Re: Failsafe + Active/Passive + Licensing
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:03:59 -0700
Message-ID: <cf3341711001302103y3d034923h88be64a728b1a92c_at_mail.gmail.com>
The text quoted by Gints is pretty much definitive, unless your site (or some of your databases) happen to be covered by a specially negotiated license agreement. Of course, rather than referring to the "Software Investment Guide" (which is helpful, but completely non-binding) you really should refer to the license agreement itself. In this particular case, the language is pretty much in agreement, I think.
The restrictions stated in the license are pretty clear. Basically:
(*) Only one "passive" node per cluster is exempt from being licensed.
(*) The rule applies *only* to clusters with shared disks. (Clusters
built, for example, with software / firmware mirroring between two storage
arrays do *not* qualify under this section of the license.)
(*) The "passive" node can only be activated on ten *individual* days, or
parts thereof, in any calendar year. (But it does not say
*whose*calendar. :-) ) Although it is not (quite) stated here, a
one-hour
activation of the passive node starting at 23:30 on January 31 and ending at
00:30 on February 1 will count as *two* days! (It may have been more
accurate here to say "calendar date" rather than "day".)
(*) Running any oracle licensed programs (with occasional exclusions such
as clusterware, I believe) on the passive node constitutes an "activation".
Starting an instance -- or even starting a listener -- counts, even if you
do not *mount* or *open* the database.
(Of course, you must read the license for yourself -- don't rely on me to get it right. I may be stupid, illiterate, or just simply *wrong*, and I will accept no blame whatsoever if any combination of these proves to be the case.)
People contemplating active/passive clusters may want to consider carefully how they plan to monitor (and prove) their compliance with their license agreement.
Note: there are similar provisions (with differing details) for running Oracle software on an (otherwise) unlicensed server for the purpose of testing the recovery of backups. There, you are limited to 4 calendar dates per calendar year, if I recall correctly.
Curiously, the license says nothing about timezones. :-) (well, nothing that I have noticed.)
On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 7:48 AM, Shaw, John <john.shaw_at_correctionscorp.com>wrote:
> If the node is up and oracle is running - Oracle says it has to be
> licensed.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: D'Hooge Freek [mailto:Freek.DHooge_at_uptime.be]
> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:44 AM
> To: ChrisDavid.Taylor_at_ingrambarge.com; 'Oracle L'
> Subject: RE: Failsafe + Active/Passive + Licensing
>
> Chris,
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> You can indeed only run for 10 days on the other node.
> I remember that there where some more restrictions on how the 10 days where
> filled in, but I don't remember what they are. I think it had something to
> do that each failover counted as an entire day, even it you would run only 1
> hour on the other node. But I'm not sure.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Freek D'Hooge
> Uptime
> Oracle Database Administrator
> email: freek.dhooge_at_uptime.be
> tel +32(0)3 451 23 82
> http://www.uptime.be
> disclaimer: www.uptime.be/disclaimer
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org]
> On Behalf Of Taylor, Chris David
> Sent: vrijdag 29 januari 2010 15:15
> To: 'Oracle L'
> Subject: Failsafe + Active/Passive + Licensing
>
> Guys/gals,
>
> What is your understanding of Oracle licensing regarding Actve/Passive
> nodes in a Failsafe environment?
>
> It was my understanding that only the Active server had to be licensed, and
> the license went with the Active node so you could failover and run on the
> formerly passive node without violating any license agreements.
>
> Recently I've read that you can only run on the formerly passive node for
> 10 consecutive days. I thought the Proc license would cover either node
> that was Active and it didn't matter as long as the other node was Passive.
>
>
> http://www.oracleonwindows.co.uk/resources/Shared/Database/Shared%20Database%20licensing/oracle%20licensing%20may%202008.pdf
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Chris Taylor
> Sr. Oracle DBA
> Ingram Barge Company
> Nashville, TN 37205
> Office: 615-517-3355
> Cell: 615-354-4799
> Email: chris.taylor_at_ingrambarge.com
>
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-- Cheers, -- Mark Brinsmead Senior DBA, The Pythian Group http://www.pythian.com/blogs -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Sat Jan 30 2010 - 23:03:59 CST