How to License Oracle WebLogic in Public Clouds
- Authorized clouds (AWS, Azure, GCP): Licensed by vCPUs.
- Processor metric: Every two vCPUs = 1 Oracle processor license.
- Named User Plus: Minimum 10 users per processor required.
- No Oracle Core Factor is applied in public clouds.
- Passive failover allowed unlicensed up to 10 days/year.
- WebLogic Basic restricted-use license follows the same vCPU rules but with feature/use restrictions.
How to License Oracle WebLogic in Public Clouds
Oracle provides specific rules for Licensing Oracle WebLogic Server in public cloud environments such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Oracle treats these public clouds as authorized environments, offering simplified licensing metrics compared to traditional on-premises deployments.
This article outlines how to license Oracle WebLogic in AWS, Azure, and GCP. It includes practical examples to illustrate licensing calculations, helping organizations stay compliant while efficiently managing licensing costs.
Licensing Metrics for Oracle WebLogic in Public Cloud
Oracle offers two primary licensing metrics for WebLogic Server in public cloud environments:
- Processor-based licensing (based on virtual CPUs)
- Named User Plus (NUP) licensing (based on named users or devices)
Processor licensing is the most commonly used method for public cloud deployments due to its simplicity, flexibility, and cost predictability.
Oracle’s Public Cloud Licensing Rules
Oracle’s official licensing policies outline specific, simplified rules for counting processors in authorized cloud environments (AWS, Azure, and GCP):
Processor-Based Licensing (vCPU-based)
For Oracle software deployed in authorized public clouds, Oracle counts processor licenses differently from on-premises deployments.
The simplified rules are as follows:
- AWS and Azure: Oracle counts two vCPUs equivalent to 1 Oracle processor license.
- GCP: Oracle also recognizes Google Cloud Platform (GCP) as an authorized cloud provider, applying the same rule: 2 vCPUs = 1 Oracle processor license.
Key Points:
- No Oracle Core Factor table applies in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- The simplified formula is:
Total vCPUs ÷ 2 = Processor licenses required.
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing
Oracle still allows Named User Plus licensing in cloud deployments, but minimums apply:
- A minimum of 10 Named User Plus licenses per processor (processor count calculated via vCPU formula).
- NUP is best suited for small, well-defined user populations.
Licensing Oracle WebLogic on AWS
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is an authorized Oracle cloud environment. Oracle WebLogic licensing in AWS follows Oracle’s simplified cloud licensing rules.
Example Scenario: AWS Licensing Calculation
- AWS Instance Type: m5.2xlarge (8 vCPUs)
- WebLogic Edition: Enterprise Edition
- Processor Calculation: 8 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 4 Oracle processor licenses required
Cost Example (Enterprise Edition):
- Enterprise Edition Processor license (list price approx. $25,000)
- Total license cost:
4 processor licenses × $25,000 = $100,000
AWS Licensing Considerations
- Use AWS dedicated instances or hosts if your Oracle agreement requires specific hardware isolation.
- Track the total vCPUs carefully across WebLogic instances to ensure accurate licensing compliance.
Read about WebLogic Basic licensing.
Licensing Oracle WebLogic on Microsoft Azure
Oracle licensing on Azure is similar to AWS. Oracle fully authorizes Azure and applies the same simplified licensing metrics.
Example Scenario: Azure Licensing Calculation
- Azure VM Type: D16s_v3 (16 vCPUs)
- WebLogic Edition: WebLogic Suite
- Processor Calculation: 16 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 8 Oracle processor licenses required
Cost Example (WebLogic Suite):
- WebLogic Suite Processor license (list price approx. $45,000)
- Total license cost:
8 processor licenses × $45,000 = $360,000
Azure Licensing Considerations
- Oracle’s licensing applies to the total vCPUs assigned to VMs running WebLogic.
- Azure Dedicated Hosts can simplify compliance by isolating Oracle workloads.
Licensing Oracle WebLogic on Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
As of recent policy clarifications, Oracle has recognized Google Cloud Platform (GCP) as an authorized cloud provider, applying the simplified licensing rules identical to AWS and Azure.
Example Scenario: GCP Licensing Calculation
- GCP Instance Type: n1-standard-8 (8 vCPUs)
- WebLogic Edition: Standard Edition
- Processor Calculation: 8 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 4 Oracle processor licenses required
Cost Example (Standard Edition):
- Standard Edition Processor license (list price approx. $10,000)
- Total license cost:
4 processor licenses × $10,000 = $40,000
GCP Licensing Considerations
- Ensure clear documentation of vCPU allocations for each instance.
- Use sole-tenant nodes (similar to dedicated hosts) if hardware isolation is required.
Licensing Oracle WebLogic Named User Plus (NUP) in Public Clouds
Named User Plus licensing can still be used in cloud environments, although it’s typically less common due to scalability and simplicity advantages of Processor licensing.
Example Scenario: Named User Plus Licensing (AWS)
- AWS Instance: m5.large (2 vCPUs)
- Required processor licenses: 2 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 1 processor
- Minimum Named User Plus licenses: 10 users per processor × 1 = 10 NUP licenses
- Actual users: 25 users; thus, must license 25 NUP licenses
Cost Example (Enterprise Edition NUP):
- 25 users × $500 per user = $12,500 total
Named User Plus licensing suits small, predictable user counts.
Virtualization and Cloud Licensing Simplifications
The public cloud simplifies Oracle’s traditional virtualization licensing concerns. Unlike on-premises deployments:
- There’s no soft vs. hard partitioning debate in authorized clouds (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Licensing is purely based on vCPU count, simplifying compliance significantly.
Licensing WebLogic for Disaster Recovery (DR) in Public Cloud
Oracle’s standard Disaster Recovery rules also apply to cloud environments:
Oracle’s 10-Day Failover Rule in Cloud
- Oracle allows one passive, unlicensed standby server for 10 calendar days per year for failover purposes.
- Standby AWS, Azure, or GCP servers must remain inactive except for genuine failover or short periodic testing.
Example:
- Primary WebLogic instance on AWS (4 processor licenses).
- A second passive AWS instance (4 processor equivalent) was used as DR.
- No additional licenses are required if the standby instance is activated for less than 10 cumulative days per year.
- Exceeding 10 days of usage requires additional processor licensing.
Licensing WebLogic Basic (Restricted-Use) in Cloud
Oracle WebLogic Basic licenses included with Oracle middleware (Forms, Reports, Portal) can be used in public clouds following the same simplified licensing rules:
- AWS/Azure/GCP: 2 vCPUs = 1 processor license equivalent.
- Restricted features: Only Oracle middleware-specific uses and no general-purpose deployments are allowed.
Example:
- AWS EC2 instance (4 vCPUs) running Oracle Forms on WebLogic Basic:
- Calculation: 4 vCPUs ÷ 2 = 2 processor licenses (covered under middleware product license).
Practical Compliance Recommendations for WebLogic in Cloud
To maintain cloud licensing compliance:
- Document all instances clearly: Instance types, vCPU counts, WebLogic editions, and usage.
- Regularly audit vCPU consumption against Oracle licenses to confirm compliance.
- Leverage cloud-specific resources (dedicated instances/hosts) to simplify compliance management.
- Track DR usage carefully to avoid exceeding the Oracle 10-day failover rule.
- Separate general-purpose deployments from WebLogic Basic restricted-use scenarios.
Common Cloud Licensing Pitfalls to Avoid
Avoid these common mistakes in cloud WebLogic licensing:
- Miscounting vCPUs: Always use Oracle’s cloud-specific vCPU-to-processor formula (2:1).
- Ignoring DR usage limits: Passive instances exceeding 10 days require additional licenses.
- Assuming unlimited use of WebLogic Basic: Respect feature limitations and allowed use cases strictly.
- Not tracking Named Users properly: Ensure accurate user counts if licensing via Named User Plus.
Summary and Key Points
Licensing Oracle WebLogic Server in authorized public clouds (AWS, Azure, GCP) offers significant simplicity compared to traditional virtualization licensing:
- Simplified metric:
2 vCPUs = 1 Oracle processor license - No core-factor table or soft-partitioning complications.
- Standard DR and failover rules apply (10-day passive allowance).
- Named User Plus licensing is available but subject to minimum requirements.
- WebLogic Basic restricted-use licenses follow the same simplified vCPU calculation rules.
By clearly understanding these licensing rules, tracking usage accurately, and regularly auditing cloud deployments, organizations can effectively manage Oracle WebLogic licensing costs, ensure full compliance, and take advantage of the flexibility and scalability offered by public cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
