Oracle softens Bring-Your-Own-License deals amid Amazon's live database partnership
Oracle, a leading technology company, has created incentives for users to continue with their on-premises licenses rather than opting for a subscription model when running Oracle Database on cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS). This article explores the pros and cons of Oracle's Bring Your Own License (BYOL) and License Included models for running Oracle Database on AWS.
### BYOL Model
The BYOL model allows users to utilise their existing licenses for both Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Standard Edition 2 (SE2) on AWS services such as Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Relational Database Service (RDS). While this can lead to potential cost savings by avoiding new license acquisition costs, managing and maintaining these licenses can increase administrative complexity.
The benefits of the BYOL model include flexibility, scalability, and optionality. With this model, users can scale their database services while using existing licenses, which can be more cost-effective for large deployments. Additionally, BYOL provides access to all Oracle Database options and packs, which may be necessary for advanced features.
However, managing licenses yourself can add administrative overhead, and you are responsible for ensuring compliance with Oracle’s licensing policies.
### License Included Model
The License Included model, on the other hand, includes the cost of the Oracle Database license in the hourly pricing of the service, making it simple to manage costs without upfront license purchases. This model offers simplified management, predictable costs, and AWS handles support, making it an attractive option for those seeking a hassle-free experience.
However, this model is only available for Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) on RDS, limiting its applicability for enterprise workloads. Furthermore, since it is tied to SE2, users cannot leverage the full range of Oracle Database features available in Enterprise Edition.
### Comparison Summary
In a nutshell, the BYOL model offers flexibility and access to advanced features, especially for Enterprise Edition users, while the License Included model provides simplicity and cost predictability for Standard Edition 2 users. The choice between these models depends on the specific needs of your organisation, including the type of Oracle Database edition required and your ability to manage licenses.
Eric Guyer, of Remend, suggests that Oracle still prefers customers to use traditionally licensed perpetual software, even in cloud environments like AWS or Azure. The BYOL deal is significantly cheaper than Oracle's "license included" model, and Guyer speculates that Oracle's preference for perpetual licenses may be due to its desire to retain support margins, estimated at $19 billion annually.
In the realm of Oracle Database on AWS, users must obtain a "private offer" from Oracle to access Oracle Database@AWS and activate a subscription in the AWS Marketplace. Oracle Database@AWS allows users to run Oracle Autonomous Database on Exadata hardware, managed by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, within AWS datacenters.
Nick Walter, of House of Brick, notes that Oracle Database@AWS introduces licensing scenarios for customers using a BYOL approach, as it falls under Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) cloud licensing, not AWS cloud licensing. As of now, Oracle Database@AWS is available in the US East and US West Regions, with more regions expected to follow.
Oracle has been promoting its database services hosted within cloud offerings from Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, but the company has not yet commented on incentives for using on-premises licenses or the cost of a dedicated Exadata Infrastructure subscription. The cheapest way to deploy Autonomous Database, according to Oracle, is to use a perpetual license and convert it with the Bring Your Own License (BYOL) process.
In conclusion, understanding the pros and cons of Oracle's BYOL and License Included models is crucial for making informed decisions when running Oracle Database on AWS. The choice between these models depends on the specific needs of your organisation, including the type of Oracle Database edition required and your ability to manage licenses.
- The BYOL model can be used with Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) and Standard Edition 2 (SE2) on AWS services, allowing potential cost savings by avoiding new license acquisition costs but increasing administrative complexity.
- The License Included model includes the cost of Oracle Database license in the hourly pricing, offering simplified management, predictable costs, and AWS handling support, but it is only applicable to Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) on RDS.
- Eric Guyer, of Remend, suggests that Oracle still prefers customers to use traditionally licensed perpetual software, even in cloud environments, possibly due to estimated $19 billion annual support margins.
- Oracle Database@AWS is a service that allows users to run Oracle Autonomous Database on Exadata hardware within AWS datacenters, but it introduces licensing scenarios for customers using a BYOL approach and is currently available in US East and US West Regions.
