Oracle licensing issue 1

[dbalearner]

This is a general question. We are in the process of installing a new Oracle 9i Enterprise edition. We are talking to Oracle about the licensing based on CPU etc. I have never had any problem with Oracle licensing before. However, I need to know if Oracle startup instance in 9i has a mechanism to check the license or license manager and as such can physically prevent the instance or database starting up without the appropriate license or when the number of sessions exceed a certain limit?

Thanks,

Learner

 

[SantaMufasa]

Oracle does not embed into its distribution software any logic that correlates the number of licenses that you legally can run against how many you are actually running. Oracle relies upon your "business integrity".

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]

 

[dbalearner]

Thanks Santa much appreciated your quick response. So hopefully we are safe.

 

[SantaMufasa]

I don't know what your definition of "safe" is, but thanks for the star.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]

 

[karluk]

Oracle has startup parameters for enforcing concurrent user and named user type licensing. They are

LICENSE_MAX_SESSIONS
LICENSE_SESSIONS_WARNING

for enforcing concurrent user limits and

LICENSE_MAX_USERS

for enforcing the maximum number of user ids that can be created within the database.

The weakness of these parameters is that they have to be set by your dba. Their default value is zero, which means that no limits are enforced. However, if you are using this type of licensing, you should seriously consider enforcing the limits. If you get audited, it can be an expensive proposition to find out after the fact that you are greatly exceeding your license limit.

 

[dbalearner]

Thanks Karluk for the information. We will take note of that and make sure that the business adds thelicense and support cost tothe application. Our internal audit will also pick on that as they normally do. I was more worried in case Oracle had a sort of license/time bomb that stopped Oracle from functioning.