Oracle WebLogic Basic Licensing
- Restricted-use license included with specific Oracle middleware (Forms, Reports, Portal).
- It only permits the deployment of Oracle Forms, Reports, Discoverer, Portal, and OC4J migrations.
- No general-purpose Java EE app deployments are allowed.
- Prohibits advanced features (full clustering, JMS, Coherence).
Oracle WebLogic Basic Licensing
Oracle WebLogic Basic is a specific restricted-use licensing option provided by Oracle. It allows using Oracle WebLogic Server under limited conditions, typically bundled with other Oracle products like Oracle Forms and Reports or Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Understanding the details of this restricted-use license is crucial for compliance. Incorrectly using Oracle WebLogic Basic outside the permitted scenarios can lead to audit penalties or unexpected licensing costs.
This guide clearly explains Oracle WebLogic’s Basic licensing rules, permitted uses, restrictions, examples, and compliance best practices.
What is Oracle WebLogic Basic?
Oracle WebLogic Basic is a restricted-use license provided by Oracle as part of certain Fusion Middleware and legacy Oracle application licenses.
This limited license allows organizations to deploy WebLogic Server at no additional cost, specifically to run certain Oracle applications or products for which licenses have already been purchased.
Key Points about WebLogic Basic License:
- Bundled License: This is not sold separately but is provided free with specific Oracle middleware products.
- Limited Features: Only certain WebLogic Server features are permitted.
- Specific Uses: Only allow running specific Oracle applications (e.g., Oracle Forms, Oracle Reports, Discoverer, Portal).
- Restricted Scope: Does not allow general-purpose application deployment or custom Java EE applications beyond the allowed scope.
Oracle provides WebLogic Basic to ease migration from older Oracle application servers (like Oracle Containers for J2EE or OC4J) to WebLogic Server without additional cost.
Permitted Uses of Oracle WebLogic Basic
Oracle WebLogic Basic licenses have clearly defined permitted use cases. Typical scenarios include:
Running Oracle Forms and Reports
Oracle Forms and Reports are widely used legacy tools that Oracle continues to support. When organizations purchase licenses for Oracle Forms or Reports, WebLogic Basic licenses are typically included at no additional cost, allowing deployment of these applications on WebLogic Server.
Examples of permitted uses:
- Deploying Oracle Forms-based applications on WebLogic Server Basic.
- Deploying Oracle Reports-based applications on WebLogic Server Basic.
- Administration and configuration tasks directly related to these applications.
Running Oracle Discoverer or Oracle Portal
Like Forms and Reports, WebLogic Basic licenses may also come bundled with licenses for older Oracle middleware tools such as Oracle Discoverer or Oracle Portal.
Permitted examples include:
- Hosting Discoverer services on WebLogic Server Basic.
- Running Oracle Portal applications specifically covered by your middleware licenses.
Read about Oracle WebLogic Suite Licensing.
Migrating Applications from OC4J (Oracle Containers for Java EE)
Organizations previously using Oracle Containers for J2EE (OC4J) licenses might receive WebLogic Basic licenses when migrating these applications to Oracle WebLogic Server. This eases migration without additional license costs.
Permitted migration scenarios:
- Deploying applications originally built for OC4J onto WebLogic Basic.
- Application migrations are explicitly permitted under Oracle’s OC4J-to-WebLogic migration guidelines.
Features Included in Oracle WebLogic Basic License
WebLogic Basic licenses have feature restrictions compared to standard WebLogic Server editions. Oracle clearly defines which features are allowed under the WebLogic Basic license:
Permitted WebLogic Basic Features:
- Core Java EE Container: Servlets, JSP, Java EE core services, JDBC data sources.
- Basic WebLogic Management: Administration Console, basic WLST scripting, limited diagnostics.
- Security: Basic authentication, SSL/TLS, standard JDBC security configuration.
- Limited clustering: Only minimal clustering is permitted, specifically restricted for Forms/Reports deployment. Full-scale clustering typically requires full WebLogic EE licensing.
Features Not Permitted under WebLogic Basic License:
- Full WebLogic Enterprise clustering or advanced high-availability features.
- Oracle Coherence integration.
- Advanced JMS (Java Messaging Service) features.
- Deployment of custom Java EE applications beyond those explicitly migrated from OC4J or specifically permitted Oracle applications.
- Other advanced WebLogic Suite or EE features not explicitly permitted.
Licensing Restrictions and Limitations
Clearly understanding WebLogic Basic license restrictions ensures compliant use:
No General-Purpose Use
- WebLogic Basic licenses do not permit general-purpose Java EE application deployment.
- Deploying applications unrelated to Oracle Forms, Reports, Discoverer, Portal, or OC4J migrations requires separate WebLogic EE or Suite licenses.
Feature Usage Restrictions
- Only explicitly permitted WebLogic Basic features may be used.
- Using prohibited advanced features (clustering, Coherence, JMS) triggers compliance issues and may require licensing upgrades.
Separate Environments Need Separate Licenses
- Each WebLogic Basic deployment must relate directly to licensed Oracle middleware products (e.g., Forms or Reports).
- Deploying unrelated applications or features in the same environment requires separate licensing.
Licensing Oracle WebLogic Basic in Virtualized Environments
Oracle’s standard virtualization rules apply equally to WebLogic Basic:
Soft Partitioning (VMware, Hyper-V)
- Oracle licensing in soft-partitioned environments requires licensing all physical cores on physical hosts where the WebLogic Basic VM can potentially run.
- Even with free restricted-use WebLogic Basic, licensing obligations of underlying Oracle products (e.g., Forms, Reports) must align with virtualization rules.
Hard Partitioning (Oracle-Recognized)
- Oracle VM Server, IBM LPAR, and Solaris Zones are Oracle-recognized hard partitioning methods.
- Licensing is limited to cores/sockets allocated to run Oracle middleware products (and WebLogic Basic).
Disaster Recovery and Failover Licensing
Oracle’s disaster recovery licensing rules apply to WebLogic Basic scenarios similarly to other Oracle software:
Passive Failover (10-Day Rule)
- Oracle typically allows one passive failover server without additional licensing for 10 calendar days per year.
- The passive instance must remain inactive except during actual failover or short periodic testing (within the 10-day limit).
Active-Active Setups
- Active-active deployments require full licenses for all active servers running WebLogic Basic and Oracle middleware products.
Compliance Examples with Oracle WebLogic Basic
To illustrate correct and incorrect usage:
Correct Usage Example:
- Organization licensed for Oracle Forms and Reports.
- Deploys Forms applications on WebLogic Basic servers.
- Uses basic WebLogic management features permitted under the Basic license.
- No additional unrelated Java EE apps deployed.
This is fully compliant usage.
Incorrect Usage Example:
- The organization uses WebLogic Basic to deploy Forms applications.
- Adds unrelated custom Java EE application on the same WebLogic instance.
- Enables advanced JMS and full clustering features.
This violates Oracle’s licensing terms. A full WebLogic EE or Suite license would be required for such scenarios.
Read How to License Oracle WebLogic in Public Clouds.
Best Practices for WebLogic Basic License Compliance
Follow these practices to remain compliant:
- Document Oracle middleware licenses (Forms, Reports, Discoverer, Portal, OC4J).
- Restrict WebLogic Basic deployments specifically to permitted Oracle middleware usage.
- Regularly audit WebLogic Basic servers to ensure prohibited features are not inadvertently enabled.
- Segregate unrelated custom Java EE applications separately on licensed WebLogic EE or Suite servers.
- Clarify complex licensing scenarios (virtualization, DR) directly with Oracle licensing experts or LMS teams.
Common Licensing Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these common pitfalls when licensing Oracle WebLogic Basic:
- General-Purpose Usage: Deploying general Java EE apps beyond permitted Oracle middleware apps or OC4J migrations.
- Feature Misuse: Enabling prohibited advanced features (full clustering, JMS, Coherence) under the Basic license.
- Virtualization Overlooked: Ignoring Oracle’s virtualization rules (VMware/Hyper-V) and failing to license underlying physical hosts.
- DR Server Mismanagement: Exceeding Oracle’s 10-day failover rule without additional licensing.
Conclusion
Oracle WebLogic Basic (restricted-use license) provides a cost-effective path for organizations migrating specific Oracle middleware applications to WebLogic Server without additional licensing fees. However, it has restrictions regarding feature usage, deployment scope, virtualization licensing, and disaster recovery setups.
By thoroughly understanding these permitted use cases, adhering to feature restrictions, and applying best practices for compliance management, organizations can leverage WebLogic Basic licenses effectively while avoiding costly licensing pitfalls.
