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CentOS vs Oracle Solaris comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

CentOS
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Solaris
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 5.8%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Solaris is 2.6%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan - PeerSpot reviewer
In-depth documentation available and command-line utility works well
One issue I recently faced, but I think it was due to my IT support guys, was that when the server storage gets full, the service crashes. It's very difficult to regain access and stability in that situation. That could be improved. So, the stability might be improved. But I don't think it's a CentOS-level issue. The system administrators need to come up with a solution for that, but I don't think it's CentOS's fault. I haven't done any research [R&D] on this issue. There's one thing for sure. We recently migrated from CentOS 7 to CentOS 9, and it was a bit difficult. For example, updating Windows is simple; you just download it, and it takes about 15-20 minutes. But that's not the case with migrating from CentOS 7 to 9. We had to back up the entire server, launch a new server, and then restore the backup to the new server. We couldn't directly migrate. I think that was a bit of a problem. The setup and updates are not that new in CentOS.
Zandile Mushi - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers good security features and reliability
The tool is quite complex and difficult for anyone trying to use or study it. The complexity of learning the tool is an area of concern where improvements are required. Oracle Solaris' lighter and simpler version can be introduced. I feel that Oracle Solaris is a user-friendly tool because I am exposed to it.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"You can work with the UI or in command line, if you prefer."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free."
"The most valuable feature is that it is compatible with RedHat."
"The open architecture is useful for us. That's why we're using CentOS."
"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."
"If I need to install a feature or fix a server issue, I can easily find answers online. The CentOS community is also vast and helpful."
"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward and not complex, especially if you are familiar with CLI."
"It is a stable soultion."
"Its networking has helped me combine the power of a neural network with the benefits of virtualization to improve the AI's performance."
"The product's most valuable feature is partitioning resources and optimizing hardware utilization effectively."
"The backup capabilities are quite good."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy."
"The stability of the solution is good."
"Solaris' best feature is its stability."
"This product handles databases well; they run on top of the operating system."
"It works well. It is very stable and very good. It is also very safe. It cannot be easily infected by viruses or attacks."
 

Cons

"The support could be a bit better."
"The server system is a little bit tough to manage."
"CentOS could be improved by being more secure. Of course, we use a firewall, but security is always a concern."
"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."
"There could be more integration features included in the product."
"Updates are going to a streaming version."
"It would be ideal if Red Hat would continue the CentOS versions in an open-source format. They seem to be moving away from that. Now only paid versions are available."
"CentOS is not easy."
"They could also enable Oracle OEM for x86 architecture as well."
"If it could support other file systems, it would be better."
"Oracle customer service is slow at times."
"I don't want to receive any updates on Oracle"
"It is not easy to use. It doesn't have a user-friendly interface. It should be easy to use. We are planning to move from Solaris to Linux because Linux is more flexible and user-friendly. Its installation should also be easier. Solaris also needs specific hardware to work well, which is another reason why we are moving to Linux. It should be more flexible in terms of hardware. It should have better integration with other hardware platforms."
"Red Hat Enterprise Linux is more secure and better documented. So Oracle could learn from them when it comes to security and documentation."
"The Solaris code is open, and the documentation is accessible to all, not only to registered users. Also, the documentation does not support some solutions, and there are no other options."
"One of the drawbacks is Oracle itself. Oracle has its good and bad they are not putting resources into the development."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"The solution is open source so is free."
"It's freeware, so we can use it without worrying about licensing."
"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs involved."
"The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees."
"It's free."
"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."
"The price of Oracle Solaris could be less expensive."
"Solaris is highly priced compared to other solutions, but since it's a niche product, this is to be expected."
"The annual license cost is fair and reasonable."
"It is an expensive product. I rate the pricing a ten out of ten."
"The current setup with hardware devices involves a higher cost, but the performance is top-notch."
"We don't use an authorized license."
"The solution is expensive and is based on an annual fee."
"There is no OS licensing cost if you use their hardware and purchase hardware maintenance."
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Comparison Review

it_user281973 - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 24, 2017
It's improved our company's system environments that run Oracle databases.
Red Hat is mission critical to our environment Red Hat has improved the mission critical environments running Oracle databases, while CentOS has improved our web environment and MySQL. Oracle and SAP Environment and all HPC environments. 10 years No issues Very stable i don´t find any problem…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which would you choose - RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) or CentOS?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is fantastic. It is an inexpensive solution that has excellent security, performance, and stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has fe...
What do you like most about CentOS?
CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CentOS?
I am not responsible for the setup cost in my company, so I am unsure about the cost of the license.
How does Oracle Linux compare with Solaris?
When comparing Oracle Linux and Solaris, I believe that Linux is more secure and more flexible. It is also very suitable for enterprises that are already Oracle solution users. I found Linux to be ...
What do you like most about Oracle Solaris?
We use the solution as an internal operating system.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Solaris 11, Solaris
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Siemens, IVV
Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Oracle Solaris and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
841,004 professionals have used our research since 2012.