Cloudera on premises licensing covers the Cloudera software that customers install and run in their own data centres or self-managed infrastructure. Cloudera now calls this deployment model Cloudera on premises, made up of two products: Cloudera Base on premises and Cloudera Data Services on premises.[2] Until 2025 they were sold as CDP Private Cloud Base and CDP Private Cloud Data Services. Each is an annual subscription that combines the right to use the software with Support Services at a chosen level.[3] The subscription is measured in Cloudera Compute Units (CCUs) and, since February 2025 for Cloudera Base on premises and Cloudera Streaming, in Data Under Management.[2]
Cloudera Base on premises provides the storage, security and governance layer (HDFS or the Ozone object store with SDX) and the traditional cluster services such as Spark, Hive, Impala, HBase and Kafka. Cloudera Data Services on premises runs containerised data warehouse, data engineering and AI services on Kubernetes (Cloudera Embedded Container Service or OpenShift) and relies on Base for storage and governance.[10]
Editions
Cloudera Base on premises is sold in four named editions as well as the full platform. For each edition the Subscription Specific Terms list the components that are licensed and supported. The download package contains more components, and the terms say that only the listed ones are licensed.[3] Catalog proof: Downloaded components outside the edition are not licensed.
| Edition or offering | Licensed components (selection)[3] | Catalog row |
|---|---|---|
| Base on premises - Data Engineering Edition | HDFS, Hive, Spark, Livy, Oozie, Ranger, Atlas, Search; no Impala, Kudu or HBase | Cloudera Base on premises - Data Engineering Edition |
| Base on premises - Data Warehouse Edition | HDFS, Hive, Impala, Kudu, HBase, Navigator Encrypt; no Spark | Cloudera Base on premises - Data Warehouse Edition |
| Base on premises - Essentials Edition | Same component list as the Data Warehouse Edition in the 2026-03-10 terms | Cloudera Base on premises - Essentials Edition |
| Base on premises - Operational Database Edition | HBase, Accumulo, Spark, Knox, Search, HDFS, Hive | Cloudera Base on premises - Operational Database Edition |
| Data Services (Classic) | Data Services on premises; other components in the package excluded | Cloudera Data Services on premises - Data Services (Classic) |
| AI Inference Service, AI Workbench Service | The named service only | Cloudera Data Services on premises - AI Inference Service, Cloudera Data Services on premises - AI Workbench Service |
| Cloudera Streaming on premises | Kafka, Kafka Connect, Schema Registry, Streams Messaging Manager, Streams Replication Manager, Flink, SQL Stream Builder | Cloudera Streaming on premises |
| Cloudera Flow Management | NiFi, NiFi Registry, Edge Flow Manager and up to 5 MiNiFi Agents | Cloudera Flow Management |
Every Cloudera Base on premises edition and Data Services (Classic) includes access to Cloudera Observability Essential, an online service, at no additional charge.[3] Catalog proof: Observability Essential included with Base and Data Services subscriptions.
Some offerings depend on others. Cloudera AI requires a current Data Services (Classic) subscription for the whole Cloudera AI term, and may need dedicated CCUs beyond the Classic subscription. If Classic expires first, the Cloudera AI rights terminate without refund.[3] Data Visualization on premises can be used only with Cloudera Base on premises or Data Services (Classic) subscriptions.[3] Catalog proof: Cloudera AI requires a Data Services (Classic) subscription.
Metrics
Cloudera Compute Unit. ““Cloudera Compute Unit” or “CCU” means a combination of Cores and RAM.” For a Node it is the number of cores divided by six plus the memory in GB divided by 12.[1] Data Services on premises, AI Inference and AI Workbench are priced on the CCUs “contained in the hardware configuration across Customer’s cluster or environment”.[3] The Streaming and Flow Management Operators for Kubernetes are instead priced on the maximum CCU capacity the customer is licensed to use.[3] Catalog proof: CCU equals cores divided by six plus RAM in GB divided by 12; Data Services on premises charged on compute only; Kubernetes Operators licensed on maximum CCU capacity.
Data Under Management. The total terabytes of data that Cloudera Products “are configured, programmed or otherwise setup to access, even if such data originates from or resides on a system or product not provided by Cloudera”.[1] A terabyte is 1,024 gigabytes. Cloudera says the metric “captures the value customers derive from maintaining data on the Cloudera Platform”, while Compute covers processing.[2] The related Capacity Under Management metric counts usable storage capacity on Storage Volumes and excludes RAID parity and system reserves.[1] Catalog proof: Data Under Management includes data on non-Cloudera systems.
Node and Core. Before February 2025 Cloudera Base on premises and Streaming were priced on nodes. Cloudera says it moved away from them because node “capacity can vary significantly”.[2] Node and Core remain defined metrics and appear on older Order Forms.[1] Catalog proof: Base on premises and Streaming priced on Compute and Data Under Management.
Users and agents. Cloudera AI and Data Science Workbench use Unique Identifier blocks, with Administrative Users limited to installing and administering. Data Visualization uses Business Users, and Edge Management counts running MiNiFi Agents, of which several may run on one device.[1] A Unique Identifier cannot be shared or used concurrently, but it can be reassigned when its holder no longer needs access.[1] Catalog proof: Unique Identifiers cannot be shared but can be reassigned.
GPU units. GPU Acceleration is licensed per Cloudera GPU Unit. CGUs apply only to Cloudera Base on premises, Cloudera Data Services on premises and Cloudera Data Science Workbench.[2] Cloudera sets the CGUs per GPU model. In the current table most NVIDIA models count as one CGU, and Hopper (H100, H200) and Blackwell (B100, B200, B300) count as two.[7] Catalog proof: CGUs per GPU are set by Cloudera by model.
Counting / floors
Worked CCU example. A worker node with 64 cores and 512 GB of RAM counts as 64/6 + 512/12 = 10.67 + 42.67 = 53.3 CCUs under the published formula.[1] Because memory carries one unit per 12 GB and cores one unit per six cores, memory-heavy nodes produce more CCUs than core-heavy nodes of similar cost. The Licensed Metrics page does not say whether CCUs are rounded or how fractional results are treated. That is set in the Order Form.
One Metric per cluster. All subscriptions for a given cluster, except user subscriptions, “must be for the same Cloudera Software and Support Services entitlements, and be procured according to the same Metric”. Individual add-on products may be entitled at Node level.[4] The Support Services Policy repeats that each cluster must have the same platform product and support level.[5] The Streaming add-on to Cloudera Base on premises must be bought “for the entire cluster” in which it is installed.[3] Catalog proof: Every subscription in a cluster must use the same entitlements and Metric; Streaming add-on must cover the entire cluster.
All systems covered. While a customer holds an active subscription, it agrees that all computer systems on which it has deployed Cloudera Products are covered by an active subscription.[5] A development or disaster-recovery cluster running the same software is therefore not outside the count because it carries no production workload. Catalog proof: All systems running Cloudera Products must be covered by a subscription.
Growth during the term. Order Form lines labelled “Compute” or “Storage” are variable fees set from the hardware configuration on the Order Form date. The customer must report hardware upgrades that take capacity above the stated Capacity Limitations.[6] Fees for added Nodes start on their installation date, and fees for increased Capacity Under Management or Unique Identifiers start when the increase happened, “whether used or not”.[4] Catalog proof: Hardware upgrades above Capacity Limitations must be reported; Fees for capacity above the Order Form run from installation.
Virtualization & partitioning
A Node is “a physical Server or a Virtual Machine that runs Cloudera Products”. A Core is the basic processing unit of a physical CPU or of a VM’s vCPU. With hyperthreading or virtualization enabled, each hyperthreaded or virtual core counts, and the count is the highest of the virtual, physical or hyperthreaded cores in use.[1] A host with 32 physical cores and hyperthreading enabled therefore presents 64 Cores for counting. A VM is measured on its own vCPUs and memory, not its host’s. Hardware partitions and blades are separate servers.[1] Catalog proof: Hyperthreaded and virtual cores each count as a Core; A Node is a physical Server or a Virtual Machine; Hardware partitions and blades are separate servers.
Containerised Data Services count CCUs across the hardware configuration of the Kubernetes environment. Kubernetes Operators count the licensed maximum CCU capacity.[3]
Registration, licence keys and asset reports
Cloudera Manager enforces licences technically. It accepts either an uploaded licence file or a one-time 60-day trial. When a licence expires, the Admin console cannot be used to manage clusters until a valid licence is uploaded, though clusters, data and jobs continue to run.[12] Catalog proof: Expired licence locks the Cloudera Manager Admin console; The 60-day trial can be used only once.
From Cloudera Manager 7.13.2 SP1 and Cloudera Runtime 7.3.2 SP1, applying a “Version 2 (V2) license key” triggers mandatory cluster registration. Registration “validates your environment against your software entitlements”. A cluster not registered within 60 days of creation or of applying the key enters a Locked state. In that state services cannot be started or restarted and configuration cannot be changed, but running workloads continue.[8] Clusters must be re-registered whenever a renewed key is applied. Decommissioned clusters should be deregistered to release their entitlements.[8] The Order Form Supplemental Terms make registration a contractual obligation for clusters on Cloudera Manager 7.13.2 or later.[6] Catalog proof: Clusters on Cloudera Manager 7.13.2 or later must be registered; Unregistered clusters are Locked after 60 days.
Since Cloudera Manager 7.11.3, Cloudera Manager also sends Cloudera a periodic asset report with cluster version and size metadata, which “Cloudera can use … to understand the customer’s use of Cloudera Products concerning License Metrics”.[9] Air-gapped customers must send the report manually for all clusters by the last day of each calendar quarter. Cloudera may invoice excess subscription fees that the reports reveal.[6] Catalog proof: Air-gapped sites must send asset reports quarterly; Asset reports are used to measure License Metrics. In practice, the asset report gives Cloudera a quarterly view of cluster size, and that view can be compared with the Order Form without a separate audit.
Cloud / BYOL
Cloudera on premises software can run on infrastructure the customer manages in a public cloud. The Licensed Metrics definitions apply to Virtual Machines in the same way as to physical servers.[1] That is different from Cloudera on cloud, which is metered per CCU-hour or CCU-minute and paid from credits. See Cloudera on cloud consumption and credits.
Programs
- Cluster Registration and asset reporting. Contractual and technical compliance reporting.[6]
- Cloudera Base on premises 60-day trial. One trial per installation; it cannot be restarted.[12]
- Long Term Support. Cloudera Base on premises 7.3.2 (GA March 2026) has a planned End of Support of March 2032, and 7.1.9 has October 2028.[11]
- Reinstatement fee. Back-dated fees plus 20% after a lapse.[5]
Out of scope
- Prices. The pricing page lists on premises offerings as “Contact Sales for pricing”.[10]
- The exact CCU, Data Under Management or Node quantities and any rounding in a customer’s Order Form.
- Cloudera on cloud metering and credits, covered in Cloudera on cloud consumption and credits.
- Contract, audit and legacy CDH and HDP terms, covered in Cloudera subscription terms, audit and software access.