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Licensing Oracle BI Programs - Did you keep track of all the changes?
Author: Roxana Zegrean
Oracle introduced Business Intelligence (BI) portfolio in 2006 as a combination of Siebel business
intelligence and Hyperion business intelligence offerings. Oracle BI is a suite of products that is composed
of technologies and applications designed to provide users with a comprehensive enterprise performance
management platform.
This whitepaper aims to give a brief look into the main changes of Oracle Business Intelligence and their
impact on end users. In the following sections we'll have a look at an historical overview of the above
mentioned changes.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2006 offerings ................................................................................................................................... 4
2007 offerings ................................................................................................................................... 7
2008 offerings ................................................................................................................................... 9
2011 offerings ................................................................................................................................. 10
2015 offerings ................................................................................................................................. 11
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 12
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
Introduction
Oracle introduced Business Intelligence (BI) portfolio in 2006 as a combination of Siebel business
intelligence and Hyperion business intelligence offerings. Oracle BI is a suite of products that is composed
of technologies and applications designed to provide users with a comprehensive enterprise performance
management platform.
During the 13 years, since its release, Oracle Business Intelligence changed in terms of available programs,
specific components that are part of different licenses and the minimum quantities that end user must
purchase.
This whitepaper aims to give a brief look into the main changes of Oracle Business Intelligence and their
impact on end users. In the following sections we'll have a look at an historical overview of the above
mentioned changes.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
2006 offerings In April 2006, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition One, including (as of November 2006) the following
products:
• Database SE One (incl. Oracle Warehouse Builder core ETL)
• Oracle BI Server EE
• Oracle Answers
• Oracle Dashboards
• Oracle BI Server Administrator
• Oracle XML Publisher
The minimum number of licenses an end user was required to purchase was 50 Named User Plus licenses.
In addition, the program could only be deployed on machines/servers with a maximum capacity of 2 sockets.
In December 2006, Oracle decided to lower its minimums and changed this into a minimum of 5 Named
User Plus licenses.
However, Oracle also introduced a maximum of 50 Named User Plus licenses for the deployment of Oracle
Business Intelligence Standard Edition One as of that date; reinforcing the fact that this “entry” product could
only be used by smaller enterprise organizations.
Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition, including a “Full Use” license for:
• Discoverer Plus
• Discoverer Viewer
• Discoverer Portlet Provider
• Oracle Reports Services
• Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Server Control, and 2 Internet Developer Suite Named User
Plus licenses per Processor that are restricted to Reports Builder, Warehouse Builder, BI Beans
and Discoverer Administration Edition
In addition, a restricted use license has been included for Oracle Database to store the metadata of the
Business Intelligence programs only. Storing any other data requires a full use license of the Oracle
Database. Oracle HTTP Server, mods, and Oracle Containers for J2EE are included to be deployed for the
Business Intelligence software programs only. In June 2014, Oracle decided to no longer sell its Business
Intelligence Standard Edition licenses and it was removed from its pricelist.
The minimum number of licenses an end user was required to purchase was 10 Named User Plus licenses
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
per Processor. In addition, the program could only be deployed on machines/servers with a maximum
capacity of 4 sockets.
Oracle Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition
As of February 2007, Oracle included a restricted use licenses for OC4J and as off February 2011, a
restricted use license for WebLogic Server Standard Edition was included.
On top of the Oracle Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition, end users were able to purchase an
individual license for the following Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition Options:
• Interactive Dashboard
• Delivers
• Answers
• Office Plug-in and Reporting and Publishing
The minimum number of licenses an end user was required to purchase was 50 Named User Plus licenses.
In February 2011, the minimum number of licenses changed from 50 Named User Plus to 25 Named User
Plus and in August 2013 the minimum dropped again to 20 Named User Plus licenses.
As such, end users that did obtain licenses in 2006 still had to comply with a minimum of 50 Named User
Plus licenses, whereas end users that obtained licenses in 2013 only had to comply with a minimum of 20
Named User Plus licenses. The program could be deployed on any machines/servers without any limitation.
Next to these different Business Intelligence programs, Oracle bundled the Business Intelligence Server
Enterprise Edition and its options in another license called “Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise
Edition” through which an end user obtains the right to make use of all the options in once.
Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition, including a “Full Use” license for:
• Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition
• Answers
• Interactive Dashboard
• Reporting and Publishing
• Delivers
• Office Plug-in
The minimum number of licenses for this product is 50 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization, not
per server, not per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machines/servers without any
limitation.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
In November 2006, Oracle bundled in Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition One, the following
program:
• Oracle Database Standard Edition One (including Warehouse Builder Enterprise ETL)
• Oracle Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition
• Oracle Answers
• Oracle Dashboards
• Oracle Business Intelligence Server Administrator
• Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
2007 offerings In July 2007, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus, including a “Full Use” license for:
• Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition
• Answers
• Interactive Dashboard
• Reporting and Publishing
• Delivers
• Office Plug-in
• Business Intelligence Publisher
• 1 Named User Plus license of Server Administrator
The minimum number of licenses is 50 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization, not per server, not
per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machine/server, without any limitation.
In February 2011, the minimum number of licenses changed from 50 Named User Plus to 25 Named User
Plus and in August 2013 the minimum dropped again to 20 Named User Plus licenses. As such, end users
that did obtain licenses in 2007 still had to comply with a minimum of 50 Named User Plus licenses, whereas
end users that did obtain licenses in 2013 only had to comply with a minimum of 20 Named User Plus
licenses.
Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus Upgrade
This “Plus Upgrade” license gives the right to make use of Hyperion Interactive Reporting - System 9,
Hyperion SQR Production Reporting - System 9, Hyperion Web Analysis - System 9, Hyperion Financial
Reporting - System 9, to end users that were already licensed for the Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise
Edition.
The minimum number of licenses an end user was required to purchase was 50 Named User Plus licenses
(not per organization, not per server, not per Processor). The program could be deployed on any
machines/servers without any limitation.
In addition, Business Intelligence Publisher and 1 Named User Plus license of Server Administrator was
added to Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
In August 2007, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus Upgrade Only
This license was introduced to enable end users that did obtain an Oracle Business Intelligence Suite
Enterprise Edition license to pay an upgrade free through which you received the right to make use of the
Hyperion Interactive Reporting, Hyperion SQR Production Reporting, Hyperion Web Analysis and Hyperion
Financial Reporting functionality as well, as part of the then current Oracle Business Intelligence Suite
Enterprise Edition Plus licenses.
As of that moment, end users that did obtain a license for Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise
Edition licenses in the past could only buy additional licenses under the new Oracle Business Intelligence
Suite Enterprise Edition Plus Upgrade Only licenses; Oracle no longer sold the Oracle Business Intelligence
Suite Enterprise Edition licenses.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
2008 offerings In August 2008, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher as a standalone product. Apart from selling this license on a
Named User Plus metric (with a minimum of 50 Named User Plus licenses), Oracle introduced the
opportunity to license this functionality on an Employee license metric, with a minimum of 1,000 Employee
licenses. In 2011, Oracle introduced a restricted use license for Oracle WebLogic Server Standard Edition
to be used to Business Intelligence Publisher license.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
2011 offerings In February 2011, Oracle introduced
Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation Suite, including:
• Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus
• Scorecard and Strategy Management
• Essbase Plus
• Essbase Analytics Link for Hyperion Financial Management
• Business Intelligence Mobile
The minimum number of licenses is 20 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization, not per server, not
per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machine/server, without any limitation.
Oracle Scorecard and Strategy Management, including:
• a restricted use for WebLogic Server Standard Edition to be used in conjunction with Scorecard and
Strategy Management only.
The minimum number of licenses is 20 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization, not per server, not
per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machine/server, without any limitation.
In April 2011, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Mobile
The minimum number of licenses for these programs is 25 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization,
not per server, not per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machines/servers without any
limitation.
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
2015 offerings In October 2015, Oracle introduced:
Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Extended Edition, including:
• Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition
• Answers
• Interactive Dashboard
• Delivers
• Business Intelligence Publisher
• 1 Named User Plus license of Server Administrator
In addition, a restricted use license for WebLogic Server Standard Edition to be used in conjunction with the
Oracle Business Intelligence components of the Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Extended Edition
programs only was introduced.
The minimum number of licenses for these programs is 20 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization,
not per server, not per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machines/servers without any
limitation.
Business Intelligence Suite Foundation Edition including:
• Business Intelligence Suite Extended Edition
• Scorecard and Strategy Management
• Essbase Plus
• Business Intelligence Mobile.
The minimum number of licenses is 20 Named User Plus licenses (not per organization, not per server, not
per Processor). The program could be deployed on any machine/server, without any limitation.
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Conclusion The number of changes with regards to the products and/or components that are included in the different
Business Intelligence programs and the minimum number of licenses required (depending on the moment
when the licenses may have been purchased) is difficult for many end users to keep track off.
If you look at the changes put through by Oracle, you do see that Oracle has included more programs in its
Business Intelligence licenses to add more value (e.g. WebLogic) and have been lowering its minimum
number of licenses (e.g. from 50 Named User Plus to 20 Named User Plus).
The changes as put through come down to the fact that Oracle changed its licensing and pricing for Business
Intelligence programs to add more value to a smaller price (lower minimum number of licenses) having a
better position to compete with its competitors (e.g. IBM Cognos, Tableau, SAP Business Objects, etc.).
Still getting confused with all these terms, conditions, restrictions, included products & components with
restricted and/or full-use use rights? Do you need help? Feel free to reach out to us and let us support you!
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LICENSING ORACLE BI PROGRAMS – DID YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE CHANGES?
About the author – Roxana Stoenescu “Do your best until you know better. Then do better!” - Maya Angelou
Roxana is our software entitlement specialist focused on the education of clients on licensing issues with Oracle, SAP and Microsoft.
In her role, she works with customers to assist them in understanding and improving their Software Environment by reviewing their software license agreements and provide them advice regarding legal and financial risks.
Contact Roxana: [email protected]
We share our knowledge, so you can focus on the facts! Do you want to know more about different related license management topics, we have a selection of white papers available through www.b-lay.com. If you are in need of extra expertise and a structured approach, feel free to contact B-lay. We will help you make software compliance an exciting opportunity to improve your business!
About B-lay B-lay is a specialist in software license management and provides services around software compliance, software audits, software asset management tools and insight in software spend. Our services offer organizations worldwide insight into the risks associated with software licenses, help prevent license compliance issues and help create considerable cost savings by optimizing their licensing position. B-lay was founded in 2008 and has offices in the Netherlands, Romania and the US.
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