The benefits of migrating to the cloud are undeniable, as it offers a more scalable, agile, and efficient option. As more organizations move critical workloads like Oracle databases to Amazon Web Services (AWS), managing the licensing risks becomes increasingly important. Organizations may face costly non-compliance issues without careful oversight, especially as your cloud footprint grows.

Key Infrastructure Options for Oracle on AWS

When running Oracle databases on AWS, there are two primary deployment paths:

  • Amazon RDS: A managed cloud service that handles database administration tasks, reducing operational complexity.

  • Amazon EC2: A flexible infrastructure service that gives you more control, ideal for custom applications but requires more management.

Choosing the right infrastructure for your Oracle workloads directly impacts your approach to license compliance and overall cost management.

Understanding Oracle on AWS

The most significant risk when running Oracle on AWS is ensuring license compliance. Oracle’s licensing policy for the cloud differs from on-prem environments, including when it comes to counting vCPUs. Oracle calculates two vCPUs as equivalent to one processor license with hyper-threading enabled. Organizations can either bring their own licenses (BYOL) or use RDS instances with licenses included.

Staying compliant as you scale Oracle workloads on AWS requires continuous oversight, as rapid expansion can lead to otherwise avoidable licensing violations.

How to Manage Oracle Licensing Risks

To effectively mitigate the risks of Oracle license non-compliance, consider these key strategies:

1. Continuous Monitoring

Regularly track your AWS instances, Oracle feature usage, and licensing entitlements. Tools like OpsCompass provide a centralized platform to continuously monitor your compliance status and Oracle deployment across AWS and on-prem environments.

2. Automated License Management

Automation is key to scaling your Oracle footprint without compliance oversights. OpsCompass helps manage Oracle licenses across multiple AWS accounts, regions, and environments, drastically reducing the risk of over-licensing or unexpected fees.

3. Auto-Discovery of Oracle Instances

An often overlooked risk is failing to track new Oracle instances as they’re deployed. Automated discovery tools ensure all Oracle instances are accounted for.

As you scale your Oracle workloads on AWS, managing licensing risks and defending against audits should be an integral part of your cloud strategy. Combining regular monitoring, robust management policies, and expert support can help you stay compliant while benefiting from AWS’s scalability.


For more guidance on optimizing your Oracle licensing in the cloud, get in touch. We are here to help you avoid pitfalls and maximize your Oracle and AWS investments.

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