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Standard Edition 2 – Second version

Standard Edition 2 (SE2) Available

Time has come. As already announced in July and rejected few days later (see Blog http://www.carajandb.com/en/blogs/blog-jahrends-en/230-standard-edition-2-en) on September 1st Oracle releases Standard Edition 2 as version 12.1.0.2 (Download at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/index.html).

What does that mean?

First of all all customers using the Standard Edition can finally perform the upgrade to Oracle 12c version 12.1.0.2. But therefore they need a Standard Edition Two Licence, which however is at the same price as the “old” Standard Edition acoording to Oracle Technology Global Price List September 1, 2015. So a migration is free for those customers. However it is different with customers using the Standard Edition One. For those additional costs arise with a migration to the Standard Edition Two. Currently Oracle talks about a 20 percent uplist on the support fee.

The Standard Edition Two has some limitations:

  1. Two sockets maximum (4 before)
  2. 16 Threads maximum (umlimited before). Be aware that Hyperthreading counts!
  3. Oracle RAC can be used, but again limited to two sockets and 16 threads.

The number of threads here is a “hard limit”, which means that an Oracle Standard Edition 2 database cannot use more than 16 Threads, but it is allowed for the server to support more than 16 threads. So if more than one Oracle Database is set up on a server, more than 16 threads can consequentely be used as well.

The support of Standard Edition and Standard Edition One expires in August 2016 with version 12.1.0.1. Until that point there will still be Patches for this version as well. And both Standard Edition and Standard Edition One will be available for selling until November 30th 2015.

Find more information at My Oracle Support in the document “Oracle Database 12c Standard Edition 2 (12.1.0.2) (Doc ID 2027072.1)” and in the Licensing Guide (http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/pricing/databaselicensing-070584.pdf).

Advantages and Disadvantages

Standard Edition One customers might be interested in using Oracle RAC for increasing the availability of their Oracle databases. The addition fee is minimal compared to the advantages they have with RAC.

But customers using Standard Edition on servers with 4 Sockets (regardless if they are used or not) will have to migrate their licenses to Enterprise Edition which is indeed a huge uplift on the price. Comparing prices for a DELL PowerEdge M820 with 8 core processors the price increases from $ 70,000.00 to 760,000.00 (based on the current Oracle list price). And even then RAC is no longer included.

Installation of Standard Edition 2

Even though the download is available since September 1st 2015, the base release is the same as for the Enterprise Edition. So to be up to date you have to add the July 2015 PSU as well.

The software comes in two packages (file 1 and 2) and they have to be unpacked into one single directory. If you want to set up a RAC Database you have to download the grid infrastructure software from the enterprise edition link.

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That’s it mainly for the software installation.

Database Configuration

As I have already written some blogs around Multitenant Database I would recommend that you create a Single Tenant Database instead of the “old” NON-CDB as there is no reason why you shouldn’t.

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In this example I’ve created a Container database (CDB) JOHNCDB with a pluggable database named JOHN. This might not be a bad idea for the naming convention in Standard Edition as you have no chance to create more pluggable databases. But keep in mind that there is still a limitation of 8 characters for the database name (db_name) parameter.

Nevertheless with the new database configuration assistant you should be able to create your Single tenant database with only few mouse clicks.

After you’ve created your exciting new database you should first save the state of the pluggable database (new in 12.1.0.2). If the PDB is in mounted state you need to open it first read-write:

SQL> ALTER PLUGGABLE DATABASE JOHN OPEN; 
SQL> ALTER PLUGGABLE DATABASE JOHN SAVE STATE;

And don’t forget to run datapatch because as I’ve already mentioned in the blog “Oracle 12c Datapatch” you have to execute datapatch even if you installed a brand new database.

What if you try to create an additional pluggable database? Will that work?

SQL> CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE john2
       ADMIN USER pdb_admin IDENTIFIED BY manager;
CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE john2 ADMIN USER pdb_admin IDENTIFIED BY manager;
* ERROR at line 1: ORA-65010: maximum number of pluggable databases created

Or with Toad (in German 😉

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Again there is no reason why you shouldn’t use the new single tenant architecture and you are now – with the newest available Oracle release – ready for the future!

DOAG Training Day 2015: “Oracle 12c Database Installation and Configuration”

If you want to learn more about the installation and configuration of Standard Edition 2 or the Enterprise Edition, as well, visit our training at the DOAG Conference 2015. Find more information (in German) here: http://www.doag.org/de/events/konferenzen/doag-2015/schulungstag.html#c9814

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