI Publisher as a component of the suite. BI Publisher is the reporting module for formatted reports, and if you have OBIEE licensed, you automatically have the right to use BI Publisher on the same server. (BI Publisher is installed as part of OBIEE by default in many versions.) There is no need for a separate BI Publisher license if it’s within the OBIEE environment.
• Regarding the repository database, OBIEE requires a database to store its metadata schemas (the RCU schemas for OBIEE). Oracle does not bundle a full Oracle Database with OBIEE, but it has historically allowed restricted use of Oracle Database schema for the OBIEE repository. For example, earlier BI products allowed an Oracle Database for the “Oracle BI Repository Creation Utility” schemas without an additional DB license (similar to how Oracle Enterprise Manager includes a free schema in an Oracle Database). To be safe, you should assume you need a licensed database for OBIEE’s schemas unless Oracle Support or documentation explicitly provides a restricted-use DB. Many OBIEE deployments use an existing Oracle Database that the company already licensed. If one does not exist, Oracle often expects you to license one (it could even be Standard Edition if that suffices for the repository). Always check the latest licensing guide; as of 12c, Oracle typically expects you to have a database license for any repository database if you don’t have one already.
• Summary: The OBIEE license covers the BI software and includes WebLogic Server (limited to OBIEE usage) and BI Publisher. It does not automatically include a general-purpose database license. And if you need advanced WebLogic features (clustering) or want to use the WebLogic server for anything beyond OBIEE, those would require additional licensing.
• Example: You install OBIEE on two VMs for redundancy. The OBIEE license lets you install WebLogic for both OBIEE. If you run them as separate instances (non-clustered, perhaps with an active-passive approach or using OBIEE’s scale-out, which still requires WLS clustering), you might get by with the included WLS. But if you cluster OBIEE (active-active with session replication), you should purchase WebLogic EE for those servers. For the OBIEE repository, if you don’t have an Oracle DB license, you might use Oracle Database Express Edition (which is free but has limitations) or have to license a small Oracle Database to host the schemas. Plan that aspect to remain compliant.

Does Oracle SOA Suite include WebLogic Server or any other prerequisites in its license?

No – you must license the underlying components separately. Oracle SOA Suite is a middleware layer that requires an application server and a database, which are not included in the SOA Suite license:

• WebLogic Server: SOA Suite runs on Oracle WebLogic Server, but the SOA Suite license does not automatically give you full rights to WebLogic. Oracle’s policy is that you need a WebLogic Server license for the server it runs on (in fact, Oracle typically requires WebLogic Suite as the underlying platform for SOA Suite). In practical terms, if you purchase SOA Suite licenses, you are expected to also have WebLogic Server EE/Suite licenses to deploy the SOA software. (If you already own WebLogic Enterprise or Suite on that server, you can install SOA.)
• Oracle Database: The Oracle SOA Suite relies on an Oracle Database to store its metadata (for dehydration store, composite metadata, etc.). An Oracle Database license is not included with SOA Suite. You must use a separately licensed Oracle Database for SOA’s repository schemas. This can be an existing DB license you have, or you must acquire one. (Some customers use Standard Edition DB to save cost, which is allowed as long as the DB is licensed. There isn’t a “free” DB just for SOA Suite.)
• Summary: When planning for SOA Suite, budget for three pieces: the SOA Suite licenses, the WebLogic Server licenses to host the SOA runtime, and an Oracle Database license for its repository. Oracle does not bundle WebLogic or Database with SOA Suite. (In older days, some bundles existed, but now they are separate SKUs.) So, for example, if you deploy SOA Suite on a WebLogic cluster, you’ll be licensing WebLogic (often WebLogic Suite, since SOA uses some advanced features) in addition to SOA Suite.

Can I use Oracle’s virtualization or containers to reduce licensing costs for middleware?

Oracle does allow certain hard partitioning or its virtualization technologies to limit license requirements:

• Oracle VM Server (OVM): Oracle VM is recognized as a hard partitioning technology if you pin vCPUs to physical cores. For example, if you create an OVM guest and dedicate four physical cores to it (using OVM CPU pinning), you can license just those four cores for an Oracle product instead of the whole machine. This is officially allowed by Oracle’s partitioning policy (documented on Oracle’s website). You must configure it according to Oracle’s guidelines and not change it.
• Oracle Linux KVM: Oracle now treats Oracle Linux’s KVM with Oracle’s hard partition orchestration (e.g., using groups) as approved hard partitioning. This means that on Oracle Linux KVM hosts, you can pin VMs to specific cores and achieve a license containment similar to OVM. Always check the latest policy, but Oracle has been expanding approved methods for its tech.
• IBM LPAR, Solaris Zones: Oracle recognizes IBM Power LPAR (with static configuration) and Solaris Zones (configured as capped zones) as hard partitions. So if you run Oracle middleware on these, you can license per the assigned cores of an LPAR or capped zone. This is typically more relevant for Oracle Database, but it could apply if someone ran WebLogic on IBM PowerVM or Solaris.
• Docker / Kubernetes: Containers by themselves are not recognized as hard partitions. If you run Oracle WebLogic in Docker on a 32-core host, Oracle sees 32 cores to license (unless the host is partitioned via an approved method). Currently, no Oracle license policy lets you, for example, only pay for the CPU a Docker container uses unless the underlying host is partitioned with an approved method. In the cloud, containers would fall under the cloud’s vCPU counting rules. On-prem, treat containerized Oracle workloads as just processes on the host – i.e., the host needs to be fully licensed or partitioned.
• Oracle Cloud (OCI): While not on-prem virtualization, it’s worth noting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is very license-friendly for Oracle products. In OCI, if you choose BYOL (bring your license), Oracle will let you count OCPUs (physical cores) exactly against your licenses. OCI essentially hard-partitions instances to specific cores. So, an OCI VM with 2 OCPUs would need a one processor license (since Oracle counts two vCPUs = 1 license in the cloud). OCI is Oracle-managed, so they honor sub-capacity based on the shape’s core count.
• Summary: Yes, you can reduce costs by using these methods. Using Oracle VM with pinned cores is a common solution for on-prem to avoid licensing entire servers. For example, on a 32-core server, pinning an Oracle VM to 8 cores means you only need to license eight cores (with the appropriate factor). Ensure any such configuration is well-documented and compliant (no VM drift). And if using OCI or authorized clouds, use BYOL on shapes that match your license counts.
• Example: You have a 16-core server and only need WebLogic for a small application. You’d likely need to license all 16 cores if you run it on VMware. If you use Oracle VM and create a VM pinned to 4 cores for WebLogic, you only need to buy licenses for four cores (e.g., 4×0.5 = 2 Processor licenses if Intel). That’s a big saving. For this reason, many Oracle customers adopt Oracle’s virtualization when running many Oracle products on large hardware.

Do you want to know more about our Oracle License Advisory Services?

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Company

Message *

Submit