The text quoted by Gints is pretty much definitive, unless your site (or some of your databases) happen to be covered by a specially negotiated license agreement. Of course, rather than referring to the "Software Investment Guide" (which is helpful, but completely non-binding) you really should refer to the license agreement itself. In this particular case, the language is pretty much in agreement, I think. The restrictions stated in the license are pretty clear. Basically: (*) Only one "passive" node per cluster is exempt from being licensed. (*) The rule applies *only* to clusters with shared disks. (Clusters built, for example, with software / firmware mirroring between two storage arrays do *not* qualify under this section of the license.) (*) The "passive" node can only be activated on ten *individual* days, or parts thereof, in any calendar year. (But it does not say *whose*calendar. :-) ) Although it is not (quite) stated here, a one-hour activation of the passive node starting at 23:30 on January 31 and ending at 00:30 on February 1 will count as *two* days! (It may have been more accurate here to say "calendar date" rather than "day".) (*) Running any oracle licensed programs (with occasional exclusions such as clusterware, I believe) on the passive node constitutes an "activation". Starting an instance -- or even starting a listener -- counts, even if you do not *mount* or *open* the database. (Of course, you must read the license for yourself -- don't rely on me to get it right. I may be stupid, illiterate, or just simply *wrong*, and I will accept no blame whatsoever if any combination of these proves to be the case.) People contemplating active/passive clusters may want to consider carefully how they plan to monitor (and prove) their compliance with their license agreement. Note: there are similar provisions (with differing details) for running Oracle software on an (otherwise) unlicensed server for the purpose of testing the recovery of backups. There, you are limited to 4 calendar dates per calendar year, if I recall correctly. Curiously, the license says nothing about timezones. :-) (well, nothing that I have noticed.) On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 7:48 AM, Shaw, John <john.shaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote: > If the node is up and oracle is running - Oracle says it has to be > licensed. > > -----Original Message----- > From: D'Hooge Freek [mailto:Freek.DHooge@xxxxxxxxx] > Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:44 AM > To: ChrisDavid.Taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 'Oracle L' > Subject: RE: Failsafe + Active/Passive + Licensing > > Chris, > X-archive-position: 25125 > X-ecartis-version: Ecartis v1.0.0 > Sender: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Errors-to: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > X-original-sender: Freek.DHooge@xxxxxxxxx > Precedence: normal > Reply-to: Freek.DHooge@xxxxxxxxx > List-help: <mailto:ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=help> > List-unsubscribe: <oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=unsubscribe> > List-software: Ecartis version 1.0.0 > List-Id: oracle-l <oracle-l.freelists.org> > X-List-ID: oracle-l <oracle-l.freelists.org> > List-subscribe: <oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=subscribe> > List-owner: <mailto:steve.adams@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > List-post: <mailto:oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > List-archive: <//www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l> > X-list: oracle-l > > You can indeed only run for 10 days on the other node. > I remember that there where some more restrictions on how the 10 days where > filled in, but I don't remember what they are. I think it had something to > do that each failover counted as an entire day, even it you would run only 1 > hour on the other node. But I'm not sure. > > > Regards, > > > Freek D'Hooge > Uptime > Oracle Database Administrator > email: freek.dhooge@xxxxxxxxx > tel +32(0)3 451 23 82 > http://www.uptime.be > disclaimer: www.uptime.be/disclaimer > > > ________________________________________ > From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > On Behalf Of Taylor, Chris David > Sent: vrijdag 29 januari 2010 15:15 > To: 'Oracle L' > Subject: Failsafe + Active/Passive + Licensing > > Guys/gals, > > What is your understanding of Oracle licensing regarding Actve/Passive > nodes in a Failsafe environment? > > It was my understanding that only the Active server had to be licensed, and > the license went with the Active node so you could failover and run on the > formerly passive node without violating any license agreements. > > Recently I've read that you can only run on the formerly passive node for > 10 consecutive days. I thought the Proc license would cover either node > that was Active and it didn't matter as long as the other node was Passive. > > > http://www.oracleonwindows.co.uk/resources/Shared/Database/Shared%20Database%20licensing/oracle%20licensing%20may%202008.pdf > > Thoughts? > > Chris Taylor > Sr. Oracle DBA > Ingram Barge Company > Nashville, TN 37205 > Office: 615-517-3355 > Cell: 615-354-4799 > Email: chris.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential > and may also be privileged. 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