Oracle Linux Reviews

We are using Oracle Linux for supporting traffic surveillance in Hungary.

When it comes to my favorite features of Oracle Linux, I have been impressed with its ability to facilitate a smooth and efficient workflow system. This system is responsible for gathering data from multiple cameras and transferring this information to the backend systems. The system comprises around 10 to 12 servers, all of which are integrated into a highly reliable and redundant cluster setup. Currently, we are using Red Hat Linux for our production needs, however, we have plans to switch over to Oracle Linux in the near future. The reason for this change is due to the specialized nature of our system which precludes the use of cloud computing capabilities.

What can improve in the solution is a rather challenging question given that Oracle is pushing towards cloud computing and the closed nature of the system. Maintaining Oracle Linux behind a firewall can be a cumbersome process, as it requires manual intervention to copy repositories and obtain approval from internal authorities. With the current emphasis on cloud computing, the support and development of traditional, closed systems like Oracle Linux may not receive as much attention, leading to potential limitations in the system's capabilities and performance.

My aim is to be in control of the automation process of Oracle Linux, as it holds immense significance for my current work. However, to request that the traditional methods of operation be maintained, as not everyone has the means or access to utilize the public cloud for their services. This is particularly true in my case, where I am operating within a closed system, which is protected by a state firewall and lacks direct internet connectivity. Additionally, I have been unable to find a clear and comprehensive guide or roadmap that addresses how to effectively manage these types of scenarios, as my level of experience in this field is limited.

I have been using Oracle Linux for approximately one year.

The solution is indeed stable. After conducting a thorough evaluation and comparison between a Red Hat system and an Oracle Linux system, the kernel stability remains constant and unaltered. There was no observable difference in the stability between the two systems. Additionally, during the period of usage, no issues or problems regarding stability were encountered.

The number of users utilizing Oracle Linux within our organization is rather limited. This is due to the fact that the system operates in an autonomous manner, and primarily, it appears that only a maximum of one hundred individuals utilize the front-end component of the system.

At the current moment, there are no concrete plans to increase usage. This is due to the fact that the individuals responsible for utilizing the system are state-employed clerks and the organization has no intention of expanding its numbers. Instead, they have expressed interest in implementing automation as a means of streamlining the process, rather than increasing the number of personnel involved.

The solution can contain a substantial amount of data, it is not considered to be a true big data system. At present, there are no scalability issues to contend with as the system is not overburdened in terms of memory or processor capacity. The data is preserved in clusters that are connected through load balancing, and no quantization is currently being utilized. While it is possible that scalability may become a concern in the future, particularly if there is an increase in the number of connected devices, it is unlikely to be a pressing issue in the near term, perhaps two to three years down the line.

I have not utilized the technical support offered by Oracle. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, my previous agent was not able to continue providing support, which resulted in me seeking support from the community instead of professional support. I highly recommend that Oracle invest in proper support services, however, at present, it is a challenge to persuade them to do so.

The Oracle Linux setup process is simple and effortless to execute. The installation DVD is a great resource for those who want to verify their administrative privileges, as it is a straightforward and uncomplicated process. By downloading the DVD and utilizing it to install the software, one can ensure that it is installed in a seamless and convenient manner, with the strength and security of fiber and steel behind it. This makes the setup experience truly outstanding.

The deployment process took approximately one week to complete. The duration was due to the need for thorough checks and verifications of the sources behind the firewall, which required additional control measures. The Red Hat system that was previously used had not been properly maintained for the past five years, which caused some delays in the upgrade process to Oracle Linux. The upgrade involved significant changes to auxiliary systems, including the higher proxy and naming system, which added to the time taken to complete the deployment. Despite these challenges, the actual installation of Oracle Linux from scratch only took approximately one or two hours. The slow deployment process was not a result of the installation of Oracle Linux, but rather the previous maintenance issues and the need for thorough checks during the upgrade process.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I am Oracle Linux a nine out of ten.

We are currently using Oracle ERP, and based on Oracle's recommendation, it is best to use Oracle Linux.

The features that I have found to be the most valuable are the performance, stability, and support that Oracle offers for the solution.

I am not currently able to discuss the products in-depth, as I function at an upper level of management. I will need to consult with my team, who have hands-on experience with the solution. However, one improvement that I would like to see is an upgrade to increase its adaptability with new gadgets such as mobile devices and tablets. The interface should be easy to use. Also, the interface of the tool is a bit old and follows a traditional style.

I have been using Oracle Linux for the past three to four years. Our organization is currently using Oracle Linux Version 7, and we are considering upgrading it to Version 8.

Based on our experience so far, the stability of this solution has been good. I would rate it an eight out of ten for its stability.

In my opinion, this solution is scalable when benchmarked against KVM. While we have only recently implemented this solution, we have not experienced any scalability issues so far. From an ERP point of view, I think maybe ten people are using this solution. From a scalability perspective, I would rate it an eight or nine out of ten.

We receive support from Oracle for both Oracle Linux and Oracle ERP. In terms of technical support, I would rate this solution a six out of ten. The support process is time-consuming as it involves several steps. We first contact them for an issue, then they ask for some other sort of things like logs, after which they provide a patch. Then, we need to take a clone of that and apply the patch. After that, we need to test it out. Then, we again need to take time out for the protection services. We then apply the patch on the protection, take the backups, and do a few other things, which is overall a time-consuming job.

Neutral

We are currently in the process of upgrading to a KVM product. Before this, we were using Oracle OVS and Oracle VM, but we're moving to KVM. According to my team, KVM is a bit challenging to understand, and they need to invest a significant amount of time to properly configure it by reading the documentation. If I were to rate the setup process on a scale of one to ten, I would rate it a five from a KVM point of view, indicating an intermediate level of difficulty. It took my team a few weeks to deploy the solution, as we couldn't devote 100% of our time to the deployment process. However, we can spare some time in a day to carefully configure the solution. Also, our company has a team of three people.

Calculating ROI can be challenging, particularly in our economy, where the dollar rate keeps fluctuating a lot. Many factors that are considered in ROI calculations are tied to the dollar, and our company is not doing good business as well. However, we typically aim for solutions that will be effective for three to five years. From Oracle's point of view, this solution is stable, reliable, and performs well. We also have the local expertise to manage it. Overall, we are achieving a medium level of ROI, and so far, I would say that it is an okay solution.

This solution is very cost-effective, as it is essentially free, with charges only for support purposes. From a cost perspective, I would rate it as very cheap on a scale of one to ten, and I believe that our company can easily afford it. In terms of profitability, I would rate it an eight out of ten. On a scale of one to ten, with one being the most cost-efficient and ten being the most expensive, I would rate this solution a two or three.

Currently, we do not use any of the blaze servers, only independent servers such as rack mount servers and HPE servers. From the software perspective, we use multiple software solutions, including Linux and Microsoft. In terms of hardware, most of our servers are HPE servers, with a few Dell servers also in use. However, we are planning to upgrade our hardware and are considering composite blaze servers, which will help us reduce our energy footprint and improve management. We are evaluating options from both Cisco and HPE Synergy too. Our use of Microsoft technologies is limited, and we currently have a Cisco firewall in place. Our internet is provided by Kaspersky, and most of our software runs on the Linux operating system. As for Linux, we are mainly interested in Oracle Linux. Endpoint is something that is for business use. Overall, I rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Oracle Linux is basically Red Hat. It's the same. Oracle took the CentOS project, which is Red Hat, and made its own enhancements. They added something they call 3DBear, which is their proprietary technology. They call it the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK).

Oracle took Red Hat, stripped a lot of the software that was not needed for Oracle, which made Red Hat much smaller. They optimized the UEK for their Oracle database applications.

A customer who is planning to have an Oracle database and is looking to see whether to choose to go with Oracle Linux or SUSE Linux or Red Hat, the best option for them would be to go with Oracle Linux because it's the same vendor.

Oracle Linux for Oracle databases is the top. There's no doubt whatsoever. However, if you are going to use it for anything else it's going to be a mess, because many packages will not be supported by Oracle.

For example, I was helping an organization back up various Oracle Linux servers using various kernel versions and various distribution versions. The software that I used for backup requires some packages to be pre-installed into the Oracle Linux machine from the distribution itself, but one of the packages was not available from the Oracle repositories. Because it's a Linux machine, I can manually download this package and install it myself. But the problem with that is that Oracle will void the whole warranty if I install a package from a third-party repository.

If you are going to use Oracle Linux for anything other than running Oracle databases, you will most definitely run into a bottleneck situation in which some packages that are needed, you will not be able to download. And, if you download and install them, you will void your contract, which nullifies the point of you getting Oracle Linux in the first place.

Oracle Linux has a particular use case, not like SUSE, or like Red Hat. 

With SUSE, and Red Hat, you can use them for almost any use case, and you can even install Oracle inside both of them, but you can't do the same with Oracle Linux. 

Oracle Linux is built for Oracle databases. It doesn't make sense for me to get Oracle Linux and install the MySQL database. Even though MySQL is an Oracle product, it doesn't make sense. If I am not going to using Oracle databases then I shouldn't go with Oracle Linux.

Oracle Linux needs to support more packages. I understand that they stripped down CentOS and Red Hat, but Oracle is an organization that will be paying the price of Red Hat making CentOS, CentOS-3 as well.

I understand the idea of making the Linux distribution just optimized for their Oracle database, but I'm not going to get Oracle Linux because it works well only with Oracle products. 

I will most likely have a diverse infrastructure. So instead of going with Oracle Linux, I will go with SUSE Linux or Red Hat. Why? Because Red Hat, for example, has support for many, many packages. Instead of me going to get Oracle Linux for the Oracle database and Red Hat for the remaining workloads, why not get Red Hat from the beginning.

I have been using Oracle Linux for two years. It is still pretty new to me.

I have used Oracle Linux versions 6, 7, and 8.

Oracle Linux is a stable solution. 

When you take Red Hat and strip several applications off of it and optimize it to work with Oracle databases, Oracle Linux is the most stable Linux.

Technical support was great. I didn't deal with them directly. When I had an issue, I was interacting with a team who was administering the Oracle Linux environment, and when we ran into hiccups and we needed support from Oracle, they would initiate a ticket, and Oracle would respond and would provide support.

The installation is comparable to Red Hat, and CentOS. It's not difficult.

In terms of the configuration, it won't take more than 30 minutes to install. 

However, because it's an Oracle Linux, there are Oracle databases involved, which means there are steering committees. There will be complications in the implementation that are not related to the actual installation of the product itself. This will delay it by several days.

In general, I would not recommend this solution, but if you are going to be running Oracle databases, then yes, I would recommend Oracle Linux.

If you are going to be running Oracle-based solutions, or if your data center mainly is controlled by the Oracle Corporation then yes Oracle Linux would be the best choice.

You shouldn't go with Oracle Linux if you're not going to be using Oracle products.

As I am not particularly interested in Oracle, I would rate Oracle Linux a seven out of ten. If however, I was, then I would rate it a ten out of ten.

I am a database administrator and work within the database that installs the solution all over the company and for clients. 

The solution used to be set up on hardware such as Exadata and Spark machines. Nowadays, the solution is set up on virtual machines and uses the ODA in various cloud environments. 

There are 50 to 100 people who use the solution across multiple teams that operate morning, noon, and night. My team is composed of 20 architects or engineers who focus on DBA for Oracle DB2 and SQL server.

The solution is a reliable operational system that gets the job done.

Many features are over and above competitors such as Red Hat.

CapsLive is a great, free feature that you have to pay for in other systems. I can do upgrades to the operational system without any database or application downtime. This saves me a lot of time. 

The virtual environment is the best I've ever worked with. 

Graphical support for the environment could be more like virtual reality. 

The solution is not as user friendly as Meet for IBM AIX. Meet has a more friendly operational system because the interface works in a better way. 

It would be beneficial to have universal integration with clouds around the world such as Amazon, Google, Azure, and Oracle.

It would be nice to have better features for governance types. 

I have been using the solution for years. 

The solution is very, very stable and runs particularly well for Unix and Linux environments. You can let the machine run without turning it off for a long time and it will still work well. That is completely different than working with Windows or other substandard operational systems.

Stability is rated a ten out of ten. 

The solution is very scalable with no change in hardware needed. Most operational systems require you to change the entire hardware in order to accommodate a new operational system. 

Scalability is rated a ten out of ten. 

We use technical support when we have bugs or issues. Support used to be a bit lost because they didn't have historical information about issues. But nowadays, support usually solves our issues. 

We like the support team and don't have problems with them. All solutions come with issues, but Oracle provides an issue manual that is helpful. 

Technical support is rated an eight out of ten. 

Positive

I used to work with Windows and Ubuntu. 

I previously used Meet for IBM AIX. I still work a bit with the AIX operating system. 

I don't usually do installations, but did some a long time ago and they were not difficult. 

If you pay attention and take care of performance issues or adapt the operational system for your goals, then setup is not difficult. 

We implement the solution in-house. We have a highly-professional team who sometimes collaborates with Oracle engineers if we have issues. 

The solution is free to use with a support subscription rather than having to buy licenses. There is no comparison in pricing right now. 

There isn't a better operational system in the world right now. Maybe someone will invent one, but for now the solution with Linux and Unix is the top option. 

Windows is a terrible operational system that relies on pointers so I don't like using it at all. It also has mathematical flaws that I don't like. 

It is important to work with a vendor who will sell you the correct product for your environment rather than just try to make the most money off of you. 

Study the solution and learn how to install it correctly and use it in the best ways. Follow best practices from Oracle and get some training in the operational system. 

The solution comes with a lot of features and options that you can use for free. It is reliable and you can even use an old version with no issues. It is not the most user friendly, but you can learn it with a bit of study. 

Overall, the solution beats other operational systems by a large margin. The solution is rated a nine out of ten. 

I use the solution to host Oracle Database and ACSLS which manages tape libraries. ACSLS used to be owned by StorageTek but was purchased by Oracle. 

For example, our infrastructure utilizes the solution to run ACSLS and provide commands to the tape library, conduct inventory, provide encryption, and keep track of volumes with their location slots. 

The solution is not used by thousands but instead provides inter-computer communications and services like DNS, encryption, and management. 

The solution runs very well on inter-platform or HPE Intel servers. 

Product documentation and technical support are excellent. 

The graphic interface could be improved to work better in a desktop environment like Red Hat or Ubuntu.

Few people use the solution because its marketing is faltering. Unless companies buy other items from Oracle such as ACSLS for managing tape libraries, there is no need to use the solution. 

I have been using the solution for two years. 

The solution is very stable and has been running for months with no issues. 

On occasion, we install patches to fix security vulnerabilities. 

We use the solution for a very specific applications so do not have the need to scale. The solution is connected to another platform to provide encryption or management. For our use, the solution works very well. 

We do not have thousands of users connected to the solution. 

The solution provides the best and most detailed documentation available. Step-by-step instructions are provided for downloading packages and installing operating systems. 

The response time for technical issues is excellent and second to none. If you have an issue, they will be able and willing to help. 

Positive

I am also a system administrator for Solaris and prefer it because it has been on the market longer and I am familiar with it. 

In my opinion, Solaris is the best operating system available but has limitations because it must operate on a SPARC server. It is a legacy solution that is aging out and being replaced by Red Hat or Linux. 

The initial setup and deployment is easy.

Our data center operators racked everything and connected the network. Then our engineering group connected the console, mounted remote DVDs with the software, connected remote ISOs or ICOs, and deployed the operating system. Our security group handled authentication like the LDAP configuration that allows use of the same accounts for all servers. 

Daily operations include several monitoring services like Netcool or ScienceLogic to keep track of things via SNMP. When something fails, a ticket is received via Remedy and our security group lets us know to patch for vulnerabilities. 

The implementation was done in-house with no issues. 

We downloaded software packages from the website, repurposed some hardware, and installed the operating system. 

Overall, the solution is less expensive than Solaris and allows for use of existing hardware.

I do not have access to actual costs but believe the licensing fees are quite high.

The Linux solution can run on inter-platform so that puts it in competition with Red Hat which is marketed better and has bandwidth. 

Red Hat has become the standard since it was purchased by IBM and users are migrating to it. Red Hat was not an option for us because we had specific needs. 

We chose the solution because it supports our HPE Intel server and ACSLS. 

Documentation for the solution is outstanding and support is good. 

For security, disable things you do not need like Telnet or ports and rely instead on SNMP for great monitoring that alerts you to memory and space utilization. 

Partition your file system instead of using defaults for root and boot file systems. Separate file systems protect against machine crashes or root file system issues. 

Ensure that you secure your entire system to prevent hacks. 

I rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

We're using Oracle Linux to run virtual machines for their database solutions in the cloud. We're also using Oracle Linux to run an SFTP server.

We have several Oracle Linux 7s that support the databases. We have about ten of those. We have one SFTP server as well. That is the extent of it.

We do a lot of mounts so we can use shared storage. It has a good amount of mount points. I'm just getting very comfortable with it as far as the ACLs and the users go.

I cannot recall any areas that require improvement, or any missing features I have come across. 

Occasionally, we might get an alert to restart our database, and if we don't do it on our own, the system will do it automatically. That can cause downtime issues if your clients aren't expecting it.

I've used the solution for about a year and a half at this point. It hasn't been too long. 

The stability is very good. The databases are all VMs. Sometimes the database might have an underlying condition, hardware condition, and Oracle will send us an alert to tell us to please restart our databases so that they can be moved to another piece of hardware by a certain date. If we don't do it on our own, they will do it. That, however, leaves room for corruption. Also, you run the risk of not telling our customers ahead of time that there might be a little bit of downtime.

The solution can scale up or down easily. You can always scale up, scale down, add more storage, add more memory, that kind of stuff.

Since we have an Oracle cloud subscription and a tenancy, our service requests are answered by tech support from OCI tech support. It's pretty much whatever we need. However, I must say, their tech support usually addresses OCI problems, such as infrastructure problems. When it comes to the Oracle support, you really have to dig and you really have to get on them to actually get it down to the Oracle support. That said, I want to say, so far, so good. I'm happy with the support so far.

Before I worked on Oracle Linux 7, we were on-prem with Red Hat 6 or 7. It might have been Red Hat 6. Everything really just transfers very well as far as the commands and all of that. Oracle Linux 7 is basically Red Hat 7.

When it is in the could, the initial setup is very easy. When it's in the cloud, you just pick a shape and say, "Make me a machine."

What makes each shape different is the number of CPUs. The amount of storage comes with it. 

I'm just an Oracle customer and an end-user.

For those considering the solution, I would say, if you're familiar with Red Hat, there's very little change and the users should just go for it.

As far as dependability and ease of use go, I would rate the solution at an eight out of ten. 

Oracle DB is used in one of the use cases that you have worked on, specifically for the database aspect. It is likely that all of the solutions that have been deployed and are currently running use the Oracle database.

Oracle is well-known for its strong security measures. I have a great deal of confidence in the security of the Oracle DB, including its ability to monitor changes made to the database.

The interface is good.

Pricing could be improved.

I have been working with Oracle Linux for four years.

We are not working with the latest version.

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.

Oracle is highly scalable.

In our company, we don't use it ourselves, but some of our clients have deployed it for their own use.

They have fifty users

The number of users increases as our clients open more branches in their network. As the number of branches grows, so does the number of clients and users utilizing the system.

What makes technical support easier for us is that the Oracle DB is used for the CVS that is used. Therefore, the same person who provides support for Oracle is also able to provide support for CVS, which simplifies the process for us.

At present, we are not as closely associated with Process Maker as we are with Microsoft and IBM. This is because many of our clients also use SharePoint and Office 365.

I am currently in the process of learning more about SharePoint myself. While I have some experience with the design aspect, I am trying to improve my skills and knowledge in this area through training and practice.

In the past, we used Microsoft technology, but we made the switch to Oracle due to its superior security and robustness.

The initial setup process can be challenging and not particularly straightforward, but with effort and careful reading, it can be successfully achieved.

The deployment was a team effort since it was a project being deployed for a client.

During the deployment, we had a project manager on-site who provided guidance on the steps involved in the process, particularly with regard to migrating from an Oracle environment.

The most significant challenge we encountered during the deployment was data migration from the old platform, which was an SQL version. Data cleanup was also a time-consuming issue that we faced. However, once the data had been cleaned and set up properly, the rest of the process became much easier.

We pay an annual subscription.

When it comes to budgeting, it is easier to plan for a new subscription because you can allocate a specific budget for it.

I would highly recommend this solution.

I would rate Oracle Linux a nine out of ten.

In our company, we are using Oracle Linux for virtualized machines or VMs. So, Oracle Linux is the operating software for us. The tool is easy to use, and its performance is also good. From a competitive point of view, the solution is cost-effective, so it is installed in our machines.

The solution's security could be better and improved, but I am not sure.

Since it is a VM, it gets slow. It can be an area for improvement. So, we get a connection, making it not a very significant issue since it usually works well.

I have been using Oracle Linux for two to three years as an end-user. Also, I don't remember the version of the solution I am using.

It is a stable solution. We rarely face any issues with the machine.

Since the solution is a per-machine license-based one, I am unsure about its scalability.

I have worked with thousands who were working on the solution.

With our machines, we do seek help from the solution's technical support. So, whenever we have an issue, as I mentioned, we go back to IT support to raise a ticket, and they resolve our issues in a day.

We switched to Oracle Linux from another solution since it is our organization that provides us with software, it is. So they decided Oracle Linux to be the operating system we all use.

We get the machines to work on, but since I am an end-user, I feel that I am not the right person to speak on how Oracle Linux does the setup and the cost involved in the solution. We let the staff involved in the deployment and maintenance know whenever we have an issue with the operating system. We generate a ticket, and depending upon an issue, they take a day maximum to resolve our issues.

Our IT support team did everything related to the installation part.

We are currently operating the solution using a license-based version. We get licenses per machine.

The evaluation of other solutions was not carried out at an organizational level but at a personal level, and I looked at Microsoft-based products. There are two different scenarios, one of which, at a personal level, I might have a different operating system on my computer, while in the second one, my office might be providing me with some different machine. But we need to acknowledge the fact that the company's decision is of paramount importance.

I rate the overall product a seven to eight out of ten.