Oracle Weblogic Licensing – Intro

What is Oracle WebLogic?

This article will inform you how Oracle Weblogic licensing works. But short a brief into to Weblogic. Oracle WebLogic is a Java EE platform and application server developed by BEA Systems and now owned by Oracle. It is used to develop, deploy, and manage Java EE applications. Oracle WebLogic Server licenses cover WebLogic products, including the Standard and Enterprise editions, and the WebLogic Suite, which includes the Enterprise Edition server and additional options, such as Oracle SOA Suite. Oracle WebLogic Server is also included as a Basic version in many other Oracle products, such as Oracle WebLogic and Service Options, and Oracle Internet Application Server. This article will discuss the licensing of Oracle WebLogic Server and other related products.

Weblogic Editions

To use Oracle WebLogic, you need to purchase a license. There are three different editions available: Basic, Standard, and Enterprise. The higher editions include more features but also have a higher price. The WebLogic Server Basic license provides usage rights to certain WebLogic Server features, including the core application server, Java EE 5/EJB 3.0, management tools, JDBC drivers, clients, and plug-ins. It also includes basic JMS messaging, deployment, and high availability functionality, as well as streamlined storage of objects in data stores for all Java applications, which is a core component of EJB 3.0. Note that the WebLogic Basic license cannot be purchased independently and is only available as part of other software licenses from Oracle.

WebLogic license costs

There are different ways to license Oracle WebLogic Server, depending on your edition. WebLogic Basic is not available for purchase and is only provided with certain Oracle products. WebLogic Standard Ed. is licensed per occupied CPU socket, with a minimum of 10 users per processor. For example, if you are running WebLogic SE on a server with two processors, you would need two processor licenses or 20 user licenses if you have less than 20 users. WebLogic Enterprise Edition is licensed based on Oracle’s core factor calculation. The cost of a processor license for WebLogic Standard Edition is $10,000; for WebLogic Enterprise Edition, it is $25,000; and for the WebLogic Suite, it is $45,000. If licensing is based on users, the cost is $200 per user for WebLogic Standard Edition, $500 per user for WebLogic Enterprise Edition, and $900 per user for the WebLogic Suite, with a minimum of 10 users per processor.

• Weblogic Basic is not available to purchase, and it is a restricted-use license that ships with other Oracle products.
• WebLogic SE is licensed per occupied CPU socket, with a minimum of 10 users per processor.
• Weblogic Enterprise Edition is licensed based on Oracle’s core factor calculation.

The cost of Oracle Weblogic licenses:

• Weblogic Standard Edition: $10,000 per processor license (do not count cores), $200 per user (10 users minimum per processor)
• Weblogic Enterprise Edition: $25,000 per processor license (count cores), $500 per user (10 user minimums per processor, count cores)
• Weblogic Suite: $45,000 per processor license (count cores), $900 per user (10 user minimums per processor, count cores)

What is Weblogic Basic?

• WebLogic Basic is a software component from Oracle that cannot be purchased individually. It is only available as part of existing Oracle middleware products.
• Some enterprise software asset management tools may show WebLogic as installed, but they may not accurately reflect which version of WebLogic needs to be licensed.
• WebLogic Basic cannot be found in Oracle’s price list and is a restricted and limited version that is part of another licensable product.

Which products is WebLogic Basic part of?

• Oracle Internet Application Server, Standard Edition
• Oracle Internet Application Server Standard Edition One
• Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition
• Oracle Forms and Reports
• Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition

If you have any of the above Oracle licenses, you also have the right to use the basic version of WebLogic. However, you can only use this version to run certain components that are part of the listed products.

What is Oracle Internet Application Server?

• The Oracle Internet Application Server is available in multiple editions and is licensed separately for different installation types.
• The Standard Edition does not include Oracle Forms, Reports, and Discoverer. Other stand-alone components of Oracle IAS require separate licenses.
• Oracle Internet Application Server Standard Edition is licensed per processor socket.
• Oracle Internet Application Server Enterprise Edition is licensed based on core-based licensing.
• Both application servers have similar features, such as multiple deployment options and compatibility with existing and emerging standards.
• They are standards-compliant and support various web content generation methods, including Java servlets and Perl.
• Oracle Internet Application Server also includes a management website for monitoring and managing deployments.

WebLogic licensing for Enterprise Edition is based on Oracle’s core factor table calculation. You can read about this here.

Oracle WebLogic Licensing

Oracle WebLogic Licensing

• Oracle WebLogic Application Server comes in two editions: Standard and Enterprise.

Differences between WebLogic SE and Enterprise:

• WebLogic Standard Edition does not have clustering functionality.
• WebLogic Enterprise Edition includes the OEM Diagnostic pack for Oracle Middleware.
• WebLogic Enterprise Edition is required to run additional licensable features such as Coherence and the WebLogic Management Pack.
• WebLogic Enterprise Edition includes Oracle Java SE advanced for both servers and clients.

Oracle WebLogic license differences:

• WebLogic Standard Edition is licensed per occupied socket.
• WebLogic Enterprise Edition is licensed per core and uses the Oracle core factor table.

WebLogic – Named User Plus Licensing

Oracle WebLogic License – Named User Plus – licensing minimums.

• WebLogic Server Standard Edition: 10 Named User Plus per processor
• WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition: 10 Named User Plus per processor (core licensing is the same as Oracle DB EE)
• WebLogic Suite: 10 Named User Plus per processor (core licensing is the same as Oracle DB EE)
• WebLogic SE requires a minimum of 10 Named User Plus per processor (not counting cores)
• To license WebLogic EE, calculate 10 Named User Plus per Oracle processor (count cores and use the Oracle core factor table to determine the correct number of processors)

What is WebLogic Suite?

Oracle WebLogic Suite is a combination of Oracle WebLogic Server Enterprise Edition and the following additional features:

• Oracle Coherence Enterprise Edition
• Oracle Forms, Reports, Portal, and Discoverer
• Oracle OEM Management pack for Coherence
• Oracle Java SE Suite for both servers and clients

WebLogic Suite Licensing

Oracle WebLogic Suite is licensed based on core-based licensing. You need to count the number of physical cores in the server and multiply it by the Oracle Core Factor. If licensing Oracle WebLogic with Named User Plus, the minimum is ten users per Oracle processor. You can upgrade Oracle WebLogic Standard Edition licenses to the Enterprise edition, and you can also upgrade the Enterprise edition to the WebLogic Suite.

Top6 WebLogic License Compliance Problems

1. Oracle customers using Cluster support that would require Enterprise Licenses but is only licensed for WebLogic Standard Edition.
2. Oracle customers use Oracle WebLogic Basic (a restricted-use license that is part of other Oracle products) beyond their license grants.
3. Oracle customers miscalculate Oracle licensing on core factors or licensing minimums.
4. Customers who have installed the wrong version of Oracle WebLogic and then need to license a more expensive version.
5. Oracle WebLogic editions include Java SE Advanced licenses, but Java is only allowed to run WebLogic-based applications, not third-party Java applications.
6. Including WebLogic in an Oracle ULA (Unlimited License Agreement) often cause compliance issues.

How we can help

helping organizations review and optimize their Oracle WebLogic licensing:

• Review the current Oracle WebLogic deployment and usage to identify any potential licensing compliance issues.
• Determine the most appropriate and cost-effective Oracle WebLogic edition and licensing model based on the organization’s needs and usage patterns.
• Assess the organization’s current Oracle WebLogic licenses to ensure that they are being used in accordance with the terms of the license agreement.
• Recommend strategies for optimizing the organization’s Oracle WebLogic licenses, such as consolidating licenses, upgrading to a more cost-effective edition, or implementing more efficient license management processes.
• Provide guidance on how to avoid common Oracle WebLogic licensing pitfalls, such as over-licensing or using unlicensed components.
• Assist the organization in negotiating more favorable licensing terms with Oracle, if necessary.