Oracle RAC Licensing
- RAC is licensed separately from Oracle Enterprise Edition (EE).
- All cluster nodes require RAC licensing; no discounts for passive nodes.
- Licensing metrics (Processor or Named User Plus) must match the EE database.
- Minimum of 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor if using NUP.
- From Oracle 19c onwards, RAC hasn’t been available in Standard Edition.
Oracle RAC Licensing
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) is one of Oracle’s most powerful database features, delivering high availability, scalability, and performance for mission-critical applications. Proper licensing is essential for compliance and cost control.
This article thoroughly explains Oracle RAC, its licensing rules, metrics, and practical implications.
Read more about Oracle Database Options licensing.
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC)
Oracle RAC allows a single Oracle Database to run simultaneously on multiple servers (nodes) in a cluster. All nodes actively run database instances, sharing access to a single storage system.
This distributed architecture provides:
- High Availability: If one node fails, others automatically handle the workload.
- Scalability: Easily scale out by adding nodes to the cluster.
- Load Balancing: RAC distributes database transactions evenly across nodes for optimized performance.
RAC is ideal for databases that must be continuously available and responsive, eliminating any single point of failure.
How Oracle RAC Works
In an RAC environment:
- Multiple servers (nodes) share a common storage system, typically via SAN or NAS.
- Each node runs an independent Oracle database instance, accessing the same shared storage.
- Transactions are coordinated using Oracle’s internal cluster communication technology (Cache Fusion).
- Applications connect transparently to any node; Oracle automatically manages workload distribution and failover.
For example, a financial institution may run critical transactional databases across multiple RAC nodes, ensuring no downtime during hardware failures or planned maintenance.
Licensing Oracle RAC: Core Concepts
Oracle RAC is a separately licensed option, exclusively available for Oracle Enterprise Edition (EE). It requires careful management because licensing can significantly impact your overall costs and compliance posture.
Key licensing points include:
- Separate Option: RAC is not included with the standard EE license; it must be purchased separately.
- All Nodes Licensed: Every server node within the RAC cluster must be fully licensed, regardless of its usage level or load.
- No Passive Node Discounts: Unlike certain failover or disaster recovery scenarios, all RAC cluster nodes are considered active, even if one or more nodes handle lower workloads.
Oracle RAC Licensing Metrics Explained
Oracle RAC is licensed using two standard Oracle licensing metrics:
- Processor Licensing
- Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing
The licensing metric chosen for Oracle RAC must match the underlying Enterprise Edition database metric—Oracle does not allow mixing metrics between RAC and EE licenses.
Processor Licensing for Oracle RAC
Processor licensing is based on the number of processor cores in each physical server node. Key points include:
- Each physical processor core is counted, and a core factor is applied depending on the processor type (e.g., Intel x86, IBM POWER, SPARC).
- RAC licensing must match the number of EE processor licenses on each node.
- Every node within the RAC cluster must be fully licensed, irrespective of how actively or passively each node operates.
Example Scenario: Processor Licensing
- A global bank operates a 4-node RAC cluster.
- Each node has 8 cores (after applying Oracle’s core factor table).
- The bank must license all 32 cores (4 nodes x 8 cores per node) for Oracle EE and RAC.
- There are no discounts or reduced licensing for less active nodes; all nodes are active and licensed.
Named User Plus Licensing for Oracle RAC
Named User Plus licensing is based on the total number of authorized users accessing the Oracle Database. It can be cost-effective in limited-user environments but has constraints:
- Oracle mandates a minimum of 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor.
- If you have multiple nodes, you must multiply your total number of processors by 25 NUP licenses to determine your minimum NUP count.
- Typically suitable only for environments with limited and stable user populations.
Example Scenario: Named User Plus Licensing
- A small, specialized financial analysis cluster runs on RAC.
- Each node has 2 processors; total of 4 nodes (8 processors).
- Minimum NUP licensing requirement: 8 processors x 25 users per processor = 200 Named User Plus licenses required.
- Practical only if the actual user count aligns with this minimum number or is slightly higher.
Read about Oracle RAC One Node Licensing.
Oracle RAC and Standard Edition Licensing
Historically, Oracle RAC was included in certain Standard Edition (SE) databases, allowing small-scale deployments at a reduced cost.
However, starting from Oracle Database 19c:
- Oracle RAC is no longer available with Standard Edition 2.
- RAC usage mandates purchasing Enterprise Edition licenses.
- Organizations previously relying on SE with RAC must now move to EE to maintain their RAC deployment beyond 18c.
Example RAC Licensing Scenario: Global Bank Case Study
To illustrate Oracle RAC licensing clearly, consider the scenario of a global banking institution:
Infrastructure Setup:
- 4-node Oracle RAC cluster.
- Each node is configured with 8 processor cores (after applying Oracle’s core factor).
Licensing Decisions:
- Licensed by Processor Metric due to the high number of transactions and internal/external users.
- Total required licenses: 4 nodes × 8 processors = 32 processor licenses for Enterprise Edition.
- The RAC option must also be licensed identically, resulting in another 32 RAC processor licenses.
Operational Benefits:
- Ensures continuous 24/7 availability for critical financial systems.
- Supports seamless workload balancing and automatic failover.
- Allows horizontal scalability by simply adding more nodes without changing the licensing metric.
Common RAC Licensing Mistakes to Avoid
Avoiding common mistakes helps prevent costly licensing compliance issues:
- Misunderstanding “Passive” Nodes: Oracle treats all RAC nodes as active. Even lightly loaded nodes require full licensing.
- Incorrect Metric Mixing: Ensure the licensing metric (Processor or NUP) matches across EE and RAC licenses. Mixing metrics is prohibited.
- Assuming Standard Edition Compatibility: Oracle RAC cannot be used with Standard Edition from 19c onwards. Organizations must upgrade to EE.
Oracle RAC Licensing Compliance and Audit Risk
Due to their complexity and licensing costs, Oracle frequently audits database environments, particularly focusing on RAC deployments.
Steps to Stay Compliant:
- Maintain detailed, up-to-date documentation of each RAC node, processor counts, and corresponding licenses.
- Conduct regular internal license reviews or seek expert advice to proactively detect potential compliance issues.
- Understand and apply Oracle’s license minimums (25 Named User Plus per processor, if applicable).
Cost Optimization Strategies for Oracle RAC Licensing
While Oracle RAC licensing can be expensive, careful planning can reduce unnecessary costs:
- Consolidate workloads: Optimize hardware utilization by maximizing workload distribution evenly across all nodes.
- Evaluate Licensing Metric: For smaller or stable user populations, consider Named User Plus licensing. Processor licensing usually makes financial sense for large, dynamic user groups or external-facing applications.
- Strategic Infrastructure Design: Use high-core-density servers to reduce total server count, lowering processor-based licensing fees.
Oracle RAC Licensing vs. Alternative High Availability Solutions
Oracle RAC licensing costs sometimes lead organizations to explore alternative HA solutions. Alternatives include Oracle Data Guard, Oracle GoldenGate, or third-party clustering tools:
Oracle RAC Advantages:
- Transparent load balancing and seamless failover.
- Horizontal scalability by adding additional nodes easily.
- Continuous availability for applications requiring zero downtime.
Alternative Options (Data Guard, GoldenGate):
- Lower licensing costs (Data Guard included in EE).
- May require manual failover or slightly longer downtime.
- Does not inherently provide the load-balancing and scalability benefits that RAC offers.
Organizations must balance the cost and complexity of RAC against their business-critical availability requirements.
Oracle RAC Licensing Quick Reference Summary
- RAC Licensing Required: Separate licensing from Enterprise Edition database.
- All Nodes Must be Licensed: No discounts are available for lightly loaded or passive nodes.
- Metrics Matching: The RAC licensing metric (Processor or NUP) must match your EE database licenses exactly.
- No Standard Edition RAC from 19c onwards: RAC usage mandates Enterprise Edition.
Read how to license Oracle Multitenant.
Conclusion
Oracle RAC delivers unmatched high availability and scalability for Oracle Database deployments but demands careful licensing management. Proper understanding of RAC licensing, choosing the correct metric, and maintaining compliance ensure organizations maximize RAC benefits without incurring excessive costs or compliance risks.
By proactively managing Oracle RAC licensing—especially through accurate documentation, careful node management, and regular internal audits—organizations can confidently use RAC to support their most critical database environments.
