Oracle Diagnostics Pack Licensing
- Separately licensed management pack for Oracle EE.
- Required if using AWR snapshots/reports, ADDM analysis, or OEM performance pages.
- The licensing metric (Processor or NUP) must match EE licenses.
- Licensed explicitly per database instance.
- Prerequisite for Oracle Tuning Pack (cannot license Tuning Pack independently).
Oracle Diagnostics Pack Licensing
Oracle Diagnostics Pack is a powerful and widely used management pack designed for Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE). It provides comprehensive performance monitoring, diagnostics capabilities, and deep analytical insights into database behavior, making it essential for proactive performance management.
Understanding its licensing requirements is critical to ensuring compliance, optimizing licensing investments, and effectively managing Oracle environments.
Read more about Oracle Database Options licensing.
What Is Oracle Diagnostics Pack?
Oracle Diagnostics Pack is a separately licensed management pack that extends Oracle Enterprise Edition databases with advanced performance monitoring and diagnostic capabilities.
It offers in-depth performance analytics, historical data tracking, automatic diagnostics, and real-time database monitoring tools, primarily accessed via Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) or APIs.
Core Features of Oracle Diagnostics Pack:
- Automatic Workload Repository (AWR): Historical database performance data collection and reporting (snapshots, AWR reports).
- Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM): Automated, intelligent diagnostic analysis identifying root causes of performance problems.
- Performance Metrics & Dashboards: Provides detailed metrics, trends, and visual performance data through Enterprise Manager dashboards.
- Database Health Monitoring: Continuously monitors databases, highlighting anomalies or performance issues.
- Performance Views & APIs: Access to advanced database performance views (
DBA_HIST_*) and APIs (DBMS_WORKLOAD_REPOSITORY).
How Oracle Diagnostics Pack is Licensed
Oracle Diagnostics Pack is licensed separately from Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, classified as a management pack (distinct from an “option” but licensed similarly). Licensing explicitly applies to each Oracle database utilizing any Diagnostics Pack features.
Licensing Requirements:
- Licensed per database instance where Diagnostics Pack functionality is activated.
- Licensing metrics must match your EE database licensing (either by Processor or Named User Plus (NUP)).
- Any usage of Diagnostics Pack features triggers licensing obligations.
When is Diagnostics Pack Licensing Required?
Diagnostics Pack licensing explicitly applies whenever you use any of its specific functionalities, including but not limited to:
- AWR Snapshots and Reports: Taking or accessing historical AWR data.
- ADDM Reports and Analysis: Running automatic diagnostics or accessing ADDM recommendations.
- OEM Performance Pages: Using Enterprise Manager screens that utilize Diagnostics Pack data.
- Performance Views & APIs: Accessing
DBA_HIST_*database views orDBMS_WORKLOAD_REPOSITORYAPIs.
If your environment uses any of these features, Oracle mandates explicitly licensing Diagnostics Pack.
Licensing Metrics for Oracle Diagnostics Pack
Oracle Diagnostics Pack licensing follows the same metric as your Oracle EE database licenses—Processor or Named User Plus (NUP):
Processor-Based Licensing:
- Licensing is based on the number of processor cores running each database instance utilizing Diagnostics Pack.
- Matches exactly the number of processor cores licensed for the EE database.
Example:
- The database server licensed for EE has 8 processor cores.
- If using Diagnostics Pack features, all 8 cores must be licensed explicitly for Diagnostics Pack.
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- Licensing is based on the number of named users accessing the database.
- Oracle standard minimum requirement: 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor core.
Example:
- A server has 4 cores running Diagnostics Pack-enabled databases.
- Minimum required NUP licenses: 4 processors × 25 users per processor = 100 NUP licenses.
Read about Oracle Database In-Memory Licensing.
Oracle Diagnostics Pack as a Prerequisite for Oracle Tuning Pack
An important licensing nuance for Diagnostics Pack is its relationship with Oracle Tuning Pack:
- Diagnostics Pack is a mandatory prerequisite for Tuning Pack.
- Without first licensing Diagnostics Pack, you cannot use or license Oracle Tuning Pack independently.
- However, the Diagnostics Pack itself can be licensed and used independently.
Practical Scenario: Proactive Performance Management
Understanding Diagnostics Pack licensing is best illustrated through a practical scenario demonstrating its value and licensing requirements:
Scenario Overview:
An IT operations team manages numerous Oracle EE databases. To proactively monitor and manage performance, they implement Oracle Diagnostics Pack via Oracle Enterprise Manager across their environment.
Implementation of Diagnostics Pack:
- Deploy AWR snapshots automatically on each production database to maintain historical performance data.
- Run ADDM reports after any significant performance incident, quickly identifying root causes such as high I/O or inefficient SQL.
- Access historical data and trends using AWR views (
DBA_HIST_*) regularly. - Utilize OEM performance dashboards (Performance Hub, Top Activity screens) extensively for real-time monitoring.
Licensing Impact:
- Each production database running these features must explicitly license Diagnostics Pack.
- Example: On an 8-core server, they license 8 processor licenses of Diagnostics Pack (matching their EE licenses precisely).
Read about Oracle Tuning Pack Licensing.
Compliance and Audit Preparedness:
- Clearly documented license usage ensures audit readiness.
- Auditors checking AWR or ADDM usage find licensing fully compliant.
- Standby databases actively using AWR snapshots must also license Diagnostics Pack.
Common Licensing Misunderstandings for Oracle Diagnostics Pack
Avoiding common licensing pitfalls ensures Oracle compliance and audit readiness:
- Misusing AWR or ADDM Without Licensing: Using AWR snapshots or ADDM reports always requires explicit licensing; built-in STATSPACK is the only free alternative.
- Confusing OEM Features with Free Features: Clicking performance screens in Enterprise Manager typically requires Diagnostics Pack licensing; Oracle marks OEM features requiring licenses.
- Ignoring Standby Database Licensing: Standby databases using AWR or related features must also license Diagnostics Pack explicitly.
Oracle Licensing Audits and Diagnostics Pack Compliance
Oracle licensing audits frequently focus on Diagnostics Pack usage due to its broad adoption and potential for compliance errors:
Recommendations for Audit Readiness:
- Document every Oracle database instance with Diagnostics Pack usage.
- Regularly perform internal license compliance audits, verifying that licensing metrics match EE licensing exactly.
- Engage licensing specialists proactively when deploying or expanding Diagnostics Pack features.
Cost Optimization Strategies for Oracle Diagnostics Pack Licensing
Optimizing Diagnostics Pack licensing expenses is achievable through strategic management:
- Selective Deployment: Only license Diagnostics Pack for databases explicitly requiring historical performance analysis or advanced diagnostics.
- Hardware Optimization: Consolidate workloads onto fewer servers with higher core densities to minimize overall processor licensing counts.
- Evaluate User-Based Licensing (NUP): If cost-effective compared to processor licensing, consider Named User Plus licensing for databases with limited, stable user populations.
Comparing Diagnostics Pack to Alternative Performance Tools
Evaluating alternative performance monitoring approaches clarifies Diagnostics Pack’s value:
Diagnostics Pack vs. Basic STATSPACK:
- Diagnostics Pack: This pack offers automatic diagnostics (ADDM), advanced reports (AWR), integrated OEM dashboards, real-time analytics, and deep historical insights.
- STATSPACK: Free basic tool providing limited historical performance data without advanced diagnostics or real-time analysis capabilities.
Diagnostics Pack provides significantly greater value for proactive performance management and rapid issue diagnosis.
Oracle Diagnostics Pack Licensing Summary:
- Separately licensed management pack for Oracle EE databases.
- Explicitly required whenever using AWR snapshots/reports, ADDM, performance dashboards, advanced performance views, and APIs.
- The licensing metric (Processor or NUP) must match EE database licensing.
- Mandatory prerequisite for Oracle Tuning Pack—cannot use Tuning Pack independently.
- Licensed explicitly per database instance—not per OEM installation.
Conclusion
Oracle Diagnostics Pack provides invaluable performance monitoring, diagnostics, and deep analytical insights critical for efficiently managing Oracle EE databases. Understanding its specific licensing requirements is essential for compliance, cost management, and effective database administration.
By proactively documenting Diagnostics Pack usage, consistently matching licensing metrics, regularly auditing internally, and strategically deploying Diagnostics Pack where performance benefits justify costs, organizations can fully leverage its powerful capabilities while confidently maintaining compliance.
