Which licensing regulations are crucial when licensing Oracle software in data recovery scenarios?

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Oracle differentiates two main data recovery scenarios:

  1. Data Recovery using Clustered Environments
  2. Data Recovery Environments using Copying, Synchronizing or Mirroring

Data Recovery using Clustered Environments

a) Failover Data Recovery This is an “active”/”passive” scenario, where a cluster of multiple servers/nodes is combined to a Single Storage Array (SAN). One node is “actively” running the Oracle software. A second node is idle, thus “passive”, and is only used in case of breakdown or maintenance of the first “active” node. You are entitled to use this scenario up to 10 days per calender year without purchasing additional licenses. This “10 day rule” only applies if the servers are all connected to the same storage array.

b) High Availability Recovery In this scenario, the software runs “actively” on both nodes. Both servers need to be fully licensed. Please note: Oracle software is already assumed “active” when the binaries are copied to the server. Moreover, both servers have to licensed with the same metrics and for the same options.

Data Recovery Environments using Copying, Synchronizing or Mirroring

This scenario is focused on disaster recovery and the synchronizing of two separate environments. Therefore, the Oracle software is deployed on a second server which is typically not clustered with the productive server. In this scenario, both servers are to be fully licensed with the same metrics and for the same options, even if the second server is “passive”.

Source: official Oracle Licensing Data Recovery Environments document. The document may not be reproduced, but can be accessed here (retrieved 2018-03-26).