Re: Oracle License

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 23:53:52 -0800, roy wrote:

> I'd like to know what are the requirements of Oracle 8 and 10 (standard
> edition one) database licensing, specifically,
> 1. If we had bought a 5-user license for one site but had only 3 users
> at most can we install another database server on another site with 2
> licensed users at most?

The 'Named User Plus' license method imposes the rule that you must purchase a minimum number of users per CPU on which Oracle is to run. Minima for each product are listed in the 'minimum' pages at the Oracle Store (http://store.oracle.com - look for the links near each 'quantity' box) and in the online Pricing and Licensing info (http://www.oracle.com > About Oracle > Pricing and Licensing > Specialty Topics > Database Licensing doc)

You can install any number of Oracle databases and run any number of instances on the licensed CPU (within practical performance limitations), and have those users access any of database instances.

However, all machines running database instances must be licensed to the minima even if there are 'idle' licenses.

Note that the calculations involve ALL CPUs on the machine - in general Oracle [licensing] does not have the abiltity to bind to specific CPUs.

> 2. If we have bought a 15-user license but have only 5 users at most
> for one site can we install other database servers on two other sites
> each with 5 licensed users at most?
>

No idea - to get a clue, you need to keep your definitions of 'site' consistent with Oracle's definitions of CPU and server. If a 'site' is a single CPU machine (which has a 5 NUP minimum) then you can do what you want.

You do not buy '*a* 15 user license'. You buy '15 named user licenses' and can deploy those any way you want while meeting the minimums.

> Also can you refer to a contact person (preferably with email address),
> or documentation who or which will clearly support the arguments above?
> I've looked up Oracle's definition for Named User Plus but it does not
> clarify my questions above.
>

http://www.oracle.com/corporate/pricing/databaselicensing.pdf

A Named User Plus is a person or machine that can interact with the database. If you have 3 users, (Fred, Sue and Joe) you need three NUP licenses to support them, even if the log on to the database under one userid, and even if they use one web site and one app server to run the application.

The PLUS in Named User Plus comes from automated or dedicated devices. If you add a RFID scanner (unit 5Fr3 to the door frame of the warehouse door (no human uses it) to feed the database instance, then you need to have at least 4 licenses (Fred, Sue, Joe and 5Fr3).

Single CPU Standard Edition server environment - machine 1 has an Oracle database, you need 5 NUP licenses: Fred, Sue, Joe, 5Fr3, spare.

Add a second instance on that machine, no added licenses required to let Fred, Sue or Joe get at that instance - and Barb can get to that instance as well, using up the machine's spare.

Get a second machine, add an Oracle Standard Edition database instance and you need 5 NUP licenses. Two can be assigned to Fred and Sue, the three spare can be assigned as required later.

> Thanks and regards,
>
> Roy
> Oman

-- 
Hans Forbrich                           
Canada-wide Oracle training and consulting
mailto: Fuzzy.GreyBeard_at_gmail.com   
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