Oracle Database@AWS: Is It The Right Move For You?

By Cam Coulson, Managing Director

As cloud adoption continues to grow, organizations are looking for efficient ways to run their mission-critical workloads. Oracle Database@AWS is a powerful solution that enables businesses to leverage the scalability, security, and flexibility of Amazon Web Services while maintaining the robust capabilities of Oracle databases. This combination allows enterprises to optimize their database operations, reduce costs, and enhance performance. Whether companies are looking to migrate their existing Oracle workloads or build new applications, Oracle Database@AWS offers a range of deployment options tailored to different business needs.

What is Oracle Database@AWS?

Oracle Database@AWS is a service that allows organizations to run Oracle Database workloads directly within AWS data centers, providing a seamless and fully integrated experience. It is the result of a collaboration between Oracle and AWS, offering enterprises the ability to run Oracle Exadata natively in the Amazon Cloud. This means businesses can take advantage of AWS’s extensive infrastructure and Oracle’s high-performance database capabilities without compromising on security, reliability, or scalability. Whether a company is looking to migrate existing databases or set up new cloud-based Oracle applications, this service provides a flexible and efficient way to manage data-intensive workloads.

Oracle Database@AWS represents an exciting step forward for organizations looking to deploy Oracle in the cloud. However, many businesses struggle to determine exactly how it fits into their broader AWS strategy. Successfully integrating Oracle Database@AWS requires careful consideration of key factors such as licensing, workload suitability, migration strategies, and the right platform choice to balance performance with cost efficiency.

Understanding Licensing on AWS

One of the most significant concerns when moving Oracle workloads to AWS is licensing. Many organizations wonder whether their existing licenses are transferable. The good news? In most cases, they are. Oracle customers currently running Exadata can typically use the same licensing on AWS. However, there may be opportunities to optimize or even reduce licensing costs during the transition. Working with TekStream or another expert can help organizations assess their licensing needs and explore potential savings when moving to AWS.

Oracle licensing on AWS requires organizations to comply with Oracle’s policies regarding cloud infrastructure usage. It’s important to understand the nuances of Bring Your Own License (BYOL) and the different AWS infrastructure options, such as Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS for Oracle, and Oracle Licensing Included options on AWS. Selecting the appropriate licensing model and properly allocating resources can significantly impact cost efficiency and compliance.

TekStream has found that many customers can run in a hybrid model where they license BYOL Oracle Database for high performance workloads but other AWS offerings for less-critical workloads.

Selecting the Right Workloads for AWS

Not all workloads are an ideal fit for Oracle Database@AWS. While the platform offers immense power and scalability, some organizations may be deploying workloads that don’t require such high-performance capabilities. For these scenarios, alternative solutions such as Oracle RDS on AWS may be a better fit. Oracle RDS can help businesses save on costs, streamline database management, and reduce licensing complexity while still maintaining optimal performance for certain workloads.

Some key workload considerations include:

Mission-Critical Applications: If your workloads require ultra-low latency, high availability, and enterprise-grade performance, Oracle Exadata on AWS may be the best choice.

Development and Testing Environments: For organizations looking to optimize costs while maintaining Oracle compatibility, deploying Oracle RDS for test environments can be a cost-effective solution.

Licensing Concerns: You can likely save money by deploying this to a hybrid model of Oracle Database@AWS and AWS Oracle RDS options that are lower cost.

Analytics and Reporting: Oracle Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence workloads may benefit from AWS’s native analytics tools, such as Amazon Redshift, depending on the complexity and performance needs of the workloads.

Evaluating the Best Fit for Your Needs

Organizations should carefully evaluate their database infrastructure to determine the best approach for migrating to AWS. Key questions to consider include:

Is Oracle Database@AWS the right level of power for my workloads, or would a more cost-effective solution suffice?

What licensing changes might be required to ensure compliance and cost efficiency?

What’s the best migration strategy to minimize downtime and optimize performance?

How will Oracle databases integrate with existing AWS-native services, such as AWS Lambda, Amazon S3, or AWS Glue?

It is also crucial to plan for the technical architecture, including security best practices, performance tuning, and database replication strategies. AWS offers a variety of storage and networking options, and selecting the right architecture can make a significant impact on performance and cost.

How TekStream Can Help

Migrating to Oracle Database@AWS can be complex, but TekStream can guide organizations through the process. We help businesses assess their current Oracle environment and determine the most effective migration strategy. AWS can help buy funding this work for qualifying customers through their Oracle Optimization and License Assessment (OLA) program, which can provide further insights into licensing restructuring and cost-saving opportunities at no charge to your organization.

TekStream’s services include:

Oracle Workload Assessment: Analyzing your workloads to determine the best fit on AWS.

License Optimization: Identifying ways to reduce Oracle licensing costs and improve efficiency.

Migration Planning and Execution: Providing a step-by-step approach to moving Oracle databases to AWS with minimal downtime.

Performance Tuning: Ensuring optimal performance and cost savings post-migration.

By leveraging our expertise and AWS’s specialized programs, your organization can confidently transition Oracle workloads to AWS while ensuring compliance, cost efficiency, and performance optimization.

Take the Next Step

If your organization is considering a move to Oracle Database@AWS and wants to explore licensing options, workload optimization, and migration strategies, reach out to TekStream today. Our team is here to help you make an informed decision and ensure a smooth transition to AWS while maximizing value and efficiency.

Interested in learning more? Contact TekStream today to get started.