Product Lead at Zenotech
Video Review
Real User
Red Hat compatibility allows us to move very easily between platforms, including the cloud

What is our primary use case?

We're quite heavy Linux users. We do high performance computing on Linux so we like a Linux which is compatible with several platforms, so we don't have to cross-compile for too many Linux editions.

What is most valuable?

We like that Oracle Linux is Red Hat compatible, it makes things very easy for us. We can move between platforms very easily. 

How has it helped my organization?

Oracle Linux has helped us to use some of the Oracle cloud platforms, it's made that quite easy. Really, access to that is why we use Oracle Linux.

What needs improvement?

Just keeping up to date with the latest releases, so Red Hat Enterprise having Linux 7 compatibility would be useful. Other than that, the tools that we need are there, we use the GCC compilers and those tool chains.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've had absolutely no problems at all, we've never had any stability issues with Oracle Linux.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We run, as I said, high performance computing, so we run across several nodes at any one time. We've scaled up to 30 Oracle Linux instances talking to each other, with no problems at all.

How are customer service and support?

Luckily, I haven't had to use it yet. Obviously we use some of the Oracle online documentation, that's always been useful. And any time we've had any contact with Oracle it's been fairly positive. So what little contact we've had has been good.

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

We didn't feel much of an investment because we use the cloud platforms, then it's an option to us there. The actual investment of just trying Oracle Linux out was very little, it was just one of the choices on the cloud platform, and it turned out to be one of the best.

How was the initial setup?

It was relatively straightforward. Again, the compatibility with other Linux distros makes it quite straightforward, so we've had no issues really. It was very simple.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of important criteria when selecting a vendor: support, and stability of the product as well. Obviously having the packages certified by Oracle, a known stable platform, makes it easy. We don't have to worry about doing an update and then breaking things. That's probably one of the key things for us.

I'd say try it out, it's simple to get running, get it onto a CIN and then just give it a go.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
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it_user603813 - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner Consultant at a tech services company
Consultant
I like the Operating System alignment with Oracle Database.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature in Oracle Linux is its design. Oracle Linux is built with features to align very closely with Oracle products and specifically the Oracle Database. For example, it’s delivered with the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel which is a kernel developed and optimized by Oracle for Oracle products.
It’s an important part of the system that makes Oracle Database so powerful.

How has it helped my organization?

The Oracle Linux system is configured, by default, to schedule I/O for database usage and this I/O management plays an important part in database performance.

What needs improvement?

Dynamic tracing could be improved. In Oracle Linux, you have some very powerful (for example "perf" or "systemtap").

If Oracle can deliver such tools like dtrace for linux (publicly), this would help albeit actually dtrace is delivered through the Unbreakable Linux Network.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Linux since 1997 and Oracle Linux since its availability in 2007.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have never encountered any stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have never encountered any scalability issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

I usually use forums, Google and My Oracle Support (MOS )Knowledge Base (a great tool) to find answers to my questions. I never used Support Engineers to resolve issues related to Oracle Linux.

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

I used Red Hat Linux solutions before, but Oracle Linux is better engineered to run Oracle products.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not complex. If you understand Linux basics, it won’t be a problem.

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

Oracle Linux support is not free but the product is free. You can use it and test it safely for your tests environments. As soon you run your production, purchase a support if you have to access patches etc.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Red Hat Linux a couple of years ago, but both products are very close. Only Oracle Linux has specific features that can be optimized for Oracle products (Database, Engineered systems etc.)

What other advice do I have?

If you are searching for an operating system build to run your Oracle products, then Oracle Linux is the best product to do that.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Oracle Linux
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Oracle Linux. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
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it_user436173 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Oracle Database Administrator at a pharma/biotech company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Vendor
With the licensing, it was clear what we had to pay for it, what we got, and what we can get in the future.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Oracle Linux is that it's a very stable product. It seems to be based on Red Hat. We waited for a few years before adopting it, but now that we've adopted it, it's been very stable for us. The license and adaptability of it is probably be the biggest selling point for us.

In this day and age, we'd be very cautious in terms of licensing, but with the Oracle Linux it's very clear how you license it, and also it's the flexibility of it. Sometimes we find with the Oracle licensing it's quite vague in some of the products. With this here, it was very, very, clear what we had to pay for it, and what we got, and also what we can get in the future.

What needs improvement?

Oracle's products are quite expensive. The reason why they're expensive is probably the reason why we purchase them, in terms of the stability, and we know that even though we're paying heavily for the product, we can't afford to be going with other inferior products.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We want to run -- we do run -- a High Availability environment. The documentation in and around Oracle Linux and the hosting of WebLogic on Oracle Linux from a clustering point of view was, at best, average. We had to search for many, many articles and get MyOracle support involved to get to the point where we actually ended up with the High Availability solution that our business needed. Again, when they put these products on the market, their documentation needs to be an awful lot clearer about how you get to the places you want to be.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's incredibly stable. We've had little to no issues with instability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Before any major software releases or major changes to our infrastructure, everything is tested to a really, really high level. We would never actually go live with anything without being stable, but it took us longer than it should have to get there.

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

The reason why we went for Oracle Linux ahead of even Red Hat or, originally HP-UX, was because the product licensing was very, very, clear, whereas it was a little bit vague with the other products. In this day and age, there's very much a focus on cost, keeping the costs down, and spending wisely.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was difficult. We wanted High Availability, and it was that part in particular that was giving us severe problems. It uses a repository to holder details between the High Availability instances, and we found that that was quite complicated to set up, and even now it's a little bit buggy.

It would have been difficult. We try to have high availability, and in particular the high availability part of it gave us severe problems. It uses what's known as a repository to hold details between your high availability instances, and we found that they're quite complicated to set up, and even now a little bit buggy.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user436206 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oracle Applications DBA/UNIX SA at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
I like that it can run on generic hardware, which is definitely a plus over the proprietary hardware that we had on previous Oracle installations.

Valuable Features

The most valuable aspect of Oracle's flavor of Linux is that there's a one-stop shop for support to which I can go. I can get support for our Oracle basket of products that includes Linux and Database.

Improvements to My Organization

I like that it can run on generic hardware, which is definitely a plus over the proprietary hardware that we had on previous Oracle installations. This mean that we have a tremendous cost savings when we're able to run Linux on hardware for which we don't have to pay a premium. We'd rather spend our money on the software.

Room for Improvement

There are some features that might be in Red Hat Linux that aren't in Oracle Linux. I can't think of anything specific, but we had that issue about a month ago.

Deployment Issues

It's deployed just fine for us. We've had no real issues there.

Stability Issues

It's been very stable. We've very rarely had any issues with instability.

Scalability Issues

It's been scaling just fine for what our needs are.

Customer Service and Technical Support

The support is pretty good. There are some issues with first-level support providing just basic, generally not-very-helpful advice, but they're generally responsive and help us to resolve smaller issues.

Initial Setup

The initial setup is straightforward, if you know what you're doing. It's not that difficult or unnecessarily complex, but you should have some experience with previous installations for best results.

Implementation Team

We implemented it ourselves with our in-house team.

Other Advice

Be sure you follow the instructions for installation, setup, and configuration.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Student at Proton
Real User
A stable and easy-to-use operating system that provides the RPM package manager feature
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Oracle Linux is the RPM package manager."
  • "I would prefer to have the KDE Plasma Workspaces interface instead of GNOME."

What is our primary use case?

I am a student and do some home projects using Oracle Linux. I like Oracle Linux better than Red Hat Enterprise Linux because it's mostly free for personal use.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Oracle Linux is the RPM package manager. Oracle Linux is pretty simple to use.

What needs improvement?

I would prefer to have the KDE Plasma Workspaces interface instead of GNOME.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Linux for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Oracle Linux is a really stable solution.

I rate Oracle Linux ten out of ten for stability.

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

I have previously used Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

How was the initial setup?

I rate Oracle Linux a nine out of ten for the ease of its initial setup.

What about the implementation team?

It takes around 30 minutes to deploy Oracle Linux. To deploy Oracle Linux, I have to boot from the ISO image, enter the setup, and click on next. I can get additional options from the OS itself.

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

I use Oracle Linux for free.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Oracle Linux for users looking for a cheaper, stable, and easy-to-use operating system.

Overall, I rate Oracle Linux ten 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.
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Project Manager at Realnux
Real User
Top 5
Has a more stable kernel than Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Pros and Cons
  • "We use Oracle Linux to test our software, and we also recommend Oracle Linux to our customers."
  • "The download speed is not good. Oracle can improve their servers capacity, especially in Asia."

What is our primary use case?

We used Oracle Enterprise Linux to replace a Red Hat Enterprise Linux environment because Oracle Linux rolled out a new kernel. We thought it might be more stable than our previous edition.

How has it helped my organization?

We have maybe 10 to 15 engineers using Oracle Linux to test the software environment. It has a more stable kernel than Red Hat Enterprise Linux. 

What needs improvement?

Oracle Linux is almost the same as Red Hat, but it takes a long time to download, in comparison. The download speed is not good. Oracle can improve their servers capacity, especially in Asia.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Oracle Linux for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable. We use Oracle Linux because it has a stable kernel, perhaps, more so than other vendors.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable product.

How are customer service and technical support?

It's not easy to obtain Oracle Linux support from emails or telephone support. We tend to look at the Knowledge Base. Oracle's Knowledge Base is excellent.

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to install and only took about 30 minutes.

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

We use Oracle Linux to test our software, and we also recommend Oracle Linux to our customers. We also recommend the purchasing of a license to activate the product. If our customers want to install Oracle Linux on multiple servers, perhaps Oracle could offer some good discounts, but these would need to be negotiated.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We used several kinds of Linux. Something like SUSE Linux, Red Hat Linux, Ubuntu Linux, and Oracle Linux but especially those with stable kernels. In some software environments, we do not need a stable kernel's performance level, but the machine may be stable in most cases. Before this year, we used Ubuntu. Ubuntu is speedy but not very stable. Its development is very quickly rolled out, and they change it every half year.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Oracle Linux an eight out of 10. Linux Enterprise is used in our customer's data center. The users may use a lot of server resources, so we recommend they buy a license. Sometimes they need to buy hundreds of server licenses, so the price consideration is important as the licensing is expensive. Our customers tend to use other editions such as CentOS, and other free editions. However, the free editions are not stable. Indeed, the free version provided by Oracle is not stable.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
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PeerSpot user
senior managed consultant at a tech services company
Consultant
With Ksplice, which is provided free, it can be patched without downtime.

What is our primary use case?

Ksplice is a really cool feature. The availability is maximized because it can be patched without downtime. Oracle Linux provides free Ksplice.

How has it helped my organization?

Productivity has improved as it is easier to deploy and use. In particular, various open source packages can be more easily installed and managed, and systematically maintained.

What is most valuable?

Ksplice is a really cool feature. The availability is maximized because it can be patched without downtime. Oracle Linux provides free Ksplice.

What needs improvement?

I hope you have a built-in package to visualize your performance and analysis tools.

I can install and use the open-source tools, but I hope to use the proven packages.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not encountered any stability issues. It was very stable. Safety is at the highest level and there has never been a problem.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have not encountered any scalability issues; scalability was also very satisfactory.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Customer service is wonderful.

Technical Support:

Technical support is very skilled and stable. However, in Korea, 24-hour call service is only available in English.

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

I switched some of my UNIX systems to x86. As a result of the U2L project, I chose the OS as Linux.

How was the initial setup?

The installation was very simple. Installation was quick and easy with a few clicks.

What about the implementation team?

We used to use UNIX. And I'm using some Red Hat and CentOS. I switched some of CentOS to Oracle Linux. We do it directly. We have many engineers with various levels of experience.

What was our ROI?

  • Service continuity through zero downtime and low-cost subscription

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

Oracle Linux is provided by Oracle subscription and is equivalent or better than other Linux technical support. However, support costs are about half that level.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before choosing this product, we also considered Red Hat and SUSE. However, we chose Oracle Linux to use the Oracle kernel optimized for Oracle applications.

What other advice do I have?

If you convert UNIX to Linux... and if stability and service downtime are to be minimized, Oracle Linux is the solution.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Moses NYOTA - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Software and Cloud Engineer at Velocis Technologies LLC
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Easy deployment and stable but documentation capabilities could be better
Pros and Cons
  • "It is good for web, network, and file management."
  • "There can be improvements to the documentation capabilities."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for deploying and managing operating systems and web servers. It is good for web, network, and file management.

What is most valuable?

The ease of deployment is very valuable because the deployment process is straightforward to manage.

What needs improvement?

The documentation capabilities could be better. Although it is sufficient, other solutions provide better documentation. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for two years and have used a variety of versions.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and we have no issues with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, and it is easy to patch.

How are customer service and support?

We have no experience with customer service and support. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. However, it may be more challenging to set up for people with no experience.

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution a seven out of ten because there can be improvements to the documentation capabilities and the communities around them.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Oracle Linux Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Oracle Linux Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.