- vCPU-Based: Licenses based on the number of vCPUs.
- Multi-Threading: Two vCPUs count as one license if enabled.
- Instance Limits: SE2 is limited to 8 vCPUs per instance.
- Compliance: Follow Oracle’s cloud policies and review agreements.
- Options: Use EC2 with BYOL or RDS with License Included
Licensing Oracle on AWS
Oracle prefers its cloud platform over Amazon Web Services (AWS) users. However, if you choose to move your Oracle licenses to AWS, you have two primary options:
- Deploy on AWS EC2: This involves using an Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instance, ensuring you accurately count your licenses and follow Oracle’s licensing policies. Many users opt for this method and bring their own licenses.
- Use AWS RDS: AWS Relational Database Service (RDS) offers licensing options. This service includes some licensing provisions, making it a convenient choice for many users.
It’s crucial to understand that Oracle has authorized only Microsoft Azure and AWS as public cloud providers, with specific licensing rules for these platforms.
For other public cloud providers, the standard on-premises Oracle licensing rules apply. Google Cloud Platform is not authorized, and Oracle licenses it the same way as any traditional hosting service.
Practical Explanation of Oracle Licensing on AWS
The document “Licensing Oracle Software in the Cloud Computing Environment” provides detailed guidelines for licensing Oracle software on authorized cloud environments like AWS. Here’s a practical breakdown of what it says about licensing Oracle on AWS:
- Authorized Cloud Environments:
- Oracle’s licensing policy applies specifically to AWS EC2 and RDS, along with Microsoft Azure.
- vCPU Licensing:
- Multi-threading Enabled: Two vCPUs are equivalent to one Oracle Processor license.
- Multi-threading Disabled: Each vCPU is equivalent to one Oracle Processor license.
- Core Factor Table: Not applicable in authorized cloud environments.
- Standard Editions Licensing:
- Standard Edition One/Two: Can be licensed on AWS instances up to 8 vCPUs.
- Standard Edition: Instances up to 16 vCPUs are allowed.
- Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing: Minimum of 10 NUP licenses per 8 vCPUs.
- Enterprise Edition Licensing:
- Example: For an instance with four vCPUs and multi-threading enabled, you need two processor licenses.
- Oracle Linux Licensing:
- Two VMs with a combined size of up to 64 vCPUs count as a single Oracle Linux system.
- Unlimited License Agreements (ULAs):
- Licenses acquired under ULAs can be used in authorized cloud environments but cannot be included in the certification at the end of the ULA term.
- Compliance and Restrictions:
- Ensure deployments comply with the specific terms outlined in your Oracle Ordering Document.
- Verify territorial and usage restrictions to avoid compliance issues.
Understanding these guidelines helps ensure that your Oracle deployments on AWS are compliant, cost-effective, and optimized for your specific needs.
AWS EC2 for Oracle
AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a cloud computing service providing flexible computing capacity. To run your Oracle database on an EC2 instance, you need to license the Oracle software based on the number of occupied sockets on the instance. Key points include:
- Core Factor Table: Outlines the required licenses for different CPU architectures, counting each core towards the number of required licenses.
- Licensing Policy: Applies to EC2 instances running Oracle applications and databases, based on the number of vCPUs.
- License Transfer: Existing Oracle licenses can be transferred to AWS instances, but Oracle’s licensing policies may change, so staying updated is essential.
- Licensing Options: AWS offers flexible licensing options, including the ability to run your database on a single instance. For Oracle Standard Edition, count one CPU per virtual core; for Oracle Enterprise Edition, four processor licenses are required for each eight vCPUs.
AWS RDS for Oracle
AWS RDS (Relational Database Service) for Oracle allows you to run your Oracle database on AWS with full control over your infrastructure, database environment, and operating system. Important aspects include:
- License Models:
- Bring Your Own License (BYOL): Use your existing Oracle licenses on Amazon RDS. This option is suitable for customers who already have Oracle licenses.
- License Included: AWS provides the Oracle license, which is included in the hourly rate for the RDS instance. This is ideal for customers without Oracle licenses or those who prefer not to manage licenses.
- Instance Types and Configurations: AWS RDS offers various instance types with preconfigured vCPUs, memory, storage, and networking capacities. The Memory Optimized instance type, especially the R5B model, is beneficial for performance monitoring due to its high I/O throughput.
- Oracle Support Policies: When using AWS RDS, you must adhere to Oracle’s technical support policies.
- Availability:
- License Included: Oracle Database Standard Edition One and Two.
- Bring Your Own License: Oracle Database EE, SE2, and SE1.
- Disaster Recovery: For AWS Disaster Recovery (DR) sites, fully license all Oracle instances at both sites.
- Java Licensing: On AWS, Java licensing is required per vCPU.
This comprehensive guide should help you navigate the complexities of Oracle licensing on AWS, ensuring compliance and optimized costs. For personalized assistance, contact us today.
Oracle License Calculation on AWS EC2
To calculate Oracle licensing on AWS EC2, follow these steps:
- Determine the number of vCPUs that the database software will run on.
- If multi-threading is enabled:
- Two vCPUs count as one processor license.
- If multi-threading is not enabled:
- Each vCPU counts as one processor license.
This calculation applies to all core-based Oracle software products.
Example:
- Running Oracle Database Enterprise Edition on an eight vCPU instance with multi-threading enabled requires four processor licenses.
- Running the same software on the same eight vCPU instances with multi-threading disabled requires eight processor licenses.
Oracle Licensing Benefits on AWS
Licensing Oracle on AWS offers several benefits:
- vCPU-Based Licensing: License capacity based on vCPUs rather than physical hosts.
- Virtualization Policy: Oracle’s requirement to license all physical hosts does not apply on AWS.
Compliance Considerations:
- Territory Clause: Check the Oracle Ordering Document to ensure deployment is allowed in the AWS region you are considering.
- Licensing Agreement Restrictions: Review your licensing agreement for any restrictions preventing AWS deployment.
- Standard Edition 2 Limitation: Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 can only be licensed on AWS instances with a maximum of 8 vCPUs.
- Unlimited License Agreement (ULA): AWS deployments may not be included in ULA exit numbers. Check the certification clause in your Oracle ULA for details.
Top 5 Oracle Licensing Compliance Issues to Be Aware of When Using AWS
- Deploying Oracle Database Standard Edition One or Two on Instances with More Than Eight vCPUs:
- Oracle’s cloud licensing policy restricts AWS instances running these versions to a maximum of 8 vCPUs. Deploying them on instances with more vCPUs necessitates licensing the Enterprise Edition.
- Incorrectly Counting Named User Plus Licenses for Oracle Database SE2:
- Oracle mandates a minimum of 10 user licenses per 8 vCPUs for SE2 deployments, regardless of the number of users. This rule applies to both on-premises and cloud environments.
- Using Oracle Enterprise Management Options on Standard Edition Databases:
- The Diagnostic and Tuning pack options are exclusively for Enterprise Edition databases. Although using these options with Standard Edition databases is technically possible, doing so without proper licensing can lead to compliance issues during an Oracle audit. Use Oracle license compliance scripts to detect any unauthorized usage.
- Using AWS RDS (License Included) to Host Proprietary Applications:
- The Oracle license included with AWS RDS is restricted to internal business operations for a single entity. Extending usage or access to third-party entities, such as the license-included option for a SaaS solution, is prohibited.
- Bringing Your Own License (BYOL) to AWS RDS Without Reviewing Licensing Agreements:
- When bringing your own license to AWS RDS, the same terms and conditions that apply on-premises also apply to AWS deployments. Review your Oracle Ordering Document to understand any limitations or restrictions that might prevent the use of your licenses in AWS RDS.
