Oracle Processor Core Factor Table – License calculator

Understanding the Oracle Processor Core Factor Table is crucial for effectively managing Oracle licenses. This article provides a comprehensive guide to navigating this essential tool in Oracle’s licensing model.

What is the Oracle Processor core factor table?

The Oracle Processor Core Factor Table is a vital document for calculating how to license Oracle database version products, including all Oracle technology products such as Oracle Database, Oracle WebLogic Enterprise products, and Java subscriptions.

Here’s a simplified explanation:

1. Core-Based Licenses: This document details the licensing core-based licenses that clients need to apply when calculating the number of Oracle licenses required for items that are licensed per core.
   
   
2. Standard Edition Products: Oracle Standard Edition 2 and various other Oracle Standard Edition version products are licensed per occupied CPU socket and do not utilize the core factor table when calculating Oracle licensing requirements.

Understanding this table is crucial for accurately determining your Oracle licensing needs.

How to calculate Oracle licensing costs

Here’s a simplified guide on how to calculate Oracle licensing costs for enterprise version products:

1. Understand Oracle Licensing: Oracle licensing is based on hardware, specifically the type of processor the server is running and the number of physical cores inside the processor.
   
2. Example Scenario: We want to license Oracle Database Enterprise Edition on a server with 1 Intel ES-16XX CPU with eight cores.
   
3. Refer to Oracle Core Factor Table: Find the specific processor type in the Oracle Core Factor Table.
   
4. Determine Licensing Factor: We can identify that it has a licensing factor of 0.5 per core.
   
5. Calculate Required Licenses: Multiply the number of physical cores (8) with the licensing factor (0.5). So, 8 x 0.5 = 4.
   
6. Result: We now know this server requires us to license with 4 Oracle processor licenses of Oracle Database Enterprise Edition.

How much does the Oracle license cost?

Here’s a simplified guide on how to calculate the cost of Oracle licensing:

1. Identify Required Licenses: Using the same example as before, we need 4 Oracle processor licenses.
   
2. Check Oracle Price List: Refer to the Oracle Price List for the cost of the required licenses.
   
3. Find License Cost: We can see that Oracle Database Enterprise Edition – 1 processor license is $47,500 plus yearly technical support of $10,450.
   
4. Calculate Total Cost: To license this specific server, multiply 4 (the required licenses) by $47,500 (the cost per license). So, 4 x $47,500 = $190,000 in Oracle license costs plus the annual support.
   
5. Consider Additional Licensing Requirements: Remember, if you’re licensing Oracle Database EE edition options, you must match the same quantities and processor metrics as you license Oracle Database EE edition.

What is an Oracle processor license?

An Oracle Processor License is a type of license calculated by applying the Oracle Core Factor Table to the number of cores in your server. The result of this calculation gives you the number of “Oracle Processor Licenses” you need for your specific server setup.

Oracle core factor table for AWS?

For Oracle in AWS, Azure, or OCI. Oracle does not use the core factor table; you review the “Licensing Oracle software in the cloud computing environments.” Oracle has granted AWS and Azure the right to sub-capacity licenses and licenses with vCPUs. Pay attention that GCP and any other cloud provider do not have these rights.

Oracle core factor table for virtual machines?

Oracle has two distinct methods for licensing in virtual environments.

1. Hard Partitioning Technologies: Some virtualization technologies allow you to license on sub-capacity. These technologies are referred to as “hard partitioning technologies.”
2. Soft Partitioning Technologies: Any other virtualization technology not listed as hard partitioning in the Oracle Partitioning Policy document is deemed “soft partitioning”. Examples include VMWare. In these cases, you need to license the full server, clusters, or even multiple clusters of servers.

Remember, these rules also apply to Java subscriptions.

How to calculate cores in an unlimited agreement?

To calculate scores in a ULA, you count every physical core where Oracle is installed and running, just as you would outside of a ULA.

We’re here to help you count the licenses correctly if you need an Oracle licensing expert. For more information about our services, feel free to schedule a consultation.