Oracle Real Application Testing Licensing
- Separately licensed option for Oracle EE databases.
- Required on both source and target databases when using Database Replay.
- Licensing is required wherever SQL Performance Analyzer (SPA) runs.
- Licensing metrics (Processor or NUP) must match EE database licenses.
- It typically requires a Diagnostics Pack for full SPA functionality (due to AWR data dependencies).
Oracle Real Application Testing Licensing
Oracle Real Application Testing (RAT) is a specialized Enterprise Edition (EE) option that helps database administrators and developers accurately test and predict the impact of changes before deploying them to production.
This ensures high performance, reliability, and reduced risk. Understanding Oracle’s licensing terms for RAT is crucial for ensuring compliance and effective budgeting.
Read more about Oracle Database Options licensing.
What is Oracle Real Application Testing?
Oracle Real Application Testing (RAT) enables organizations to test database changes by replaying actual production workloads on test systems. This powerful capability ensures changes—such as upgrades, patches, schema alterations, or configuration adjustments—don’t negatively impact database performance.
Core Features of RAT:
- Database Replay: Captures actual production workloads, allowing precise replays in test environments.
- SQL Performance Analyzer (SPA): This tool analyzes SQL performance across two points (before/after scenarios), revealing potential performance degradations or improvements due to database changes.
Database Replay: Deep Dive
Database Replay is the heart of Oracle RAT, providing realistic simulations of production workloads on test environments:
- Capture Production Workload: RAT captures the actual workload (transactions, queries, updates) from the production database.
- Replay on Test Database: The captured workload is replayed exactly on a test system configured with planned changes (e.g., database upgrade, new hardware, patching).
- Performance Comparison: Helps identify performance issues or regressions caused by the changes, allowing proactive optimization.
SQL Performance Analyzer (SPA): Deep Dive
SQL Performance Analyzer helps validate SQL query performance independently of full workload replay:
- Focused SQL Analysis: Specifically targets SQL statements to compare performance before and after changes.
- Automatic Regression Detection: Highlights SQL queries that degrade performance after database modifications, allowing targeted tuning.
- Supports Various Scenarios: It is ideal for incremental changes such as adding indexes, changing optimizer parameters, or minor schema alterations.
Read about Oracle Advanced Compression Licensing.
Licensing Requirements for Oracle RAT
Real Application Testing is licensed separately from the standard Enterprise Edition database. Licensing rules are specific and detailed to avoid compliance violations.
When is RAT Licensing Required?
- Whenever you use Database Replay features (capture or replay workloads).
- When performing SQL Performance Analyzer (SPA) operations.
Licensing the Source and Target Systems:
- Database Replay: Oracle mandates licensing RAT for both source and target databases. This means:
- If a workload is captured from a production database, it must be licensed for RAT.
- The test database replaying captured workloads must also have a RAT license.
- SQL Performance Analyzer:
- An RAT license is required on the database where SPA analysis occurs.
- The production database must also be licensed if the SPA captures performance metrics directly from production.
Licensing Metrics for Oracle RAT
RAT licensing metrics must precisely match your Oracle EE database licenses. Oracle offers two primary licensing metrics:
Processor Licensing:
- Processor licenses are counted based on the total cores of the database server.
- The source and target databases must have identical licensing metrics for RAT as their EE license.
Example:
- A production database server has 16 processor cores licensed for EE.
- A corresponding test server (target) also has 16 cores.
- RAT licensing requires all 32 cores total (16 production + 16 test).
Named User Plus (NUP) Licensing:
- Licensing is based on total named users authorized for database access.
- The minimum Oracle rule applies: 25 Named User Plus licenses per processor.
Example:
- Test database with 4 processor cores.
- Minimum Named User Plus licenses: 4 cores × 25 users = 100 NUP licenses required.
Special Licensing Considerations and Dependencies
Oracle RAT licensing also involves indirect dependencies and potential related-pack licensing:
SQL Tuning Sets (STS):
- STS, which transports SQL for testing, can be used if licensed for either RAT or Tuning Pack.
- Thus, a Tuning Pack license alone might suffice if you only use STS without full RAT features.
Diagnostics and Tuning Pack Dependencies:
- SPA requires collecting and analyzing Automatic Workload Repository (AWR) data, meaning the Diagnostics Pack must typically also be licensed to get practical SPA usage.
- Officially, RAT licensing is separate, but due to interdependencies, practical SPA deployment often includes Diagnostics and Tuning Packs.
Usage via Enterprise Manager (EM) vs. API:
- Enterprise Manager-based reports (Replay Compare Report) typically require the Diagnostics Pack for comprehensive reporting.
- If carefully managed through APIs, you could license RAT independently without Diagnostics/Tuning packs, although functionality might be limited.
Read about Oracle Partitioning Licensing.
Practical Scenario: Telecom Database Upgrade
Consider a telecom company planning an Oracle Database upgrade from 18c to 19c, accompanied by optimizer parameter adjustments. Oracle RAT enables them to perform comprehensive pre-upgrade testing:
Environment Details:
- Production Database: 18c, 16-processor cores, licensed EE and RAT.
- Test Database: Mirrored environment, 19c, 16-processor cores, also licensed EE and RAT.
Licensing Requirements:
- Due to the use of Database Replay, both production (source) and test (target) databases require full RAT licensing.
- Total processor licenses required for RAT: 32 (16 cores in each environment).
Benefits Realized:
- Real-world workload replay identifies potential performance regressions before upgrade.
- SPA pinpoints SQL statements needing optimization, facilitating targeted tuning before production deployment.
- Minimizes risks associated with significant database changes, preventing costly outages or slowdowns post-upgrade.
Common Licensing Mistakes with Oracle RAT
Careful attention to RAT licensing details is crucial, avoiding common pitfalls such as:
- Ignoring Source System Licensing: Capturing production workload without RAT licensing violates Oracle licensing terms.
- Mismatch in Licensing Metrics: Both source and target databases must use identical metrics for RAT licensing.
- Overlooking Diagnostics/Tuning Pack Needs: Practical SPA use usually requires Diagnostics Pack licensing; forgetting this may limit effective use.
Compliance Audits and Oracle RAT Licensing
Oracle frequently audits licensing compliance, especially for advanced database options like RAT:
Recommendations to Ensure Compliance:
- Maintain clear documentation of database environments where RAT is enabled.
- Periodically review internal licensing compliance to ensure metrics match exactly with EE licensing.
- Engage Oracle licensing specialists proactively when deploying RAT.
Cost Optimization Strategies for Oracle RAT Licensing
Despite its licensing cost, Oracle RAT provides significant operational savings by preventing performance regressions and outages:
- Consolidate Test Environments: Limit test environment core counts to match production closely, avoiding unnecessary licensing costs.
- Selective Feature Deployment: Clearly define and limit RAT usage to databases where necessary to minimize licenses.
- Strategic Deployment: Use RAT primarily during significant database changes (upgrades, patches) to optimize cost-benefit ratio.
Comparing RAT with Alternative Testing Approaches
Oracle RAT provides unique realism and accuracy by replaying actual workloads. However, alternative approaches exist:
Manual or Scripted Tests:
- It has a lower immediate cost but is significantly less accurate.
- Does not replicate complex production conditions or edge cases accurately.
Third-Party Tools:
- It may offer partial cost savings.
- Oracle integration and detailed diagnostic insights provided by RAT and associated Oracle tools are typically lacking.
RAT’s accuracy and detailed insights justify its higher licensing costs for critical production databases.
Key Summary Points for Oracle RAT Licensing:
- RAT is a separately licensed option for Oracle EE databases.
- Licensing is required for both source and target databases using Database Replay.
- SPA use also mandates licensing on all databases where it runs.
- Licensing metrics (Processor or NUP) must match EE licensing.
- Diagnostics Pack typically required for practical SPA use, despite separate licensing status.
Conclusion
Oracle Real Application Testing delivers invaluable insights and safeguards against performance risks in database environments. However, its comprehensive capabilities come with detailed and strict licensing terms. Understanding and managing these licensing requirements is essential for compliance, budget control, and effective use of Oracle RAT.
Organizations leveraging RAT successfully minimize database risks, achieve smoother database upgrades, and maintain robust performance, directly justifying RAT’s licensing investment.
