Big Red and Microsoft roll out Azure database services for more mainstream Oracle users

Oracle is expanding its database services on hyperscale clouds outside of its muscle-car Exadata system.

Earlier today, Microsoft said it plans to expand Oracle Database@Azure running on OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) in Azure datacenters to include Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition 2 versions of 19c and 23ai on virtual machines.

This includes automated database lifecycle management, which Microsoft said allows "reduced administration, low-code application development for faster deployment, and independently scalable compute and storage with pay-as-you-go pricing for flexible workload demands."

It said these new database services would be available "soon."

Microsoft and Oracle first rolled out their agreement to offer shared custody of customer workloads in the cloud in 2022 - initially conceived as offering access to the high-end Exadata and Autonomous Database systems as a service to Azure users.

This week, Microsoft said an expansion of that service was now generally available. It includes the Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure through the Azure Marketplace via a custom private offer or pay-as-you-go model, with the option of using Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC).

It said existing Oracle Database customers could also bring their own license (BYOL) or use Oracle's Unlimited License Agreements (ULAs) if they have signed them. Licensing experts have noted these come with a health warning.

In a statement, Microsoft said: "With Exascale infrastructure, organizations only pay for the compute and storage resources used starting with a low, highly affordable minimum size - all within Azure's trusted cloud ecosystem."

Microsoft Azure was the first cloud hyperscaler to offer an Oracle database service in 2022. Google followed in June 2024 with Oracle Database@Google Cloud, while Oracle Database@AWS was announced in September. Both of these are limited to Exadata.

At the time, one expert said the partnerships promised to address some of the challenges of migrating Oracle Real Application Clusters. However, they warned that with the deals' complexity, there was a risk of licensing issues being handled incorrectly. Another pointed out that services, such as AI, might be introduced as part of the package in the early days but charged for separately as things matures. ®