WebLogic 12.2.1.4 software installation or upgrade, installs and configure Coherence cache in the domains

We are using silent installation to install WebLogic Server software based on a response file with “INSTALL_TYPE=WebLogic Server” but it looks like the coherence server is installed becuase when we start the WebLogic Server, the following can be seen in the WebLogic log files:

Oracle Coherence Version 12.2.1.4.0 Build 74888
Grid Edition: Development mode
Copyright (c) 2000, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
2020-01-03 14:18:45.334/42.467 Oracle Coherence GE 12.2.1.4.0  (thread=[ACTIVE] ExecuteThread: '5' for queue: 'weblogic.kernel.Default (self-tuning)', member=n/a): Configured versioned, multi-cluster Management over ReST

We have the same behavior when installing WebLogic Software using the GUI and selecting WebLogic only.

This was not the case with WebLogic 12.2.1.3.

As the Release Notes of Oracle WebLogic Server 12.2.1.4 documentation states, there is no option to deselect the coherence.

Installing the Oracle WebLogic Server and Coherence Software

About the Coherence Installation Type
For the WebLogic Server and Coherence standard installation topology, select the WebLogic Server installation type. When you select this installation type and use instructions in this guide, the standard installation topology includes a Coherence cluster that contains storage-enabled Managed Coherence Servers.

And below in the “Table 2-1 Oracle WebLogic Server and Coherence Installation Screens” we can see:

To create the standard installation topology for WebLogic Server and Coherence, select WebLogic Server.

Note:The Coherence gets installed with the WebLogic Server Installation and there is no option to deselect it under WebLogic Server.

I opened a ticket at Oracle support concerning my licensing concerns as we do have a few customers with WebLogic Basic licensing that do not included coherence. Here is the answer:

In an FMW 12c 12.2.1.x Infrastructure installation, there are no options for a Custom Installation and by default Coherence binaries will be installed during installation. A Bug/ER 25889430 has been created for this, and determined there was no action necessary. The Coherence binaries being installed by default it should not create any licensing issues from a Support perspective when installing and using the FMW 12c Infrastructure as documented. Oracle may install Coherence with an Infrastructure (including WebLogic Server Management Framework), but that does not mean a Coherence Enterprise Edition license needs to be purchased.

In Weblogic 12c Installation, there’s no option for Custom Install Type under which the installation of Coherence can be deselected with Weblogic Installation. By default, Coherence binaries will be installed during Weblogic 12c installation (unlike 11g, where there was an option to deselect Coherence under Custom Install Type) . The Coherence binaries shouldn’t create any problems until they are used. If desired, one can delete “Coherence” directory, once the installation is complete.

The Oracle support published two KM notes in the meantime.

Is it Possible to De-Select Coherence During the Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c Infrastructure Installation? ( Doc ID 2254754.1 )
Coherence Gets Installed With Weblogic Server 12c – Can This Be Deselected? ( Doc ID 2310687.1 )