Oracle Linux Reviews

It is nice that it's ready made for deployment in OVM (Oracle VM for x86) with templates.

But, there's only some/limited vendor support when running on Oracle-branded hardware. There's no other reason I can think of to use Oracle Linux over any other Linux. If it were completely up to me, I'd be running the latest LTS version of Ubuntu Server.

We're able to deploy easily with the read-made templates for OVM.

From a product perspective, there needs to be more rapid upstreaming of security fixes released by Red Hat or Fedora.

Free vendor support? There's not much really. And Oracle Linux is feature-poor compared to other Linux distributions, and they're much slower than Red Hat, CentOS, or Amazon to release security patches and bug fixes

I've used it for five years or longer. I've also worked extensively with Solaris, OEL (5 and 6) and OVM for X86 and OVM for SPARC (LDOMs). I'd still recommend Solaris, but not OEL. I haven't used OEL for 9 months since leaving my previous job. Where I work now we use exclusively Debian Linux 7.x Stable, with a view to migrating our cloud platforms to Debian Jessie Stable.

There were vulnerabilities during deployment due to extended lead-time releasing security fixes (e.g. shellshock).

We have had no issues with the stability.

We have had no issues scaling it for our needs.

The technical support was average, and support for other Oracle products (e.g. Solaris) deteriorated substantially after Oracle bought Sun Microsystems. I do not like Oracle's support model one bit, and I loathe having to use WebMethods, which looks and feels and behaves like something from the 1990's.

If I had to use an RPM-based distribution, I'd rather use CentOS or Amazon Linux.

The initial setup with the ready-made templates was nice.

We performed the deployment with our in-house team only. The only assistance from Oracle has been with Oracle hardware issues in OVM for x86, and installation of Oracle applications on OEL.

I'd only use it if I was forced to use Oracle x86 hardware. I'd opt for something else given the freedom to do so. OEL seems confining, restricted, and primitive.

Just don't do it, unless you're locked in by your vendor, or hardware, or project manager.

It is an operating system that is used for running some applications.

There were some problems when updating the operating system, which affected the system as a whole.

I would like functioning updates, which make sure that after installing the patches, everything is working as before.

Moreover, there is room for improvement in technical support.

I have been using this solution for a few years. I have been using version 8 of Oracle Linux.

Oracle Linux is a stable product, and I would rate the stability an eight out of ten because sometimes there are issues when installing patches or renewing licenses.

It is a scalable solution. However, the number of users depends on the customer, sometimes several hundred, and sometimes the number of users is less than forty.

The customer service and support team is okay, and it could be more responsive.

I used Solaris. We switched because Solaris is not fully developed as compared to Oracle Linux.

The initial setup is okay. It took around three hours to install and run the operating system.

We installed it in-house.

The customer usually buys the license, and it's a one-time purchase.

I would definitely recommend using the solution.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We primarily use the solution as an operating system for our internal systems.

The solution’s valuable features are flexibility, stability, and security. It's secure in terms of the network, the viruses, etc.

They should improve in the area of entertainment applications for the average user. That includes music, video, and gaming applications.

We have been using the solution since the year 2005.

If you use the solution as an HTTP server, it can serve 1000 users simultaneously.

The setup is easy, but you must know your exact requirements. Oracle Linux has millions of features. You have to be precise in picking up the features, such as deciding whether you want an FTP server or HTTP server, or both, or you want more. Everything can be modified afterward. The deployment time depends on the server's configuration, but it takes around 30-60 minutes. 

I have always known that Linux is the real deal. I advise others to use Oracle Linux for a server or an enterprise where they have to host a service. The variations of Linux, like AIX, are complicated in implementation and maintenance. Oracle Linux is more accessible in that part. I rate the solution as an eight.

I would say it is more in the "soft" part. Lots of people love Oracle Linux and it gives a lot of stability to our platforms.

It's the skill, I can leverage the skill because it's known by the majority of the people in my organization. It's not a constraint, the fact that I need resources. And it's the stability and the tuning of the system.

I would say better logging of the bugs. Recently we had an issue and it was extremely painful to find out what the issue was on our platform. Only after three weeks of deep analysis did we find out it was a bug in the kernel of Linux. Maybe something that can help to provide better information on the issue itself.

The stability I found is extremely good.

We are pretty good in planning, no issues. Every now and then we face some problem but given the fact that we have really qualified and skilled people we can solve it pretty fast, and the support is good.

It's good when you reach the people, the people with the skill that can support you. Sometimes it's difficult to find the right people and get the right attention. When you have the right people and the right attention, things go smoothly.

I would say straightforward with a little bit of complication. Complication depending, possibly, on the hardware or other stuff related to the platform where it’s running. But overall, straightforward. 

I would suggest start to get some knowledge on your own, know what it is about. Then, when you approach the expert, you know what to ask. Make a dichotomic approach, the right questions.

Basic training is always recommended. I would not go too deep in unnecessary training; do basic training and then start working on it.

• We use Oracle Linux templates for Oracle VM Server to provision our clone environments quickly.
• We installed Oracle RDBMS almost without any effort in the OS layer,(thanks to preinstalled rpms, yums, and an easy Oracle Linux installation). It is always good to use Oracle Yum, for easing the installation of additional OS packages when needed.
• We are supporting lots of critical customer environments that are mostly Oracle EBS or Oracle RDBMS running on Oracle Linux and we did not get any unexpected reboots or OS problems.
• Oracle Linux is interoperable almost with every Oracle product, and this interoperability comes built-in by default.
• Oracle Linux is well known in the community and that means quick information access when needed, for example, when data is lacking on administration or a requirement to diagnose a component.

• The preinstall packages for Oracle RDBMS.
• Single vendor support, as my customers mostly have Oracle Applications, Oracle cluster stack and Oracle RDBMS running on top of it.
• It is fully compatible with RHEL. (Considering Red Hat is a widespread distribution, it is a valuable thing, as we can run a wide range of applications that are developed for RHEL). So, any application that runs on Red Hat Enterprise Linux will run the same on the corresponding Oracle Linux version.
• Ability to have Oracle Support. (It is a sophisticated support environment.)
• Having Oracle Community for additional support.
• Free binaries and errata.
• Tested and verified by Oracle.
• Ability to check the Oracle Validated Configurations, which offers documented tips for configuring Linux systems to run Oracle database.
• It is a Linux OS but it comes with management and HA tools that are integrated and included for free. Oracle prefers to use Oracle Linux in its Engineered Systems. This also makes Oracle Linux more valuable for me. So, at the end of the day, if you know Oracle Linux, then you automatically get familiar with the Oracle's various Engineered Systems.
• Oracle Linux comes with 2 kernels: 1) UEK, 2) Base kernel. We mostly use UEK because it is Red Hat compatible, modern, current, tested and reliable. But in case of a problem, we can always boot with the base kernel. Offering the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK) as part of Oracle Linux alongside what we call the Red Hat-compatible kernel gives us the ability to provide current, modern, tested code to customers without reducing reliable and availability.
• Oracle Database Smart Flash Cache is a key feature for those who use Oracle Databases. It allows us to extend the Oracle Buffer cache using flash-based storage.
• “cgroups” are also a key feature which let us create resource groupings based on CPU, memory or disk parameters.
• Ability to use Oracle YUM server, which gives us a free and convenient way to install the latest Oracle Linux packages.
• New Oracle product patches are firstly available in Oracle Linux... Also, Oracle Linux is quite frequently updated (even the DST patches are directly released).
• Ksplice lets us update the Linux operating system (OS) kernel, while it is running, without a reboot or any interruption.

• Oracle should increase the interaction between Oracle Linux and Oracle RDBMS. (Oracle RDBMS can be packaged into Oracle Linux; a tight integration will bring advantages.)
• File recovery should be added to Oracle Linux. (When you delete a file, you should recover it easily.)
• The RDBMS know-how that Oracle has, should be used to also develop Oracle Linux. (Oracle RDBMS has lots of features; why not mimic some of them in the OS tier?)
• Oracle Linux documentation should be enhanced.
• Oracle Linux clustering should be enhanced and made widespread. (Oracle should certify it in its products.)
• We need a file system other than ASM or ACFS. We need a file system which can be used for replication; maybe integrated Oracle databases.
• We need an Oracle Database-aware GUI but with a consolidated administration console added to the distribution.
• A GUI-based performance analysis tool should be added to the distribution.

I have used it for 5 years. I have used Oracle Linux for hosting several critical Oracle Databases and Oracle Application Servers. 90% of my customers are using Oracle Linux for hosting their Oracle E-Business Suite environments. Also, in the past 5 years, I have migrated lots of Oracle Databases and EBS environments from other OS vendors to Oracle Linux. I have also done several Exadata and ODA administration, which have Oracle Linux in their OS tier.

We did not encounter any stability issues.

We use Oracle Real Application Clusters for RDBMS-level scalability. We also use engineered systems, which are by default scaled out. All these environments are based on Oracle Linux and we didn't have any issues on the OS layer.

Technical support is 8/10.

We were using Red Hat Linux before. We started to use Oracle Linux, because it is free and supported by Oracle (owner of almost all the products that we are using or administrating). It has stabilized as time goes by and compatible with RHEL.

Initial setup was straightforward.

There is no license required for Oracle Linux; however, we recommend having an Unbreakable Linux Network (ULN) license for getting at least basic level support.

We are using Oracle products including Oracle RDBMS, Oracle FMW applications and Oracle EBS, so this is why the strongest option is always Oracle Linux.
Unless there is a hardware-OS relationship (i.e., IBM AIX and IBM Power Systems), we always use and we always recommend that people use Oracle Linux as the operating system.

• Check out the validated configurations.
• Read the guide to get the considerations (such as basic security considerations).
• Check the certification matrix for ensuring your applications and hardware are compatible with Oracle Linux.
• Get at least basic ULN support.

We are using Oracle Linux for our clustering system. We are doing many things with Oracle Linux and the Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager. I am using an Oracle database and an Oracle Linux-based operating system. 

I find the virtualization the most valuable. Oracle Linux is a very good product.

Oracle Linux has fulfilled all my requirements so far. It has very advanced features, especially the latest product for this Oracle in a cloud infrastructure. 

On-premises we are using the Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager. It is very good software.

I think the pricing could be improved to be more competitive. I have been using Oracle Linux for a long time. At the moment, I'm trying to expand on our use cases and the GPL license we have is sufficient for that. 

The technical support could be better, as well. 

It would also be great if Oracle Linux had a desktop version. Right now, unline Windows 11 for example, Oracle Linux is server-based only. 

I have been working with Oracle Linux since 1990.

Oracle Linux is the best Linux operating system that I have ever known. It is very stable and strong.

Oracle Linux is very scalable. It is a very strong operating system.

So far, I'm not using any external technical support. I'm maintaining my team very well.

The initial setup was straightforward for me because I have been using Oracle Linux for a long time. The platform I used previously was Sun Microsystems, so it is not difficult for me to use Unix-based applications.

Our organization uses mostly Oracle engineered systems and appliances such as Oracle Exadata, PCA Private Cloud Appliance, Oracle Database Appliance, etc. Anything that is an engineering solution from Oracle, essentially. We also use Oracle Virtualization, OVM. These are on Linux.

Ksplice is the solution's most valuable aspect. Basically, what that allows us to do, is it allows us to patch and update the Kernel without a reboot. To me, that is the most outstanding feature of Oracle Linux.

The pricing is quite good.

The stability is excellent and the initial setup is easy.

Oracle Linux is downstream from Red Hat Linux. This solution has the same pain points. I would probably mention that fleet deployment and management could be improved. 

It would be ideal if they added a faster implementation of the security fixes, if possible.

I've been using the solution since 2010.

The solution is extremely stable. There aren't issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.

In terms of adding on features, it's pretty scalable. It's similar to Red due to the fact that it is pretty much adjusted downstream from RHEL.

We have between 50-100 users on the solution at any given time.

I've used support in the past. I'd say it's pretty typical. It's not extraordinary, It's fine.

We switched from Red Hat Linux. Oftentimes I work with the appliances and Oracle engineering systems on hardware and software, which come from Oracle. 

The deployment was not complex. It was very straightforward. How long deployment takes depends on how many OS instances are being implemented. A single OS instance may take about 30 minutes or less. 

I work at an Oracle partner company and assist clients with their implementation in my role as a consultant.

The licensing cost is fairly small. It's pretty much in line with Red Hat licenses. I cannot recall the actual pricing, however, it's my understanding that it's just a few hundred dollars for a CPU core per year. I would just say it's fairly reasonable and low.

 Oracle Linux subscriptions can actually come free if they're purchased with other products.

We're a partner and reseller of Oracle.

I would recommend the solution, especially for the organizations that could be interested in zero downtime patch-ins. That is what the Oracle Linux case flies provide. I don't think the same feature are available in RHEL.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

• Installing Oracle APEX for testing purposes
• Learning Oracle APEX
• Making some fancy web applications, including forms that load and display images

The main aim of installing Oracle Linux was to test it after years of using CentOS, and  to test Oracle APEX. After one year of testing,  I encountered problems that I was not able to solve: 
I was not able to do rotated backups; upgrading to a newer version of APEX was a nightmare; I could not enter GlassFish admin console; and I could not install SQL Developer. Then I thought that if I bought the cheapest version of Oracle Database I would get the support neccesary to get this know how. Two sales persons contacted me. But they were not interested in solving my doubts. Their only interest was selling me the cloud database, for the fantastic price of (more or less) 1000 euros per year. I explained to them that my alternative was a second hand PC, plus CentOS, plus Postgres, plus Eclipse.  They did not offer me a cheap version of Oracle database. I understoo the message, Oracle, both Linux and database, were not for me.

Ease of development of professional-looking web pages, full of functionality and with secure access.

I decided to purchase Oracle Database. I thought that if I bought the product, I would get support. I asked some easy questions to the sales agent who contacted me. He was more interested in selling me the cloud database than answering my questions. I learned that I am too small for Oracle. I continued with CentOS and Postgres. Google provides me with all the information I need. I could not get all the information I needed from Oracle.