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Oracle Linux vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.7
Oracle Linux enhances efficiency with cost savings, zero downtime, reliable support, and strong integration, offering significant ROI benefits.
Sentiment score
7.1
Users find ROI challenging to calculate despite perceiving value through efficiency, competitiveness, savings, and support in Microsoft services.
Everything from Oracle tools to applications is well integrated within Oracle Linux.
Our team is comfortable using Oracle Linux as it integrates well with Oracle tools, making everything work seamlessly.
Oracle Linux contributed to reducing our operational costs by about ten percent by saving us from the operating system and license costs we would have had to pay Microsoft.
We're very competitive commercially and technically because of it.
We've seen value in Windows Server because the systems work smoothly without any problems.
Windows Server offers excellent value for money, particularly when compared to alternatives.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.2
Oracle Linux users appreciate expert support with comprehensive resources, though concerns about response time and cost persist.
Sentiment score
6.6
Windows Server support is seen as knowledgeable but rated mixed due to slow response times and premium support requirements.
Not all support engineers at Oracle are the same, so sometimes I experience good support that resolves issues quickly, while other times, it loops.
Oracle's technical support is excellent.
It is not as helpful or friendly as their application support.
Our in-house team can also solve most issues.
If you go through a partner who sells or supports Windows, the support could be around seven out of ten, because Windows relies on these partners for assistance.
Microsoft's technical support for Windows Server has been lacking, with rare responses even with premium support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Oracle Linux efficiently scales for diverse workloads, excelling in clusters or cloud setups, despite occasional hardware compatibility lags.
Sentiment score
8.1
Windows Server is highly scalable, adaptable, and supports easy expansion, though some find it less flexible in cloud environments.
It handles device performance well, automatically managing any issues that arise.
Oracle should make the process faster, as we sometimes have to use a previous processor model to ensure compatibility.
New processor models sometimes lack immediate compatibility with Oracle Linux, requiring the use of previous models until support is available.
I've worked in companies with 20,000 to 100,000 users, and it scales beautifully without issues.
I rate its scalability a ten out of ten.
It's definitely scalable.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Oracle Linux is praised for stability, reliability, and integration with Oracle products, providing minimal downtime and a dependable experience.
Sentiment score
7.9
Windows Server is highly stable and reliable, with few issues, praised for handling critical operations without significant disruptions.
Testing determines stability, as continuous Linux use and installations reveal more bugs.
Oracle Linux is very stable.
Our environment is locally deployed, and there are no performance issues or latency problems.
We have experienced no blue screens or crashes and often achieved an uptime of 2,000 to 3,000 days without any issues whatsoever.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
The tool is stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Oracle Linux users seek enhanced reporting, compatibility, security, frequent updates, improved UI, and better training, pricing, and support.
Windows Server requires improvements in security, usability, automation, stability, cost, compatibility, and support to better compete with Linux.
Having a user interface would make tasks easier, saving time by avoiding the need to remember command-line instructions.
There are significant limitations as we are not able to customize the system, and we are forced to use standard features which are not suitable for our business.
Oracle Linux's outage management can be improved to better handle outages.
The solution should improve its stability.
From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities.
Deploying antivirus and firewall software on the server is advisable, but having an external firewall adds an extra layer of security.
 

Setup Cost

Oracle Linux provides cost-effective open-source solutions with lower support costs compared to Red Hat, starting at $500 annually.
Users find Windows Server's pricing high and licensing complex compared to competitors, seeking better pricing and clearer structures.
While ERP might be expensive, Oracle Linux and KVMs are not on the higher side.
The cost of Microsoft OS is pretty high, and switching to Oracle Linux, which is free, reduced our costs by about 20% to 25%.
Oracle Linux is affordable.
It is quite expensive.
Previously, a Windows Server with two processors cost around two 154 euros annually, but now it is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000 euros for the same configuration.
On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I rate it ten out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

Oracle Linux offers performance, compatibility, cost-effectiveness, and comprehensive support, ideal for enterprises using Oracle applications.
Windows Server offers scalability, security, and ease of use with seamless Azure integration, supporting diverse enterprise applications effectively.
Since it's from the same vendor as Oracle applications, it's easier to manage issues, making not just the solution cost-effective but also streamlined in management.
Oracle Linux offers an unbreakable system.
Oracle Linux has American Standard levels of security, which I consider to be quite good.
Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that every Microsoft product is scalable, flexible, secure, and available on a certain budget.
The IP directory is the most valuable feature.
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
119
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
193
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Linux is 9.4%, down from 15.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.2%, up from 8.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Thomas Waltair - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides outstanding performance and resource savings with effective customer service
The solution works closely with the operating system kernel, which gives better performance in terms of multi-threading and a distributed database. We work based on Oracle specifications, and whenever there are critical patches and vulnerability tests, we update with the latest security patches. The collaboration with Oracle WebLogic and other Oracle tools enhances performance as well.
Jai Prakash Sharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient Management Achieved with Internal Resources and Reliable Technical Support
Maintenance of Windows Server varies by organization, but for us, it's not very difficult as we have in-house resources managing these tasks. However, it can become a bit tricky when we want to see a collated view of our security posture. Regarding AI integrations with Windows Server, Copilot adoption is progressing, though I have only experienced it on endpoints and not on the server side. We operate significant workloads on AI, but we consume those primarily on Linux rather than Windows Server. I don't have much experience regarding integration capabilities in Windows Server for AI workloads, so I may not be the right person to provide insights on that. Overall, I am quite happy with my experience using Windows Server. I don't have many constraints or concerns, so I would rate it eight out of ten.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Oracle Linux compare with Solaris?
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 ...
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
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 app...
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
It's difficult to see improvements when using it daily. They improved compatibility with other platforms, such as Linux. One improvement I was thinking about some years ago was the ability to manag...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
I administer Windows Server. We have Windows 10 and are migrating to Windows 11 under my organization. The people who work with me are handling the migration right now. We have several servers, mos...
 

Also Known As

Oracle Enterprise Linux
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

See here
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,545 professionals have used our research since 2012.