Oracle Linux vs Windows Server comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Aug 25, 2022

We performed a comparison between Oracle Linux and Windows Server based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of Oracle Linux feel that it is pretty easy to deploy. Users of Windows Server mostly believe that it can be deployed quickly and easily. However, several other users also felt that the deployment process could be simplified.
  • Features: Most reviewers of Oracle Linux feel that it is a highly stable and scalable solution. However, it could improve its ability to integrate with other solutions.

    Users feel that Windows Server is extremely user-friendly. However, users are divided over how stable and scalable it is.
  • Pricing: Reviewers of Oracle Linux are divided over whether it is an expensive product to purchase. For the most part users of Windows Server find it to be expensive.
  • Service and Support: Users of both solutions feel that their technical service teams are effective. However, users of both products feel that their documentation could be improved.

Comparison of Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Oracle Linux seems to be the superior solution. Our reviewers find that the questions concerning Windows Server's stability and scalability as well as its high price make Oracle HCM Cloud the better choice.

To learn more, read our detailed Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server Report (Updated: May 2023).
709,643 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It is a stable solution. We rarely face any issues with the machine.""It helps us to create users and groups. We can also plan on the access that will be given to them. I use it for identity management during the installment and configuration process. We use it to start or stop processes and services. Another use case of the solution is post-opening.""I like the product's stable distribution. The tool offered us very good experience since it was very stable.""I feel the stability to be the solution's best feature.""The solution runs very well on inter-platform or HPE Intel servers.""It is secure in terms of the network, the viruses, etc.""It's mostly reliable.""The performance is good and the solution has been stable."

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"The main feature of the solution is it has a graphical interface.""The most valuable feature is this solution integrates very well with all Microsoft and all other mainstream software solutions and the design is very good. Windows has an option now allowing you to just install the Windows Core with the PowerShell without any graphical services running.""The installation of the solution is becoming easier every year after new releases. The first installation can take an hour but you can use templates to make the installation very quick.""The product integrates well with Sophos.""Operating system with a good interface that can run applications.""Most applications are compatible with this operating system.""The initial setup is quite straightforward.""We have been using this solution for a long time and it has been stable."

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Cons
"In the next release, I would like for Autonomous Linux to be available to all users so that the OS administration can be automated.""The documentation has room for improvement.""The solution needs to improve there their capability with most of the applications.""I think the pricing could be improved to be more competitive.""For usability, the GUI options during the initial setup could be included with advanced functionalities that are now currently only possible on the CLI.""The Oracle Linux graphical interface could be improved by fixing its occasional freezing on personal home laptops.""The security and integration could improve.""The price of Oracle Linux should improve, it is expensive compared to other solutions."

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"We've had a few minor compatibility issues.""The price could be a little less. It's a bit expensive.""The solution should be less expensive.""The solution is less stable than Linux.""It would help if there was a possibility to postpone some updates. If some are not required, it could speed up the process of starting up the operating system. Sometimes big workloads related to services are running directly on the system itself and not the application. This is what I have noticed""Windows Server could be more user-friendly.""The solution could improve by being more user-friendly.""Windows Server needs to introduce more dashboards."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "There is a license required for this solution and we are on an annual license."
  • "The licensing cost is expensive. It should be reduced by at least half."
  • "We pay for a license for this solution annually."
  • "We pay a monthly subscription fee."
  • "Low-cost solution."
  • "The price of Oracle Linux overall could be less expensive."
  • "The price of Oracle Linux could be less expensive for those who are running a small freelance company, such as I do. We use the solution fully but the income that you're receiving is slow."
  • "We have a yearly license, and I think Oracle charges too much."
  • More Oracle Linux Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Its price is fine. Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
  • "One must pay for a license for the solution."
  • "The price of the solution is expensive, and there are many price options available, such as monthly or perpetual licenses."
  • "We have multiple types of licenses. Some of them are on a yearly basis, and some of them are prepaid."
  • "If you choose Windows Server on-premises, you will receive a perpetual license and there is also a subscription license option. For the cloud version, there are several options available, such as a monthly subscription."
  • "Windows Systems use more resources than Linux systems and can be very costly."
  • "There is not a license required for this solution."
  • "We pay these on an annual basis."
  • More Windows Server Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:When comparing Oracle Linux and Solaris, I believe that Linux is more secure and more flexible. It is also very suitable for enterprises that are already Oracle solution users. I found Linux to be… more »
    Top Answer:Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very… more »
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of Windows Server is the ease of use and the applications that are available.
    Top Answer:Windows Server could improve by improving technology modernization.
    Top Answer:For the server-side deployment, we use Windows Server to run applications.
    Ranking
    Views
    29,876
    Comparisons
    21,725
    Reviews
    42
    Average Words per Review
    368
    Rating
    8.3
    Views
    19,448
    Comparisons
    15,208
    Reviews
    92
    Average Words per Review
    304
    Rating
    8.2
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Oracle Enterprise Linux
    Learn More
    Overview

    Oracle Linux is a stable, reliable, and scalable operating system primarily used for deploying and running Oracle databases. It is also suitable for various other functions, including managing operating systems and web servers, supporting traffic surveillance, and identity management. 

    Oracle Linux is highly valued for its stability, reliability, scalability, good technical support, and ease of use. It has helped organizations to achieve faster DNS queries, stable development environments, reduced vulnerability issues, good performance for Oracle applications, and improved ability to run test scenarios and parallel queries across massive databases.

    Oracle Linux Features

    Oracle Linux has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • The software is 100% free (no cost) to use, distribute, and update
    • Ksplice allows for zero-downtime kernel and user-space upgrades
    • DTrace provides comprehensive kernel and application tracing
    • For Oracle Linux Support clients, Linux management and high availability are available at no additional cost
    • It's Oracle-optimized and works well with Oracle Database and Oracle Applications
    • New workload optimizations:
      • Enhanced memory performance by attempting to better locate a process near its memory and better placement of tasks that do not fit on a single NUMA node
      • SPECjbb's performance has been improved by up to 3.6 times thanks to optimizations that help reduce lock contention.
      • With bcache, it's simple to employ SSDs as a block cache for slower block devices. A new, scaled block layer subsystem supports many millions of IOps on NVM-Express and high-end PCI-E devices.
    • Oracle Linux has three deployment options:
    • Linux in the cloud: Oracle Linux Premier Support is included in all Oracle Cloud Infrastructure subscriptions at no additional cost.
    • Linux on premises: This is the industry's most comprehensive and open Linux distribution.
    • Embedded Linux design: Embedding a feature-rich Linux distribution is an optimized, cost-effective solution for your business.

     Oracle Linux Benefits

    There are many benefits to implementing Oracle Linux. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

    • Save money by only paying for support for the systems you need
    • Improve security by applying patches faster and spending less time troubleshooting and updating
    • Improve Oracle software and hardware performance

    Reviews from Real Users

    Oracle Linux stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its stability and scalability. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews: 

    One PeerSpot reviewer, an IT Manager, reports, “I find the virtualization the most valuable.” He adds, “Oracle Linux is the best Linux operating system that I have ever known. It is very stable and strong.”

    An Enterprise Architect at a financial services firm writes of the solution, “You also don't have memory issues, especially when it is engineered with platforms like Exadata and Oracle Cluster. These give you the most throughput and performance.” He adds, “It is very scalable, especially on platforms like Oracle Cluster and Exadata.

    Windows Server is a versatile solution for various tasks, including domain control, virtualization, hosting applications, databases, managing user accounts in Active Directory, file sharing, and remote server access. It is also used for endpoint security, running ERP systems, and supporting business applications such as SAP and Microsoft Dynamics. 

    The solution is user-friendly and easy to configure and install, with technical support available. Windows Server is widely used and trusted. It has helped organizations by offering a domain controller and domain service, allowing them to sell products with Microsoft and keep processes running 24/7 without downtime.

    Reviews from Real Users

    There are a number of characteristics that make Windows Server an extremely effective solution. Two major ones are its inherent flexibility and its user-friendly nature.

    PeerSpot user Antonio D., a sales manager at INFOSEC, takes note of Windows Server 2016’s flexibility when he writes, “The product is a good operating system. The features fit our needs very well. For example, with Windows Server, you can use a machine for printing, accessing the internet, or using some applications. You can do it all with one server. You don't need several servers. One is enough.”

    Himanshu T., a system administrator and DevOps engineer at a tech-services company, takes note of the various way in which Windows Server 2016 is easy to use when he writes, “This solution is very user friendly, easy to use for any system administrator, simple to deploy applications, has a wide range of applications available, great UI, and takes less technical skills to operate than some other competitors. Additionally, the active directory has great functionality; if we want to integrate any assets, then we can easily do it.”

    Offer
    Learn more about Oracle Linux
    Learn more about Windows Server
    Sample Customers
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    Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Retailer11%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Government11%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Educational Organization8%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Comms Service Provider12%
    Government10%
    Educational Organization9%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise10%
    Large Enterprise59%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise64%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business39%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise40%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business23%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise59%
    Buyer's Guide
    Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server
    May 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: May 2023.
    709,643 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Oracle Linux is ranked 3rd in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 43 reviews while Windows Server is ranked 5th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 88 reviews. Oracle Linux is rated 8.4, while Windows Server is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Oracle Linux writes "Useful workflow system, beneficial cloud computing capabilities, and effortless setup". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows Server writes "Easy to use, stable and with good performance for the running of OS applications". Oracle Linux is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, CentOS, Oracle Solaris, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Rocky Linux, whereas Windows Server is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Windows 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS and Oracle Solaris. See our Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server report.

    See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.

    We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.