Oracle licensing in Docker and containers involves the following key points:
- Hosts or Nodes Licensing: Once an Oracle Program is pulled into a Docker container on a host or Kubernetes node, the entire host or node must be licensed for its number of processors.
- Physical and Virtual Hosts: All processors need licenses for physical hosts. For virtual hosts, the Oracle Partitioning Policy Document guidelines apply.
- Container Resource Allocation: Oracle does not recognize container technologies as a hard partitioning method for licensing purposes.
- Oracle Docker Licensing – Requirements for Oracle Programs in Containers and Kubernetes Clusters
- A Step-by-Step Guide for Configuring Hosts to Run Oracle Programs in Containers
- Frequently Asked Questions About Running Oracle Docker Licensing
- Expert Oracle Licensing Support at Your Fingertips
- Contact our Oracle Licensing Consulting Team
Oracle Docker Licensing – Requirements for Oracle Programs in Containers and Kubernetes Clusters
Oracle Programs may run in containers, such as Docker containers, that use Linux kernel and container technologies. These containers may run on physical or virtual hosts, including Kubernetes nodes in Kubernetes clusters.
The Oracle partitioning policy document defines the licensing requirements for hosts or Kubernetes nodes that may run Oracle Programs in such containers. Note that this policy does not apply to Solaris Containers, Solaris Zones, or Windows Containers.
Once a container image containing Oracle Programs has been pulled to a host or Kubernetes node, whether a virtual or physical machine, the host or node must be licensed for its number of processors.
The number of processors on the host or node for physical machines equals the number of processors it must be licensed. The number of processors on the host or node must adhere to the Oracle Partitioning Policy Document guidelines for virtual machines.
A Step-by-Step Guide for Configuring Hosts to Run Oracle Programs in Containers
Running Oracle Programs in containers requires careful management of licensing requirements. To help with this, Oracle has provided the following guidelines for configuring hosts that run Oracle Programs in containers:
- Identify Images with Oracle Programs.
Customers are responsible for identifying which images contain binaries with Oracle Programs. This will help in managing licensing requirements for each host. - License Requirements for Each Host.
Every host that has pulled an image containing Oracle Programs must have the appropriate licenses to run those programs. Users should control the number of hosts pulling images containing Oracle Programs, as each pull operation is equivalent to installing the Oracle Programs on that host and creates licensing requirements. - Configuring Physical and Virtual Hosts.
If a host is physical, then licenses for the Oracle Programs are required for all processors on that physical host. If the host is virtual, then the Oracle Partitioning Policy determines the number of processors that require a license for the Oracle Programs. Users should refer to this policy to meet virtual hosts’ licensing requirements. - Placement of Oracle Programs in Container File Systems.
Container file systems are specific to the container runtime and cannot be shared. When images are pulled to a container file system on a storage server, licensing requirements are created for the host that pulled the images into that file system. However, this does not create licensing requirements for other hosts accessing the same storage server. Users should control which hosts pull images containing Oracle Programs to limit licensing requirements to only those hosts. - Container Resource Allocation.
Container technologies allow users to assign a subset of host resources, such as RAM or CPU, to the container. However, Oracle does not recognize these technologies as hard partitioning technologies as defined in the Oracle Partitioning Policy document. Users should not use these container technology features with the expectation that they will limit Oracle licensing requirements.
Following these guidelines, users can successfully configure hosts to run Oracle Programs in containers while managing licensing requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Running Oracle Docker Licensing
What are containers, and how are they used with Oracle Programs?
What are containers, and how are they used with Oracle Programs?
Containers are a lightweight virtualization technology used to package and distribute software applications. With containers, users can deploy applications more quickly and easily than traditional virtual machines. Oracle Programs may run in containers like Docker on physical or virtual hosts, including Kubernetes nodes in Kubernetes clusters.
Who is responsible for managing the licensing requirements for Oracle Programs in containers?
Customers are responsible for identifying which images contain binaries with Oracle Programs and managing the licensing requirements for each host that has pulled an image containing Oracle Programs.
What are the licensing requirements for each host that has pulled an image containing Oracle Programs?
Users can inspect the container image to determine whether it contains Oracle Programs. Oracle recommends that customers carefully manage the number of hosts pulling images containing Oracle Programs.
What are the licensing requirements for each host that has pulled an image containing Oracle Programs?
Every host that has pulled an image containing Oracle Programs must have the appropriate licenses to run those programs. If a host is physical, then licenses for the Oracle Programs are required for all processors on that physical host. If the host is virtual, then the Oracle Partitioning Policy determines the number of processors that require a license for the Oracle Programs.
Can I use container resource allocation to limit Oracle licensing requirements?
No. Container technologies allow users to assign a subset of host resources, such as RAM or CPU, to the container. However, Oracle does not recognize these technologies as hard partitioning technologies as defined in the Oracle Partitioning Policy document. Users should not use these container technology features with the expectation that they will limit Oracle licensing requirements.
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