10.1.1 Oracle Capacity-on-Demand for Database Servers

Oracle allows users to limit the number of active cores in the database servers in order to restrict the number of required database software licenses. The reduction of processor cores is implemented during software installation using Oracle Exadata Database Machine Deployment Assistant (OEDA). The number of active cores can be increased at a later time, when more capacity is needed, but not decreased. The number of active processor cores must be the same on every socket of a database server.

Capacity-on-demand differs from Oracle Exadata Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) as follows:

• The number of active cores for capacity-on-demand cannot be decreased after initial installation.

• Software licenses are only needed for the active cores when using capacity-on-demand.

Note:

Reducing the number of active cores lowers the initial software licensing cost. It does not change the hardware cost.

See Also:

• Oracle Exadata Database Machine Maintenance Guide for information about increasing the number of active cores

• Oracle Exadata Database Machine Licensing Information User's Guide for information about licensing and restrictions