* Software licensing in the age of dual-core processors
The advent of the first dual-core processors from Intel has sent independent software vendors scrambling to re-evaluate the licensing plans for their software.
Both Oracle and VMware, an EMC company, last week unveiled licensing for customers using servers with dual-core processors. VMware will license its software by the socket, so software running on a dual-core machine will require just one license.
Oracle’s licensing http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/071405-oracle-licensing.html?rl is more complicated. It consists of multiplying the number of cores by 0.75. For instance, a chip with eight cores and four sockets would require a six-processor license. But if, for instance, a customer is using a 10-core, five-socket server, multiplying by 0.75 would result in 7.5 licenses. In that case, Oracle would round up to eight licenses and charge the customer for the difference.
Microsoft http://www.networkworld.com/news/2004/1019micronoex.html?rl, Novell and Red Hat price their software on a per-socket basis – the simplest model for customers to follow. IBM only licenses software for its x86-based servers this way. For its PowerPC-based servers it licenses software by the number of cores.
VMware’s licensing makes all kinds of sense, considering that the company’s whole mode of operations is to virtualize physical servers and make it seem to users that they have more processing power available to them.
Oracle’s licensing is more confusing and adds to an already complicated licensing scheme. As other ISVs address this issue http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/061305-software-licensing.html?rl, I hope they will evolve toward socket-based licensing. It makes it easier for users with limited IT budgets to absorb.
