Dataiku licenses its platform for building, deploying and governing analytics, machine learning models, AI agents and other data products. Dataiku describes the software as the enterprise orchestration layer for designing, building, deploying and governing AI models, agents and other data products through a single platform.[1] The software appears in the documentation as Dataiku DSS.[8] Licensing is contract and entitlement based: the amount a customer may use is fixed by an Order, a licence file, or both, and Dataiku does not publish a price list or part numbers.
For a software asset manager the practical questions are which delivery model is in place (self-managed, Dataiku Cloud or Cloud Stacks), which user profiles and how many seats of each were bought, which optional nodes and add-ons are included, and which agreement governs the deployment. This article gives the map; the linked articles cover each area in depth.
Editions and delivery models
The Dataiku documentation lists three main ways to set up the platform. Dataiku Cloud is hosted by Dataiku, which provides free trials and paying hosted plans, with data and compute held on Dataiku’s cloud. Dataiku Cloud Stacks deploys a managed Dataiku setup in the customer’s own cloud tenant on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud, and the documentation states that Dataiku does not have access to the customer’s data in that setup. A custom install means downloading the software and installing it on the customer’s own Linux server, either on premises or on any cloud.[8]
The legal documents follow the same split. Self-managed software is “Dataiku Installed Software” and is governed by the Dataiku License Terms, with a Support Policy and regional local law addenda.[12] Dataiku Cloud has its own Cloud Terms, a Cloud Support Policy, a Data Processing Addendum and a Cloud Security Addendum.[4] For Cloud Stacks, the licence is entered in Fleet Manager (see Dataiku Cloud and Cloud Stacks).
Free Edition, trials and named editions
Dataiku DSS starts as a Free Edition if the installer is run without a licence file, and a licence file can be entered at any time.[7] For the Free Edition the licence is generated automatically when a form is completed the first time the product starts and never needs updating.[6] Dataiku’s trial page offers the Free Edition for installation on Mac, GNU/Linux and Windows, and describes the Windows version as experimental.[9] A separate 14-day trial runs on Dataiku Cloud without a credit card and includes every feature except Govern and advanced LLM Mesh; the page states limits of a space with 2 users, an API node with 1 API service, 4 CPUs and 32 GiB of elastic compute.[9] After the trial the cloud instance is deactivated.[9]
Paid tiers carry edition names that differ by channel. Dataiku announced in March 2023 that its SaaS offering, formerly Dataiku Online, became Dataiku Cloud with Discover, Business, Enterprise and Dedicated editions.[10] The Support Policy refers to Enterprise/Advanced, Business/Standard and Discover/Basic editions, which shows that the older and newer edition names coexist in contract documents.[3] A 2019 press release described a Lite Edition starting at $3,000 per month and noted that editions have since been updated, so it is historical and should not be used for current entitlements.[11]
Metrics
Three constructs measure use.
- User profile seats. Each DSS user has one user profile, and the documentation states that licences are restricted in number of each profile.[5] See User profile seat and Dataiku user profiles and seats.
- Named Users. The License Terms define a Named User as a User identified individually by name, registered and distinct from concurrent users; counts refer to Named Users, not concurrent users.[1] See Named User.
- Capacity and credits. On Dataiku Cloud, Elastic AI Compute is limited by CPU, GB of RAM and parallel activities.[13] AI features use Monthly Included Usage per paid Designer seat and Dataiku AI Credits beyond it.[14]
Counting and floors
The License Terms do not state a minimum purchase. They define the “Scope of Use” as the authorised scope specified in the Order, which may include any user, copy, instance or other restrictions.[1] The licence grant is limited to installing, copying and using the Software on systems under the customer’s control for internal business purposes, including deployment of customer-created models or data products.[1] Because the Order is the unit of entitlement, a customer’s own Order and licence file determine counts; the public documents do not.
Several production components are not part of every licence. The installation documentation states that using the automation node,[16] the API node[17] or the Deployer node[18] requires a specific DSS licence and tells readers to contact Dataiku. See Automation node, API node and Deployer node.
Virtualization and partitioning
Dataiku’s public documents do not set a virtualization or partitioning licence rule. Entitlement is not tied to processor or core counts in the documents reviewed; it follows the Order’s Scope of Use, which may include instance or copy limits.[1] Where a customer’s Order uses instance limits, container and elastic compute deployment details should be checked against that Order. Resource caps such as the default of five simultaneous activities on a self-managed instance, which administrators can change, are described in the documentation as execution limits rather than licence metrics.[19]
Cloud and BYOL
Dataiku Cloud users are accounts that the customer provisions and manages, and the Cloud Terms hold the customer responsible for Users’ actions.[4] Cloud licensing is part of the subscription: the list of profiles and number of seats depend on the subscription, and the Launchpad shows subscription and plan details.[13] On Cloud Stacks the customer enters its own Dataiku licence or licence token, so entitlements follow the customer’s licence rather than a hosted plan. Dataiku’s trial page states that anyone interested in an on-premises or hybrid installation should contact its sales team.[9]
Programs
- Renewal. Each Subscription Term renews for successive periods with the same length, usage limits and fees unless a different renewal Order is agreed or either party gives non-renewal notice at least 30 days before the end.[1] Unless otherwise agreed, renewal fees are at Dataiku’s then-current rates regardless of earlier discounts.[1] See Subscription renewal.
- Support. Support runs in business hours at New York, Paris or Singapore, with updates included during the term and support for the current release plus any Major Version released in the prior 12 months.[3] See Standard Support.
- Trials and Betas. Free, trial, alpha or beta access is for internal evaluation for the designated period, or 30 days if none is designated.[1]
- Resellers. A customer buying through an authorised reseller is still governed by the License Terms; the Order details are those placed by the reseller.[1]
- AI add-ons. Custom LLM Mesh quotas need a licence with Advanced LLM Mesh,[15] and AI Services use included usage and credits (see LLM Mesh and AI Services).
Audits and compliance
The self-managed License Terms contain a verification clause. Within 30 days of Dataiku’s written request, the customer must certify in a writing signed by a senior compliance officer that its use complies with the agreement, including the Scope of Use, and must pay for past and ongoing excess use at the rates in the Order.[1] The software also collects and transmits Usage Data to Dataiku.[2] Dataiku’s documentation states that user profiles are not a security feature and that Dataiku gives no guarantee that a profile is strictly applied, so seat compliance depends on administrators assigning profiles correctly.[5] Customers cannot terminate for convenience; the FAQ says pricing reflects commitment to the agreed term.[2]
Out of scope
This article does not cover Dataiku’s open source projects, the pricing of individual deals, or the terms of third-party platforms and LLM providers used with Dataiku, which the License Terms state are governed by the customer’s agreements with those providers.[1] It also does not cover regional local law addenda in detail.