Oracle Database licensing in multitenant architectures

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 9 minutes to read
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    Summary of Oracle Database licensing in multitenant architectures

    The Software Asset Management application supports licensing rules for Oracle databases using multitenant architecture, which consolidates multiple pluggable databases (PDBs) within a single container database (CDB). This architecture, available from Oracle Database version 12c Release 1 (12.1) onward, simplifies database management by allowing simultaneous tracking, provisioning, cloning, resource management, and upgrades of multiple PDBs.

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    To run Oracle databases in this setup, customers must license both the Oracle Database and the Oracle Multitenant option. Typically, Oracle Multitenant option licenses are purchased separately, except for specific cloud service editions where the option is included in the database license.

    Oracle Multitenant option licensing

    Licensing for the Oracle Multitenant option is based on two metrics: Named User Plus (licenses all users and devices accessing user-created PDBs) and Per Processor (licenses processor cores on hosts running user-created PDBs). Importantly, only user-created PDBs require licensing consideration; proxy and seed PDBs do not.

    Licensing requirements depend on Oracle Database version, edition, and the number of user-created PDBs in each database instance:

    • 12c Release 1 (12.1): Standard Editions do not support the Multitenant option. Enterprise Edition requires licensing if any instance has more than one user-created PDB. The maximum supported user-created PDBs per instance is 252; exceeding this triggers compliance removal candidates.
    • 12c Release 2 (12.2) and 18c: Enterprise Edition requires licensing if instances have multiple user-created PDBs, with the same 252 PDB limit. Standard Edition 2 supports only one user-created PDB per instance, so no license required.
    • Cloud Service Editions (DBCS EE-HP, DBCS EE-EP, ExaCS): The Multitenant option is included in the database license, so no separate license is needed even if instances have multiple user-created PDBs. These editions support up to 4,096 user-created PDBs per instance.
    • Oracle Database 19c and later: Licensing is not required if instances have three or fewer user-created PDBs; above this number, licensing is required for Enterprise Edition, with the same 252 PDB limit. Standard Edition 2 and relevant cloud editions follow similar rules as earlier versions, with no separate license needed for up to three PDBs.

    Key compliance considerations

    Software Asset Management flags any database instances exceeding the supported maximum number of user-created PDBs as removal candidates. Customers must remove excess PDBs to maintain licensing compliance.

    Practical guidance for ServiceNow customers

    • Identify your Oracle Database version and edition to determine applicable licensing rules.
    • Count the number of user-created PDBs per database instance to assess if the Oracle Multitenant option license is required.
    • Understand which license metric (Named User Plus or Per Processor) aligns with your environment for Oracle Multitenant licensing.
    • For Oracle cloud editions, confirm that the Multitenant option is included to avoid unnecessary licensing purchases.
    • Use Software Asset Management’s removal candidate alerts to proactively maintain compliance by reducing excess PDBs.

    The Software Asset Management application supports licensing rules for Oracle databases in multitenant architectures.

    The Oracle multitenant architecture simplifies database management by enabling you to consolidate multiple pluggable databases (PDBs) into a single container database (CDB). With a CDB, you can track, provision, clone, manage resources for, and upgrade multiple PDBs simultaneously. This multitenant architecture is supported on Oracle Database version 12c Release 1 (12.1) and later.

    To run an Oracle database in a multitenant architecture, you must purchase and manage licenses for both Oracle Database and the Oracle Multitenant option. In most cases, Oracle Multitenant option licenses must be purchased and managed separately from Oracle Database licenses. However, Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - High Performance (DBCS EE-HP), Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - Extreme Performance (DBCS EE-EP), and Oracle Database Exadata Cloud Service (ExaCS) do not require a separate license for the Oracle Multitenant option, as it is already included in the database license. For more information on Oracle Database licensing, see Software Asset Management publisher pack for Oracle.

    Oracle Multitenant option licensing

    The Oracle Multitenant option supports both the Named User Plus and Per Processor license metrics. The Named User Plus license metric licenses all users and physical devices that access a user-created PDB. The Per Processor license metric licenses the processor cores on all physical hosts that are running a user-created PDB. For more information on these license metrics, see Oracle license metrics.
    Important:
    Oracle Multitenant option licensing accounts for user-created PDBs only. It does not account for proxy PDBs or seed PDBs.
    You can determine whether Oracle Multitenant option licensing is required for your database deployment based on the following criteria:
    • The Oracle Database version and edition of your PDBs and CDBs.
    • The number of user-created PDBs within each database instance that is running on the database installation.
    Table 1. Oracle Multitenant option licensing requirements
    Oracle Database version Oracle Database edition Licensing requirement
    12c Release 1 (12.1) Oracle Database Standard Edition (SE) The Oracle Multitenant option is not supported.
    Oracle Database Standard Edition One (SE1)
    Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2)
    Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE)
    • If every database instance contains only one user-created PDB each, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    • If any database instance contains more than one user-created PDB, licensing is required using either the Named User Plus or Per Processor license metric.
      Important:
      This version and edition of Oracle Database supports up to 252 user-created PDBs per database instance. If a database instance contains more than 252 user-created PDBs, Software Asset Management creates removal candidates for the additional PDBs. You must remove the additional PDBs to maintain compliance.
    12c Release 2 (12.2) and 18c Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE)
    • If every database instance contains only one user-created PDB each, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    • If any database instance contains more than one user-created PDB, licensing is required using either the Named User Plus or Per Processor license metric.
      Important:
      This version and edition of Oracle Database supports up to 252 user-created PDBs per database instance. If a database instance contains more than 252 user-created PDBs, Software Asset Management creates removal candidates for the additional PDBs. You must remove the additional PDBs to maintain compliance.
    Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) The Oracle Multitenant option is supported only in deployments where every database instance contains one user-created PDB each. However, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - High Performance (DBCS EE-HP)
    • If every database instance contains one user-created PDB each, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    • If any database instance contains more than one user-created PDB, the Oracle Multitenant option is in use. However, separate licensing is not required for this option since it is already included in the Oracle Database license.
      Important:
      These versions and editions of Oracle Database support up to 4,096 user-created PDBs per database instance. If a database instance contains more than 4,096 user-created PDBs, Software Asset Management creates removal candidates for the additional PDBs. You must remove the additional PDBs to maintain compliance.
    Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - Extreme Performance (DBCS EE-EP)
    Oracle Database Exadata Cloud Service (ExaCS)
    19c and later Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE)
    • If every database instance contains three or less user-created PDBs each, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    • If any database instance contains more than three user-created PDBs, licensing is required using either the Named User Plus or Per Processor license metric.
      Important:
      This version and edition of Oracle Database supports up to 252 user-created PDBs per database instance. If a database instance contains more than 252 user-created PDBs, Software Asset Management creates removal candidates for the additional PDBs. You must remove the additional PDBs to maintain compliance.
    Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) The Oracle Multitenant option is supported only in deployments where every database instance contains three or less user-created PDBs each. However, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - High Performance (DBCS EE-HP)
    • If every database instance contains three or less user-created PDBs each, licensing is not required since the Oracle Multitenant option is not in use.
    • If any database instance contains more than three user-created PDBs, the Oracle Multitenant option is in use. However, separate licensing is not required for this option since it is already included in the Oracle Database license.
      Important:
      These versions and editions of Oracle Database support up to 4,096 user-created PDBs per database instance. If a database instance contains more than 4,096 user-created PDBs, Software Asset Management creates removal candidates for the additional PDBs. You must remove the additional PDBs to maintain compliance.
    Oracle Database Cloud Service Enterprise Edition - Extreme Performance (DBCS EE-EP)
    Oracle Database Exadata Cloud Service (ExaCS)