Oracle Linux Reviews

I am using Oracle Linux in the IT industry.

We configure Oracle Linux and give it to our customers, which amounts to thousands of people using it.

The features of Oracle Linux that we find most effective are when we normally use it as a VPN gateway. We configure it and make it an application-level gateway, and we use it for user authentication.

The main benefits we see in this operating system, apart from the user authentication and VPN gateway, are that we were using CentOS before. Since CentOS is stopping support and going to downstream support now, we moved to Oracle Linux for that matter. Otherwise, we were satisfied with the CentOS part.

I feel that Oracle Linux should improve to have a graphical interface that would be much more user-friendly, similar to Ubuntu, so that people who want to interface with the Oracle servers can have Oracle Linux desktop on their personal laptops as well.

I would recommend that those who are planning to use Oracle Linux consider it as a 90% replacement for CentOS because most people would be moving out of CentOS due to those stream and support issues. It is a close match to CentOS, and it could reach out to end users better if the graphical user interface is improved. On the server side, it is acceptable as it is an apple-to-apple match for CentOS, but for end users, people would be comparing it with Ubuntu or Mint, so it should improve its user interface.

We have been using Oracle Linux for about a year.

I have not faced any challenges or difficulties with Oracle Linux during this time.

I have not had any stability issues with Oracle Linux.

I have not experienced Oracle Linux handling large-scale deployments; we just do a single node or double node deployment as of now.

I haven't used the scalability feature of Oracle Linux to evaluate if it is scalable enough for my environment.

We normally use the community support for Oracle Linux as of now, which is my impression on the support they provide.

I have no complaints or recommendations regarding community support.

Positive

We switched to Oracle Linux because support is not available for CentOS; the patches won't be available, which is why we have moved to Oracle Linux, and on my personal laptop, I mostly use Ubuntu.

It is easy to set up Oracle Linux compared to CentOS.

If I were to rate the setup for Oracle Linux from 1 to 10, it would receive a perfect 10.

We have customized Oracle Linux, and we use it as a VPN.

Regarding security enhancements in Oracle Linux, the patches are available, so as and when the security patches are available, we update them.

We plan to increase the usage of Oracle Linux for now.

I rate Oracle Linux as a 10 when used on a server, but if I use it as an end user in terms of desktop computing, then it could be a five because the graphics is not as impressive as Ubuntu.

Currently, I see that everyone is looking into Linux. People are migrating to Linux from different proprietary hardware systems, which are often more expensive than x86 systems. This is the reason for moving to Linux. 

When it comes to Linux, if I have Exadata and all Oracle Linux operating systems, these are what I deal with. Nutanix, with hardware offering software-defined storage, also helps me. For clients with unlimited licenses, the advantage of HXIT6 hardware is that the license is not a constraint, prompting them to switch.

Oracle consistently performs better, like with Oracle Solaris. Linux systems are similar, however, Oracle Linux offers an unbreakable system. Oracle has just started this from version eight, which is distinct.

Addressing room for improvement in Oracle Linux, some applications supported by other operating systems are not supported, which is a pain.

I've been working with Oracle Linux and Linux Red Hat since version five.

DP is present in all infrastructure sectors because it's open-source. Testing determines stability, as continuous Linux use and installations reveal more bugs. Unlike stable products like Solaris, open-source products are not fully tested, which is common.

It is easy to scale.

I find that Oracle is always good in customer service, but it depends on the backend. The initial support request handling is crucial. Not all support engineers at Oracle are the same, so sometimes I experience good support that resolves issues quickly, while other times, it loops. This is common. That said, overall, Oracle support is good.

When comparing Red Hat and Oracle Linux, people often focus on popularity, and both are almost the same. Mainly, I notice that the popularity varies.  The difference lies in their marketing and presentation.

One person is enough to deploy everything from infrastructure to the operating system.

Ultimately, Oracle Linux as a product rates nine out of ten. It's very easy to use. For Linux, it's nothing too complicated. Taking care of the necessary tech accounts, subscriptions align similarly. The focus is on what is used on top of Linux with the move towards database 23, which incorporates AI, testing and migration are ongoing. 

When comparing operating systems like Solaris, support for new versions is diminishing, forcing migrations to Linux, such as Oracle Linux or Red Hat, both being popular. Depending on preferences, some support Oracle Linux, while others favor Red Hat, which is more popular initially.

I have experience with Linux solutions.

The best features of Oracle Linux are repositories, support, and compatibility on Oracle database.

Oracle Linux's compatibility helps in integrating Oracle hardware and software effectively.

The updates are applied instantly once a CVE is identified, which makes it highly beneficial.

There is not any area that could be improved with Oracle Linux because it is very similar to Red Hat, and in our type of system, it cannot be achieved with other systems.

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the technical support with Oracle as a 9.

I rate it a 9 because for some cases, the response time is not very high. They are a little slow to respond when we have problems; however, everything else was very good.

Positive

We evaluated SUSE Linux and Red Hat as other products.

The differences between Oracle Linux and SUSE Linux include the type of subscription, the value, and the compatibility, where Oracle Linux performs better.

The initial setup with Oracle Linux was very simple because it kept using the same installing type since the start, making it very simple to adapt everything.

In terms of pricing, Oracle Linux is the best benefit for the price compared to other licensing systems.

As for my experience with the pricing and licensing, I can say that as it's from the government, we conducted research about all the prices, and Oracle Linux was the best one available for what it can achieve.

We use OCI as our main cloud provider instead of AWS.

We are clients of the government with Oracle, linked from the government.

I would rate Oracle Linux a 9 out of 10.

My main use case for Oracle Linux is to provision a VM and run applications or services.

A specific example of an application I run on Oracle Linux is revenue assurance and fraud management systems. Oracle Linux serves as the OS, while the application sits on the OS. We make use of some of the Linux packages that are residing on Oracle Linux to work with the application or the service. Oracle Linux also provides us with NFS and CIFS because we needed to have a central storage.

The best features Oracle Linux offers include being a Linux system designed for enterprise environments, and it is based off of Red Hat Linux, which makes it much more stable and also improves security.

The features of Oracle Linux have helped my organization because we have noticed fewer security incidents since it is a downstream of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. We get updates regularly, and we run our updates regularly, which leads to much fewer security incidents. Because it is a Linux system, we are able to get better uptime with our security patches.

Oracle Linux has positively impacted my organization by making it easier to manage and also being much cheaper than Red Hat because you do not have to pay for subscription licenses, leading to improvements and cost savings.

I wish Oracle Linux could improve its OVM because I want it to run HCI solutions where I can aggregate my local disks using technology such as vSAN, especially since Red Hat has discontinued RHEV for OpenShift.

I have been using Oracle Linux for eight years.

Oracle Linux is stable in my experience, as it is a downstream for Red Hat, making it much more stable and secure.

Oracle Linux's scalability is good because it can handle growth, as we use it in our services, and one of the services has grown from 20 to 30 servers.

My experience with customer support for Oracle Linux has been acceptable; I have had one or two opportunities to reach out to them, and the experience has not been bad.

I rate the customer support for Oracle Linux a six out of ten.

Positive

In addition to Oracle Linux, I also use Red Hat, Ubuntu, and Debian, so I have not stopped using other solutions.

I do not have any numbers or examples regarding a return on investment to share because I do not conduct any tests to be able to decide this, but I know for a fact that I do not have to pay for subscription or licensing, and because it is Red Hat-based, most people know how to use it.

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Oracle Linux has been very positive because when it comes to licensing and the likes, as I said, it is a downstream of Red Hat, so you do not have to pay much for licensing or subscription. The only thing you have to pay for is support.

I did not evaluate any other option before choosing Oracle Linux; I just went for it.

I do not manage the system, but I manage the OS, so that is what I can provide.

The cost savings from using Oracle Linux come from the fact that since it is a downstream of Red Hat, you do not have to pay for subscription, while you enjoy most of the benefits of Red Hat, so we use it.

I would advise others looking into using Oracle Linux to try it, and if they are comfortable with it, then they can go ahead.

I gave this review an overall rating of seven out of ten.

Our primary use case for Oracle Linux is that we are using it on Oracle Cloud. Our ERP is on Oracle Cloud as well. We downloaded a PDF to compare Oracle Linux with Ubuntu Linux for a vendor request on a project.

Our objective was to move from on-prem infrastructure to cloud infrastructure. By selecting Oracle Linux instead of Windows or Red Hat, we reduced costs significantly since Oracle Linux is free. 

Additionally, having Oracle application and operating system from the same vendor makes things easier and provides a single point of contact for resolution.

First of all, the cost is a significant advantage of Oracle Linux. The platform is stable, and there is no risk of viruses, unlike the Microsoft platform. We moved from Windows platform to Oracle Linux because it is free, leading to a reduction in costs. 

Also, 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.

The user interface for Oracle Linux could use improvement. Coming from a Windows environment, switching back to command-line interface is time-consuming. Having a user interface would make tasks easier, saving time by avoiding the need to remember command-line instructions.

We have been using Oracle Linux for more than a year now, and it has been stable without issues in our production database and application.

Oracle Linux is stable. I would rate its stability as eight or nine out of ten.

The technical support for Oracle Linux is just okay. It is not as helpful or friendly as their application support. The response is not as useful, and it could be improved.

Neutral

We were previously on Windows platform, and we moved to Oracle Linux since it is free and reduces costs.

I am unable to answer how the initial setup was as it was done by our implementation partner. They handled all the initial setup before handing it over to us.

Our implementation partner created all the virtual machines and handled the initial setup and migration project.

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.

The cost of Microsoft OS is pretty high, and switching to Oracle Linux, which is free, reduced our costs by about 20% to 25%. For about ten servers, this was a significant saving.

The core engine of Oracle Linux is based on Red Hat, making it a stable solution quickly. It is relatively better for enterprise customers rather than individual users.

Oracle Linux is stable and cost-effective. I would rate the overall solution as eight out of ten. 

With improvements in support and user interface, Oracle Linux should continue to improve. I would recommend it depending on cost factors and enterprise suitability.

We use it for security purposes. Linux, or Solaris, offers more security and reliability than Windows operating systems. Windows is easier to attack. 

Most files used by hackers are executables, and if your vendor's operating system isn't secure, that's a problem. That's why we use Oracle Linux; it's compatible with our database.

If we use Linux, Solaris, or some other operating systems, we have to build a lot of packages using RPMs (the packet manager). That's a difficult task. With Oracle Linux, we use a single command to update from the Oracle website. 

It updates in minutes and downloads all necessary RPMs required for your database. This allows us to install our Oracle database without errors on Oracle Linux. We can prepare our server within 30 minutes if we have a good internet speed. Oracle platforms are steady and robust.

The main challenge can be compatibility with products from other companies. When you mix products from different vendors, you might experience difficulties. Using products from the same platform simplifies things.

Before Oracle Linux existed, back in 2001 and 2003, Oracle didn't have its own operating system and used other versions of Linux. We faced problems with these. For example, the earlier Linux versions were 32-bit operating systems. This limited the amount of memory we could allocate to our Oracle database instances. Let's say we had a server with 128 GB of RAM; with a 32-bit Linux operating system, we couldn't use all of it for the database.

When later Linux releases became 64-bit, this limitation disappeared, giving us much more memory to work with. The compatibility with Oracle products is a big advantage. It makes it easier for DBAs (Database Administrators) to manage our databases. If my boss tells me two or three new servers are arriving tomorrow, it's not a problem. I can quickly set them up and prepare them – even doing installations on multiple servers at the same time.

Sometimes we have applications that only run on operating systems like Windows, creating difficulties. Microsoft's platform is easier for some people to understand, but troubleshooting issues can be quite challenging, even for experienced programmers. In contrast, troubleshooting on the Oracle platform is much simpler, which is a key benefit.

I have been using it since 2004. 

When we start the installation, we decide the purpose of the server based on the expected database size. If the database is under 100 GB, we will allocate resources accordingly. If the database will be about 100 terabytes or 500 terabytes, then we adjust our allocation. Sometimes, in our UAT (User Acceptance Testing) databases, we allocate less memory, which can cause some minor issues.

Otherwise, in production environments, we take our time. When switching to new hardware, we dedicate at least three months to proper testing. We purchase hardware licenses, software licenses, and database licenses all together. 

We never rush installation because we conduct thorough testing. We test everything from the production database to the standby database. We heavily load the standby database, and if it performs perfectly, then we switch roles – standby becomes production and vice versa. We perform many transactions on both sides to check the load balance.

Once satisfied, let's say we have 20,000 users, each with approximately three active sessions – that's potentially 60,000 sessions. We observe how the server handles this, how much CPU is consumed during peak times. 

Peak times in most organizations are generally from nine to five, with cool down from ten to twelve, then after breaks, again from 02:00 to 04:30 P.M. We monitor CPU consumption and RAM utilization during these peak hours. We check every step, and only when we say, "Okay, this server can support our new hardware and software, we have no issue" – only then do we make the switch.

We are happy. We are using it. We recommend it to our students. We also recommend it to our friends.

Oracle installations are never a problem for us. We've been using Oracle for over 23 years. Even with new features added in later versions, we have no issues because of our extensive experience. 

Oracle provides two options for installation: 

• GUI (graphical user interface) and 
• CLI (command-line interface). 

We use both and have no problems.

We have a separate database server. It's not part of the cloud; it's an Oracle RAC.

Oracle RAC is a combination of multiple servers: two servers, four servers, eight servers, even sixteen servers. It's a combination of multiple servers. Oracle Linux is only just used on the server side, not on the client side.

Primarily, it's the DBAs (Database Administrators) who control and use the database servers. Network and security departments generally use Windows operating systems. They don't deal with Linux commands as much because they have limited access and manage fewer servers – maybe two, three, four, or a maximum of ten. In contrast, we have many database servers, and for security reasons, we prefer Linux. We don't have Windows servers for our database work.

Oracle is expensive compared to the Microsoft platform. with much money. 

We have a license for each and every one, but we have a separate Oracle IT procurement department that deals with the costs.

I'd recommend that you use it. The main challenge for new users of Linux is the command-line interface (CLI). It can be intimidating if you're not familiar with it.

However, Oracle provides excellent manuals and installation guides on its website. If you follow those guidelines, you won't have problems. Oracle Linux is secure and reliable.

Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. It is a good product. 

My main use case for Oracle Linux is server administration, and I typically use it for web administration, application, and database administration in my work.

A specific example of how I use Oracle Linux with my databases is to implement our core banking system, where I use MySQL and manage the database.

Regarding how I use Oracle Linux, we are currently facing challenges with WebLogic, and we are using Apache and WebLog from Oracle that add to our tasks.

Oracle Linux helps with security and management in my bench system because we have many features that we can use to implement security, such as the firewall, which we configure, and it also helps when someone has to access our resource or database, especially concerning cybersecurity.

The best features Oracle Linux offers for my organization stand out significantly in terms of security, particularly the firewall. The firewall in Oracle Linux helps my organization because it is reliable, offers ease of configuration, and is dependable to use.

Oracle Linux provides fast updates, and the best aspect is that we can update our server without interrupting our service, which is very important for business continuity. When we moved to Oracle Linux, we noticed more performance in our applications, making our business operations smoother.

Oracle Linux has impacted my organization positively by helping us reduce downtime, improving our performance, making our applications quicker, and increasing our security; we can fix problems easily with Oracle Linux.

I believe Oracle Linux could be improved, but I am very happy with it as it is.

I have been using Oracle Linux for around eight years.

Oracle Linux is stable for my organization.

Oracle Linux's scalability is excellent for our needs because our organization uses it for everything to achieve our goals.

I have not had any recent experiences with the Oracle Linux support team; we are not currently using customer support, although I had an experience five years ago.

Neutral

Before Oracle Linux, we used a different solution, and we switched because Oracle Linux improved our performance and helped us reduce downtime significantly.

To measure these improvements, I track cost savings and user satisfaction, both of which are essential metrics for us.

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Oracle Linux has been that it is expensive.

My advice to others looking into using Oracle Linux is that if they are seeking performance, security, and reliability, Oracle Linux is the best option for any business.

I rate Oracle Linux 9 out of 10.

My main use case for Oracle Linux is for administration, specifically full administration for Unix servers, such as hosting applications, monitoring the server health, and all the administration tasks I have been using it for.

I am hosting applications on those servers and monitoring the servers that are operating on Oracle Linux with full monitoring.

The best features Oracle Linux offers include security, as I have found it to be more secure than Ubuntu, Red Hat, and other Linux distributions. Additionally, it is easier to use than the other Linux operating systems.

What makes Oracle Linux more secure and easier to use than other Linux operating systems I have tried is the configuration of the firewall, SSH, and a few other configurations. These are easy to follow and set up.

I remember that the repositories for Oracle Linux are more stable than those of others. For instance, with Ubuntu, I have faced some issues related to the repository for the NFC files. The repositories of Oracle Linux are working smoothly more than others.

Oracle Linux has positively impacted my organization as most servers we are using are Oracle Linux. We prefer using it. The reason my organization prefers Oracle Linux is for its performance and reliability. In general, the operating system is cleaner and easy to use and follow.

I have no suggestions for improvements regarding Oracle Linux. Everything is going well.

I have been using Oracle Linux for three years.

Oracle Linux is stable.

The scalability of Oracle Linux is working fine, and there are no issues we have faced regarding scalability.

I have not interacted with Oracle's support team. All the cases we were solving were done by ourselves in the team.

Neutral

Before Oracle Linux, we were using Red Hat, but it was an old version.

I have not seen a return on investment with Oracle Linux.

Our experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing involved using VMware Cloud, and I have no idea about the cost.

I did not evaluate other options before choosing Oracle Linux. This is the first time I am evaluating an operating system.

I recommend using Oracle Linux as your first choice for Linux distributions. I have rated this review a 10.