it_user419319 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Principal Consultant at BroadPoint, Inc.
Consultant
The flash drive recovery feature is the most valuable aspect of ODB for us.

What is most valuable?

The flash drive recovery feature is the most valuable aspect of ODB for us. There have been many instances when a user mistakenly deletes important files from their flash drive and ODB has been able to recover that data.

What needs improvement?

The biggest area of improvement that I can suggest is with the stability. I've been using ODB for a while now, and there are have been occasional instances of bugs, glitches, and hiccups. It's never anything major, but they have been annoying. Yes, it's improved over time, but there always seems to be something that has to be fixed.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We haven't had any issues with deployment.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It hasn't been 100% stable, but I think over time it has become more stable than previously.

Buyer's Guide
Oracle Database
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Oracle Database. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It has scalability. We haven't had any issues with being unable to scale it.

How are customer service and support?

In our experience, the level of technical support has been in the middle. There are times when they're really good, and there are times when we've had to solve issues ourselves.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We didn't use a previous solution. It's always been our database product.

How was the initial setup?

Although I don't do setups anymore myself, I found it very easy and straightforward.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We didn't look at other options. It was the first database solution we used.

What other advice do I have?

It has evolved pretty well generally. There are consistently new features and Oracle is making ODB more useful.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user419178 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Enterprise Database Admin at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Vendor
It gives us 99% uptime while reliably capturing all the data that's important to our business.

Valuable Features

In our business, we deal with vast amounts of financial data. We need to be able to capture all of it accurately without any downtime. We're able to do that with ODB because it gives us 99% uptime while reliably capturing all the data that's important to our business.

Room for Improvement

The look and feel of it needs improvement. It looks and feels the same throughout, but there are times when we want or need a different instance to have a different look and feel. In other words, it would be nice to be able to customize it to better suit our needs.

Deployment Issues

We've had no issues with deployment.

Stability Issues

It's very good, very stable. We're in our own ODB shop, and so far we haven't seen any issues with instability.

It is very good, very stable. We are in our own Database shop, and so far we haven't seen any issues.

Scalability Issues

We can scale it, and we are currently exploring cloud options.

Customer Service and Technical Support

We are always in touch with Oracle support, so we create cases with them often. They are very good and very consistent across all our Oracle products at every location. Technical support is centralized so we know we'll get good, consistent service from the reps.

Initial Setup

It's very easy and straightforward to set up.

Implementation Team

We implemented it in-house because it was so easy.

Other Solutions Considered

We are actually exploring other products like GoldenGate. We believe this product will give us our next big break. We're also looking into Cloud Control 13c.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Oracle Database
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Oracle Database. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
768,886 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Christian Niembs - PeerSpot reviewer
Management Consultant at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Consultant
Stable relational database management system with good partitioning and analytic functions
Pros and Cons
  • "Stable solution with analytic and partitioning functions that work well."
  • "Technical support and how they treat their customers need to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I'm working as a BI consultant, so the usual use cases for this solution are creating data integration and building a data mart.

What is most valuable?

The features I found most valuable on Oracle Database are the standard features: partitioning and analytic functions.

What needs improvement?

Oracle's technical support needs improvement.

Oracle should really continue working on their cloud topics. Everything they're currently doing on the cloud is on the right path, but they need to continue working on it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Oracle Database for 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Oracle Database is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

As an on-premise solution, scalability depends on the hardware, but I find Oracle Database scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I contacted Oracle technical support in the past about a bigger issue and it was a hassle. On a scale of one to five, with one being the worst and five being the best, I'll give technical support a score of three.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I'm using all kinds of products, and it's not that I'm switching from one product to another. The product I'm using will depend on the client. We choose products that would be the best fit for the architecture. Architecture and pricing are the main points for choosing which product to use for each client.

How was the initial setup?

Oracle Database is more complex than any other database that I have installed so far. On a scale of one to five, with one being the worst and five being the best, I'm rating the initial setup for this solution a three.

What about the implementation team?

I implemented Oracle Database in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing for Oracle Database is on the high-end side. In addition to the standard licensing and fixed fees for this solution, there's a cost for implementation and additional services.

Their licensing policy also needs improvement.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated Microsoft SQL Server.

What other advice do I have?

I have experience with MicroStrategy and also with SQL server reporting tools. The last time I worked with MicroStrategy was two years ago. With Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, I didn't work with it for a long time. I'm not currently working with it.

I'm not much into development nowadays. The only tool I'm currently working with directly is any kind of database, or with Power BI, e.g. Oracle Database, SQL Server, Access, etc.

In our organization, we don't use Oracle Database. In my own company, we don't use this solution, because it's being used on the client side. I'm working as a consultant, so I'm using it and most of the other tools, always on behalf of my clients.

Deployment for this solution took an hour, and what I did was a fresh install, not an update. I just set up a new Oracle database to try out new things, and not for setting it up on the client site. I implemented it myself and didn't need a third party or a technical team to help with the deployment.

I have no idea on the licensing costs of Oracle Database because it's the clients who pay for the licenses.

If I would install a new database, I would not go for Oracle. If Oracle Database is currently installed in the company, then it's okay to use it, otherwise, I won't recommend it as a new installation. My reason for not recommending it to others is because of their bad license policy and how they've treated their customers badly, in the past.

I'm giving Oracle Database a score of eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Systems Administrator at Dairibord
Real User
Stable and easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the most valuable features is the stability."
  • "Oracle Database could be improved by adding more automation."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for managing our ERP solutions. We use SAP as well. Oracle Database is deployed on-prem. 

What is most valuable?

One of the most valuable features is the stability. 

What needs improvement?

Oracle Database could be improved by adding more automation. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Database for around 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is very, very, very stable. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We didn't use another solution before Oracle. At that time, I think most of the applications that we were using weren't running on a database.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is very straightforward. I have no complaints. We did it ourselves and it didn't take much time. I think we've done it three times and you can install it in a day or two. We've also done upgrades along the way. 

What about the implementation team?

We implemented through an in-house team. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for a yearly licensing subscription. Funds permitting, we have plans to increase usage for Oracle Database in the new year. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Oracle Database a 10 out of 10. I would definitely recommend this solution to others. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Technical Systems Support Manager at a hospitality company with 201-500 employees
Real User
A reliable solution
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is a reliable database."
  • "Support is not available when one encounters problems."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product as a hotel solution, a hotel PMS program.

What needs improvement?

Support is not available when one encounters problems. The database has performance parameters.

It would be nice to be able to switch cluster features for creating multiple databases towards business continuity.

Installation of SQL Server is comparatively much easier than that of Oracle Database. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Database in excess of ten or fifteen years. 

How are customer service and support?

Support is not easily obtainable when one encounters issues. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

There is no comparable difference SQL Server's usage and that of Oracle Database. They are both reliable databases. Owing to program decisions, certain products make use of Azure SQL and others Oracle. 

SQL Server has a considerably easier installation than Oracle Database. 

I give both Oracle Database and SQL Server a rating of nine out of ten. 

How was the initial setup?

SQL Server's installation is considerably easier than that of Oracle Database. 

What other advice do I have?

Both SQL Server and Oracle Database are deployed as private clouds. 

I rate Oracle Database as a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
DGM Data Centre at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Reliable, scales well, and easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "They continue to improve and are always introducing new features."
  • "More integration, in my opinion, would be beneficial."

What is our primary use case?

All of our critical databases are running on Oracle Database.

What is most valuable?

They continue to improve and are always introducing new features.

What needs improvement?

More integration, in my opinion, would be beneficial.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Oracle Database for 20 to 30 years.

Because we have a long-term contract with the software team, we are always up to date. It's always the most up-to-date version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Because Oracle Database is incredibly stable, it has been used for 20 to 30 years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Oracle Database is a scalable solution.

It is being worked on by the development team. As a result, it's reaching our entire organization's population.

How are customer service and support?

I have never contacted technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we were using NetVault. We also use MySQL.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We have the necessary expertise to set up and deploy this solution in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We have a subscription.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others.

I would rate Oracle Database an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Lead - Cloud Engineering at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
A good default database that is easy to use and offers very good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is extremely stable."
  • "The pricing of the product could be better. It's too expensive right now. They need to bring down the cost."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is used for multiple applications. The solution can hold a lot of applications.

What is most valuable?

It's been one of the best databases for us. We really enjoy its capabilities.

The product is very easy to use. Users have no problem navigating it and using it.

The solution is extremely stable. It's pretty much issue-free so far.

You can expand it easily. It's scalable.

The initial setup is very straightforward. The deployment is easy.

It's a good default database. Many Windows applications also work on Oracle.

Technical support is very helpful and responsive.

What needs improvement?

The pricing of the product could be better. It's too expensive right now. They need to bring down the cost.

It would be ideal with the product could introduce more security features. It would make the solution that much better.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution for a few years now. We have a good amount of experience at this point.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution offers excellent stability. Its performance is very reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very good. It's basically been issue-free.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so with relative ease.

We have about ten users on the solution currently.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've reached out to technical support in the past. They've been very helpful and knowledgeable. We've contacted them very rarely, however, when we have reached out they have been responsive. We're very satisfied with their level of service. They are quite good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not complex or difficult. It's very straightforward and easy to implement. A company shouldn't have too many issues with the process. 

We have a team of two that are able to handle the deployment and maintenance aspects. You don't need a lot of people to watch over it. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

If the solution was less expensive, they would get man more clients. The pricing can be an issue for many.

What other advice do I have?

We always use the on-premises deployment model. We never use cloud-based deployment models. 

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten overall. We are quite happy with the capabilities. It's a very, very good database.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Oracle DBA at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Reliable with good performance and very good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "Especially with VMs, the solution can scale well."
  • "The initial setup is a bit complex."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is the main database storage for the application that we have. We offer an online purchasing system to our major customer, which is a government. They deal with their purchasing through the solution.

How has it helped my organization?

The organization can't function without it working properly as there would be a lot of upset people complaining. It's fairly integral to the overall functionality of the company.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable aspect is its reliability. In about 17 years, I believe I may have lost about 15 minutes worth of data.

Overall, the solution works very well. It has excellent performance. 

The solution is very stable.

Especially with VMs, the solution can scale well.

What needs improvement?

I'm not crazy about their new version plan that they've just started. It seems like it turns over too quickly. We may have to upgrade within the year, and I really am not crazy about that. I don't want to upgrade so soon. We may not have a choice.

The initial setup is a bit complex.

Technical support could be more consistent.

They used to have something called a database console in version 11. That was very good. It seems like they reduced its functionality over the past couple of versions. I'd like to see that back to the way in which it used to be.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for 17 years. It's been over a decade - in fact, it's almost been two.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. There aren't bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's quite reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is quite good. If a company needs to expand, it can do so relatively easily. 

When you were just with bare metal, it wouldn't be as good as it is now with virtual machines as it does not take a lot to spin up another virtual machine and put Oracle on it and have it working. In the old days, when you had a piece of metal, you had to find another piece of metal, get it installed, and then start scaling up from there. With the VM, it's a lot better.

How are customer service and technical support?

I'd rate technical support seven out of ten. They could improve it a bit.

There've been times in which it's been absolutely tremendous. Then there've been other times where it just seemed to take too long. Either the person didn't know enough and had to go to other people and such, and it just took way too long. It's been mixed in terms of results. It's not exactly consistent.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

It's my understanding that the company has always used Oracle. The company I've been with has been with Oracle for pretty much all of its life. I haven't seen any other solutions.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't straightforward. It's a bit complex. 

With the setup of it, you need operating system people, whether it be Linux or Windows or whatever operating system, and they need to be coordinating with you. Usually, we're just putting the software on top of an operating system. However, with this, it's just not something that you can just throw out there. You need to have some preparation done, whether it be a VM or a piece of metal.

In implementing the product, the product has gotten simpler to implement over time. Whether you choose to use the cloud or whether you choose to have it on-premises, it has gotten simpler to install. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't preparation that you need to do in regards to the operating system and having everything ready for it.

We have two DBAs, myself and another person. As far as mainline support, we have a couple of units admins that manage the VMs and the hardware that we still have at the moment. And we have some Windows admins, which help with the web interface to the database with the application.

What about the implementation team?

It's best to have some professionals assist with the setup.

What other advice do I have?

We're just a customer and end-user.

I've used various versions of the solution, starting with 10 and moving to 18. We're still a few versions back, and therefore aren't using the latest. The latest is 20 and they are about to release 21.

I'd advise those considering implementing the solution to do some preparation beforehand. This will help ensure a successful setup.

I would rate the solution nine out of ten. There are some improvements that can be made here and there. However, it's largely stable and works well.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: April 2024
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