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IBM Db2 Database vs Oracle Database In-Memory vs SQL Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 7.1%, up from 6.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Database In-Memory is 1.6%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQL Server is 17.9%, down from 23.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Relational Databases Tools
 

Featured Reviews

SimonHiggins - PeerSpot reviewer
Very scalable with high availability and excellent technical support
The good thing is that there are improvements coming with later function levels for the z/OS Db2. I'd like it if, with the operating system that we've got, z/OS, on the mainframe, it would allow us to refresh the hardware to run Linux dockers on the mainframe. This means this might give us opportunities for different ways of coming into the Db2 environment in the future. We just want a bit more integration with Linux. That said, we are already seeing Linux more readily available on the mainframe environment. Not only have we got the premium operating systems on OS. We can run LPARs on the same mainframe footprint that is also supporting Linux. This is what has improved and made the mainframe environment more competitive. We're also looking at AI for Db2 as well, and machine learning for the future. We know that AI has come out, that we're going to get that, and we're going to evaluate that product next year for Db2. That said, I haven't got any real complaints about Db2 on the mainframe. For the most part, a lot of the problems we have nowadays are to do with communication between the various teams that you would class as stakeholders.
Laksiri Bala - PeerSpot reviewer
Faster processing and improved memory operations have enhanced transaction and analytics efficiency
The valuable features of Oracle Database In-Memory ( /products/oracle-database-in-memory-reviews ) include its capability to bypass disk storage for faster memory operations, which is critical for transactions and analytics. It also offers specific memory areas, like in-memory cache, that act as intermediaries between disk and buffer cache. This feature helps organizations handle real-time memory requirements effectively.
AhmadTalha - PeerSpot reviewer
A robust and secure solution that helps to store data
The GUI needs improvement. From a technical perspective, it's quite complex, which may not be a problem for individuals with technical backgrounds like ours, especially since we've encountered similar interfaces. However, navigating the GUI can be challenging for newcomers or product owners without technical experience. For example, as someone transitioning from a developer role to a product management role, I find it relatively easy to use the GUI. But for those without a technical background, it's much more challenging to grasp what's happening.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The solution has many beneficial features, such as security, support, and stability."
"Db2 Database has given us good results since we have started to use it. We predominantly use IBM hardware, and this is one of the reasons why we started to use Db2 Database. Db2 Database has a very good HADR capability. High availability resilience is also good in this solution. It also has pureScale, which allows you to upgrade one node to get very good and high-level resilience. If you are using a database on five nodes, you can take one node down, upgrade that, and let that node up. You can then bring the second node down, upgrade that, and so on."
"The solution is very stable, in both hardware and database."
"The self-management and optimization features are probably the best on the market"
"The performance of the solution is valuable."
"It has a good feature called pureScale, which is just for scalability. It is a perfect solution for environments where scalability is going to be an issue."
"The solution's querying feature is most valuable. It allows me to retrieve data quickly."
"We are dealing with millions of transactions a month and the performance is very good."
"Security is the most valuable feature."
"Oracle Database In-Memory is a suite of features that improves performance for real-time analytics and mixed workloads."
"I find the performance features of Oracle Database In-Memory to be most beneficial."
"It accelerates query processing, which in turn speeds up operations and streamlines workflow, and ultimately enhancing productivity."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its performance optimization within our hardware environment."
"The solution's ROI is excellent."
"The valuable features of Oracle Database In-Memory include its capability to bypass disk storage for faster memory operations, which is critical for transactions and analytics."
"Normally, every database server uses hard disks. In-Memory has a feature, apart from their database, which is very good. When we start our server, all your data needs loading memory. We can use that. It's a very good feature. I think they added this feature in 2019. We can mount memory in the partition, create partitions in there, and create table space from that spot to share. It's a really good feature. We use it a lot."
"The stability is fine, especially if you're hosting it on AWS or Azure. You can get up to 99.99% stability on AWS."
"SQL Server is definitely easy to use, and with the volume that we have, it's also stable."
"It's great that the nodes are synchronized so if you lose one it automatically moves to another."
"I use the menu on the management view credit section to get information from the database."
"The product’s most valuable features are flexibility and scalability."
"The solution is very intuitive and easy to use."
"The solution is user-friendly, is a robust tool and is always reliable to users."
"The solution is easy to use."
 

Cons

"The solution's UI hasn't been upgraded. The solution’s UI is an area to improve because the solution was developed long ago."
"It would be ideal if the solution offered backup functionality. Many similar tools already do, which means Db2 is somewhat behind the curve in terms of what a customer might expect from it."
"It would be helpful to have more querying tools and more development tools for us to work easily with Microsoft."
"The user interface is not user-friendly."
"Db2 interface could be improved a bit. Comparing it to Oracle, Db2's interfaces could be improved."
"The solution could be more modern and have updated database technology."
"IBM's products tend to be quite costly, especially given the availability of free, open-source alternatives."
"End-to-end encryption specifically is something the solution needs to have in the next release."
"Technical support is below our expectations currently. It could be improved."
"I would like Oracle Database In-Memory to include a data replication feature."
"The solution should move to the new way of writing software code with AI that is intelligent and learns."
"Oracle Database In-Memory appliance-based solutions can be restrictive for some applications, as they may require more flexibility in the database design to be tuned and sized to the customer's needs."
"The product could be more economical."
"Oracle Database In-Memory could improve by better supporting generative AI challenges, such as hallucination management."
"The pricing could be improved. It would ideal if it was more reasonable."
"Oracle should include column store or advanced query optimization so a database can be optimized by enabling analytic queries to run faster."
"The price could be better. In the next release, it would be better if the database was more easily extendable."
"In terms of improvement, it could use more integration with other products."
"It's difficult to make changes. It's a very complicated product in general — that's the issue."
"Could have additional security."
"While this is a reliable product, it has room for improvement."
"If SQL Server could perhaps run on Linux, that would be good. Most of us prefer Linux and I've used a lot of Linux. I understand that SQL Server is quite powerful, but I'm not sure if the functionality is there, but if it could be used in an open-source type of environment, it would be very good."
"Their support could be better. There should be more visibility on the progress of the ticket, and their last line of support should be more knowledgeable. Other than that, we have nothing to complain about."
"SQL Server could be more robust than one of its competitors."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"It is expensive when compared to other products."
"It's very expensive for West African countries like ours."
"Compared to Oracle, it is so much cheaper."
"We normally handle large size businesses and as far as I am aware, the license is negotiable based on the number of users and the quantitative data."
"I think that everyone knows that with IBM the standard price is higher than the others."
"Db2 is less expensive than Oracle."
"The total cost of the solution depends upon the PVU licensing"
"The platform's licensing cost needs improvement."
"I rate the pricing a zero out of ten because Database In-Memory is too costly."
"The pricing is pretty good so I rate it an eight out of ten."
"There is a need to make a yearly payment towards the licensing costs, after which there is any to pay towards the support cost attached to the solution."
"It's quite costly and it comes with a fixed price."
"Oracle Database In-Memory is expensive."
"Database In-Memory is priced a bit higher than its competitors like Microsoft."
"The solution's pricing is high."
"With recent releases, the Standard Edition (cheaper) SKU has some of the earlier version Enterprise features. SQL Express has some limitations."
"We purchased our license and the pricing is fine for us."
"We pay per second of usage, but there are different offerings of the license."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"SQL Server is expensive if you use the advanced SQL version, but if you use the standard version, it's not expensive."
"I rate the product’s pricing a six out of ten."
"The licensing price could be better, more user-friendly."
"On a scale of one to ten, when one is cheap and ten is an expensive solution, I rate the product price as seven. The product is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
56%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
5%
Manufacturing Company
4%
Financial Services Firm
20%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
48%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Db2 Database?
Db2 database scalability and performance capabilities match our database needs. It covers pretty much everything a da...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Db2 Database?
IBM Db2 is an expensive solution. While I am not heavily involved with pricing, additional companies provide capabili...
What needs improvement with IBM Db2 Database?
The user interface is old and needs to be improved. It doesn't match the responsive and suggestion-rich UI of cloud s...
What do you like most about Oracle Database In-Memory?
We can integrate it with any data sources as well.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Database In-Memory?
Pricing is justified by the performance and business value offered by Oracle Database In-Memory. Although slightly hi...
What needs improvement with Oracle Database In-Memory?
Oracle Database In-Memory could improve by better supporting generative AI challenges, such as hallucination manageme...
Would you say the price of SQL Server is high compared to that of similar products?
SQL Server is fairly priced because it has various editions, depending on the number of users, servers, or core packs...
Has using SQL Server helped your organization in any way?
SQL Server has helped my organization through partitioning to distribute the workload, as it splits them up into smal...
Which authentication mode is best for SQL Server?
My company connects through SQL Server authentication. We have company Windows accounts, but we do not want to connec...
 

Also Known As

DB2
No data available
Microsoft SQL Server, MSSQL, MS SQL
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Knorr-Bremse, Mizuho Bank Ltd., Australian Government Department of Defence, SCHWENK Zement, Friedhelm Loh Group, YAZAKI Europe Limited, Ekornes ASA, Baldor Electric, VSN Systemen BV, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC, PLANSEE Group, TE Connectivity, Hansgrohe SE, Openmatics, University of Toronto
Shanghai Customs
Microsoft SQL Server is used by businesses in every industry, including Great Western Bank, Aviva, the Volvo Car Corporation, BMW, Samsung, Principality Building Society, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and others in Relational Databases Tools. Updated: May 2025.
851,471 professionals have used our research since 2012.