Here's something that I read today that I found to be quite fascinating. http://tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_result_detail.asp?id=109012001 Its a tpc-c report for an HP DL 380 G5 server, loaded up with four x six-core processors. It ran Oracle Standard Edition of the database server software, licensed for 4 processors. Here is another report: http://tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_result_detail.asp?id=109022301 Its a Dell PE2900 running Oracle Standard Edition One, with a single quad core processor. Intel Xeon X7460 - 2.67 GHz This is a single die processor, not some cobbled together pair of dual core cassettes. It was licensed for a single processor of Oracle Standard Edition One of the Oracle database server software. One more: http://tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_result_detail.asp?id=107111201 HP ProLiant ML370 G5 Oracle Database 10g Standard Edition One 2 processor sockets, a total of 8 cores. It was licensed for a pair of processors of Oracle Standard Edition One of the Oracle database server software. The only reason that I brought this overly tiresome subject up (multi-core licensing) was that just this week an Oracle salesperson stated that for "Intel chips" that the license metric was not: "*When licensing Oracle programs with Standard Edition One or Standard Edition in the product name, a processor is counted equivalent to an occupied socket." as is clearly displayed in the publicly available software investment guide and in the tpc reports listed above. IBM has an ad mentioning how many hours a year are wasted in traffic. I wonder how many man-years are wasted each year in trying to get a straight, correct answer regarding Oracle Database Server software licensing. Yes, if we were to get straight answers, the policies would change and everything would be out the window for the next 3 months ... again. Paul ( I wouldn't touch that with a 40 foot pole) Drake