Oracle Database as a Service Reviews

So from the database perspective, we usually are talking about three important things. So the obvious ones are the multitenancy in the pluggable databases. The second category, I would call it performance, making sure that we are getting the right value from the databases in terms of data access. And the third one is obviously the security. So, we are more interested in implementing solutions that, we are actually excited to see Oracle come in with release two with all the issues we have, from 11g and on. So, 12.1 is there, but we want to see what's coming up in 12c at release two, and we are really excited about multitenancy. The whole security aspect, and then the performance as such.

So from the cloud perspective, I think there are too many vendors out there. One of the things we are excited from the Oracle perspective is their ability to take us off of our backups, the database backup. Using that, they can take us to the cloud and we want to try that out, mostly on their test end, as of now. And once we see how the ROI is, and what kind of a performance we are getting and then also check on how the security is, then we might probably consider going a little bit deeper into low-level production applications, all the way into the business applications.

So right now we are evaluating their trial period with Oracle on migrating in their databases, and we are also excited to use some of their backup and recovery solutions, which basically, you take your database and you run your backups, right now it is running on your local disk, but then we are configuring that to go into the cloud. So one of the cool features we are using from Oracle is the RMAN. It takes a second set of channels, and just take it as a destination and that goes into the cloud. So we can restore it at the same time from either of the options, on-prem or from the cloud. So we are excited to see how that works, because that is something that Oracle has recently come up with.

So we want to see, obviously, besides Oracle databases, what other databases can be provisioned and integrated in the cloud. So if I have to have an application running off of a non-Oracle database, and I have an application and the database running in cloud, which is an Oracle, I want to see if I can integrate them through what kind of a web service, how can I transfer the data? How do I move my processes without having to come back into my on prem and then go back into the secondary cloud? So those are some of the integration points I'm looking at.

And the second important thing I'm looking at is, the overall governance. How Oracle can provide their cloud control and give use the ability to manage the on prem and the off prem cloud services, combined in a single view.

So obviously we did an ROI analysis and a TCU. So, we have seen that the cost is definitely a factor. And security is more important, so that's why we did not press the button on the production yet. So we are piloting with the non-prod to see what kind of security we're going to get, what kind of threats are we going to be exposed to. And once we are satisfied, once we get our sign-off from the management, we might probably pull the trigger. But we are in the evaluation period.

Onboarding: so the Database Cloud, the way we have seen is, so you have a cloud control and you go in and, based on your subscription, you actually get the environment. So once you get the environment, you generate the security keys to establish the network connectivity between the on prem to the public and once we have the provision done, then you can actually encrypt the data on the source side, and move them into the cloud through their cloud control utility. So that's how we migrate them. Now, we haven't done a lot of the big databases yet. So we are piloting on the small ones. So, so far, the pilot ones look good which are close to about 300 to 400 GB databases. But we want to see how that goes with couple of terabytes of databases.

Scalability is number one. Data transfer is number two. And security actually tops, on top of that. And the ability to move the workloads between on-prem and off-prem. So that's one of the big things you are looking at, and if we don't like things, and if you want to push back, and we want to come back to our on-prem, what options do we have? So, can we migrate easily from a public cloud to a private cloud and private cloud to an on-prem cloud, and vice-versa. So, having that ability is a big thing, because we don't want to invest in something where we go to the cloud but we don't know how to come back. So we don't want it to be a one-way street, we want to choose a product that can give us an opportunity to not only go into the cloud, but also in a worst-case scenario, come back out.

So initially we started with Amazon. We tested a little bit, but the security was a big thing for us and the way they handle security is a little different I don't necessarily say it is wrong or bad, it's just that I was not very comfortable having the keys being shared versus in Oracle, the security keys are owned by the customer which is us, as opposed to with the vendor, and that was a prime difference for us. And second thing was, Amazon cloud is more on the infrastructure provisioning and metered. They don't give a database as a service. They do have some options, but being an Oracle customer, we know what Oracle can provide, which is totally a value-add kind of a service, with a lot of different shaders, compared to the others like Amazon or Rackspace or a hundred different partners. But I think it's because we are very close with Oracle, we can see how they can give us those value add services.

So the Database Cloud on Oracle right now, I think it's there, but there is some room to grow. So I wouldn't give them 10 yet. I would hold on to that. Probably eight would be a better option. But I want to see the growth in terms of, not only on the vertical side, I want to see the horizontal growth, in terms of how they can leverage, as I said earlier, integrating with other systems. So, if they can grow both horizontally and vertically, then probably I can give them a 10. But at this time, they are not there yet.

So I would say, anybody who wants to get into the cloud, evaluate your options. Check out your dev and test environments first. Check out your backup as a service, because it's very easy. You just have to set your targets and push your database backups. So try with those two first, and see the difference, and compare that with your other vendors. And see what kind of a response latency you're getting from the cloud. And make the call. I mean, that's what I did, and it was clear.

We can use the product for so many things. For example, we can use it for integrating with different services, and as a middleware, using it to access the Oracle forms. I've used it with things like Enterprise Manager Cloud Control or Enterprise Manager.

Since I work as a database administrator, I like the way Oracle has Oracle database information. So it's quite easy for me to rectify issues pertaining to Oracle Database. Oracle has managed to allocate tools that can be used to analyze the problems when they arise. 

They've done tremendous work in terms of analysis and diagnosis. It's quite easy to use the database, provided you have managed to install it according to your Oracle standard. 

The solution has been very stable over the years.

We've found the solution to be quite scalable.

If the solution is installed in your environment correctly, you are not going to have any issues whatsoever. It's problem-free.

We've been very happy with the solution. I can't recall any missing features. It works well once it is installed correctly. If you install it incorrectly in your environment, you may run into issues.

One of the things that I have noticed is that there are some services that will give you a hard time during implementation if you are looking at the documentation of Oracle. Sometimes the documentation information is quite limited. It's an aspect of the solution they could improve.

I've been using the solution for quite some time now. We've roughly been in production for more than five years now.

The solution is very, very stable. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's not buggy or glitchy. It's reliable and offers good performance.

The solution is highly scalable. I did try both Autonomous Database and Data Warehouse on the cloud. On the cloud, there isn't much. You need to work a lot on the data side where ever you want, how you want your data to be presented. Things like BI are going to present your data. 

We support a huge number of users. The number of users Oracle can handle is amazing.

Oracle technical support has always been very good. We have no complaints. They are helpful and responsive and we are satisfied with the level of support they provide to us.

If you have an Oracle Support Account, you shouldn't run into any issues at all.

There really isn't an installation process for the solution. It's on the cloud.

I don't directly deal with payments or licensing and therefore cannot directly speak to overall costs or licensing agreements. 

We're just a customer and end-user and we help clients that are also using Oracle.

We're using an older version of the solution.

As an IT company, we provide services to different companies. Right now we are working on a project which is running on an older version, 11G. It's a government institute. However, we support a huge number of users.

I always recommend Oracle for my clients, to those who are interested in engaging technologies. I always encourage others to also take certification courses. Oracle has had free courses for the cloud, and I really advise those interested in the solution to get in on one.

In general, I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

My primary use cases for Database as a Service are to create databases, tables, store procedures, and queries.

The solution's most valuable feature is the help it gives to our applications. It is very easy to use.

It is very hard to support Oracle Database.

I have been using Oracle Database as a Service for four years.

Oracle Database is very stable.

The solution is scalable. We have approximately 20 users.

Customer service and support with Oracle is good. I would rate the service they provide a five out of five.

Positive

Prior to using Oracle Database as a Service, we were using MySequence. We chose to switch solutions due to the cost.

The initial setup of Oracle Database was neither easy nor complex, it depends on the experience of the individual implementing the solution. If you are experienced, it is not hard.

We implemented the solution in-house.

Oracle Database is less expensive than the previous solution we used.

Depending on the company, I would recommend Oracle Database. Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.

The security and performance of this solution are outstanding. 

There is room for improvement in PL/SQL. It is not user-friendly and it is hard to understand.

I have been working with this solution for about 10 years. 

The solution is very stable. 

I haven't had many opportunities to work with the scalability features. I don't have much experience in this area.

The setup, installation, and configuration are maybe a little bit complex the first time. Of course, when you've done it several times, you become familiar with it, so for me, it is not too complex. 

The solution is expensive. 

I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten because the stability and performance are good and the solution does not need to be maintained a lot. 

We use this solution for multiple databases.

I have written Oracle scripts for operational databases and uploading databases.

Our environment includes a Red Hat server with two storage devices for high availability. 

I have been able to assist people with technical support remotely.

This solution is very stable, easy to use, and scales quickly. When we want more information on something that we are using, it is easy to find related topics on the internet.

We use the automated system for creating tables.

The security system is very good.

When we troubleshoot, there are many tools that we need to use. One example is having to look at the system logs. The troubleshooting process should be improved so that we can resolve errors faster. 

Oracle demands a lot of memory and you need to have a strong machine.

In the next release, I would like to see a framework for memory management.

Oracle databases are stable. It is a very dependable application.

Oracle has many strong features and tools. There are many options and possibilities.

Technical support for this solution is good.

I have used MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server, and there is no comparison to Oracle. 

I simply followed the instructions on the Oracle website.

The deployment took several months because we have a complex architecture with six thousand servers.

I don't use the management features because I don't work with the GUI. I prefer to use the command line.

Oracle is a very good solution that I would recommend. It is strong software with good support and documentation available.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Not only does it provide a mature, reliable solution for DR. It also helps if application owners need to look into data which is a couple of hours old, using Flashback Database on the standby database.

Data Guard, because it’s the best solution for Disaster Recovery.

The licensing is a nightmare. Tons of options which need to be licensed individually, and no real offering for VMware or other Hypervisors.

And my favorite option – Multitenant – should be available for some pluggable databases in all editions without any fee.

No stability issues at all.

RAC is not a real scalability solution, so instead of scaling out I prefer to scale up.

Very poor.

I have always used Oracle Database.

Back in the early 90s, set up was difficult. But now, it’s straightforward using the graphical interfaces. But there is indeed room for improvement. An 8GB download for software is far too big. Nowadays it should be possible to simply use RPM packages on Linux/Unix.

There should be a standard way to license the database in a virtual environment (e.g. VMware) and there should be a low-end version (like Standard Edition One) again.

Before starting to look for the high-end solution (Enterprise Edition) you should consider using Standard Edition Two. There is a great chance that it will be sufficient, and gaps can be filled with third-party products like Dbvisit Standby for Distaster Recovery.

Our clients have a variety of use cases for this solution. It can be used at gas stations and supermarkets. 

Clients come to us with huge on-prem databases. Because of the size of the databases, it can be difficult to grow to cloud. Thanks to Oracle Database as a Service, we can help these clients migrate quickly. 

Oracle solutions give our clients visibility.

No company is perfect, but Oracle does need to improve their support. They need to really focus on the customer experience, et cetera. 

I would also like to see them improve the Oracle Database Interface for distributor businesses.

I have a year of experience with Oracle Database as a Service. 

My impression of the stability of this solution is also very high.

My impression of the scalability of Oracle Database as a Service is very high.

I think that Oracle's technical support could improve. When they understand what the problem is, they are fast and solve it quickly, but it is difficult to get to that point with them. Sometimes communication is strained by the fact that we're always talking to different tech support specialists. Maybe the solution would be a sort of segmentation of their tech support team by departments. They do have some good people, but it takes some time to find them because you have to go through their call center. 

The initial setup is complex. This is not a really easy solution. It is very large, so it's hard to install, but it's not impossible.

For our clients, Microsoft is an alternative. Microsoft is cheaper, faster and has better support than Oracle.

• Resource elasticity
• Rapid provisioning
• Automated centralized management of all DBs
• Measured services, etc.

• Technically, apart from the cost reduction, it reduces the administration overheads.
• Scale-up and scale-down resources, as per the demand to ensure the major business, do not impact performance issues.

• Reduce the licensing cost further.
• Stronger security

Over one year now.

Challenges faced when migrating the on-premise database to cloud, especially VLDBs.

Mostly with the internet availability and speed. Nothing really with the stability of the DBaaS.

Not anything we have come across.

Satisfactory.

Satisfactory.

Most of the DEV/UAT/TEST were on-premises, which moved to the cloud with consolidation.

There were technical challenges configuring the connectivity, moving the data, etc.

Installation was through a vendor.

Reduced the number of traditional storage/server architecture. More productivity and quick provisioning of the database helped moving the application to production quickly.

Oracle licensing is expensive compared to other competitors, such as AWS and MS Azure.

Yes. AWS and MS Azure.

Any DEV/UAT/TEST environments are really candidates to go for cloud and ensure you fully utilize the flexibility of cloud technologies.