Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Oracle WebLogic Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM WebSphere Application S...
Ranking in Application Server
5th
Average Rating
7.8
Number of Reviews
28
Ranking in other categories
Application Infrastructure (5th)
Oracle WebLogic Server
Ranking in Application Server
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 11.9%, up from 11.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle WebLogic Server is 26.0%, up from 26.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Server
 

Featured Reviews

Saleem Shar - PeerSpot reviewer
Compatible, stable, and scalable
IBM WebSphere Application Server is one of the best servers due to its stability and paid license. I have never encountered any issues when installing and deploying applications, as it never goes down. Currently, there are two versions of WebSphere Application Server: the old version, known as WebSphere Application ND, and the newer version, Liberty, which is Docker-based. I have experience with both and have never encountered any issues. I believe that WebSphere Application Server is a great feature.
Saikat Nag - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers efficient load distribution with a scope of high scalability
Our organization configures Oracle WebLogic Server in such a way that a load balancer becomes available. The network requests are segregated to the Oracle WebLogic Server as the managing server and different nodes are configured. Using the product as a load balancer helps automate request transfer from one non-functional node to another functional node. Due to Oracle WebLogic Server, the endpoints remain unaffected whenever a node goes down. The clustering feature enhances our organization's performance and reliability. In our organization, the health of the Oracle WebLogic Server environment is maintained and managed using Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM). I would definitely recommend others to use Oracle WebLogic Server. Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This solution is easy to use with a GUI that is intuitive and very helpful."
"IBM WebSphere Application Server is one of the best servers due to its stability and paid license."
"Security: It is compatible with the latest Java 8 security features, supports FIPS 140-2 and NIST SP 800-53 with strong ciphers and cryptography keys, and supports TLS 1.2 completely. Also, configuring client and server certificates is relatively easy."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is Portal Virtualization."
"The only reason why we're currently using WebSphere is that the integration of the authentication with Azure is very quick. WebSphere has something that can immediately connect with Azure Active Directory."
"WebSphere Application Server's best features include the data subscription and connection viewer."
"IBM WAS is the backbone for our enterprise content management suite which delivers the primary processes for our customers. Without a good application server, it would be hard to provide a secure layer of midddleware upon which the other applications run. IBM WAS improves the stability of the entire solution and provides a high quality platform for running web-based solutions."
"Network Deployment is the most useful feature for scalability. It has many features within the standard WebSphere Application Server edition."
"We have some hosted servers as well as some of our own. It performs well."
"Oracle WebLogic Server has a bunch of ready features that are easy to use and understand."
"It's a very stable solution."
"Oracle WebLogic Server is more secure and has full functionalities that can be used for big applications."
"It has helped us to have different clusters within different servers, which allows us to identify hacker attacks."
"We've got the support we require. If ever there is an issue, can just call on Oracle and they will assist us."
"The tool's technical support is very good."
"It is good because it's easy to use. It doesn't crash frequently like other servers."
 

Cons

"IBM needs to pay attention to market changes more quickly. We now have Java 9 and very soon Java EE8. We do not want to wait for two or three years after their release until they are supported by the new version."
"The business logic side of it is sort of missing in the sense that if I want to track and measure velocity, it is not really available. You have to buy another application and embark on a separate implementation. Instead of having different licensing, IBM DataPower should be integrated with WebSphere. It will allow us to build the business layer and rules a lot more efficiently, rather than developing rules within the application. It would be good if we can set up the business layer through parametrization rather than development. IBM DataPower has the business rule and the controls, and if it can be integrated, it would be fantastic. It will help the application in working better in terms of security features and business logic. If you're going to use it for open banking, you will be able to monitor velocity on the total pricing."
"The current trend is to move to Liberty because of the portability of its cloud and its Kubernetes, which containerize the application."
"When we run into memory or locking issues, we resort to using third-party tools. However, it would be preferable to have native tools for debugging this type of problem."
"The footprint could be reduced so that we can use a smaller virtual machine to run the application. We could also use more scripts. I would like this solution to be more script oriented, rather than GUI oriented."
"I think in some moments, the security was a little bit more complex to configure when it was delegated to other systems, making it an area where improvements are required."
"WebSphere Application Server doesn't have an automated deployment option, forcing us to use third-party tools like Jenkins UCD and Palo Automated Deployment."
"Based on the field and based on the build that was provided, we've noticed a lot of constraints in terms of the performance now."
"In terms of what could be improved, maybe something related to the processes automation or starting and stopping the processes, because often WebLogic comes with something called Node Manager. Node Manager needs to be configured and administrated manually."
"Having clearer mechanisms to directly map a database-level connection problem to the corresponding WebLogic thread would greatly enhance the administrator's convenience."
"If you want to use Oracle products to the fullest with enhanced customizations, you need to get trained. There is enough documentation and the flexibility to configure the application to your needs but you will need to spend more time gathering the knowledge."
"There's a bug related to the managed services."
"Configuration can be a significant challenge, demanding a deep understanding and expertise."
"I've had issues with some of the tracking features tracking and have had to go back to several generations of code to fix problems where things were touched."
"Licensing fees need improvement."
"I can't point to anything missing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay around $200,000 annually."
"It costs more than some of the others, but, you get what you pay for."
"I don't remember the price, but there are no additional costs."
"WebSphere Application Server is expensive, so it may not be a good option for small companies."
"We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."
"The price of this product is higher than that of competitors."
"The pricing is a little expensive."
"When you purchase Maximo, you get WebSphere for free."
"The licensing fees are annual and depend on the model."
"In our country, this is an expensive product."
"Pricing for Oracle WebLogic Server is expensive."
"My company uses a licensed version of the product, so we get Oracle's support."
"It is expensive."
"I would not compare WebSphere and WebLogic because both servers are really good. The only difference is that Weblogic is lighter and consumes less memory."
"The solution's licensing is high-priced."
"Its high expense is a significant drawback"
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Server solutions are best for your needs.
816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
32%
Computer Software Company
12%
Insurance Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
20%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM WebSphere Application Server?
Network Deployment is the most useful feature for scalability. It has many features within the standard WebSphere Application Server edition.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM WebSphere Application Server?
The product is expensive. I rate the product’s pricing a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
What needs improvement with IBM WebSphere Application Server?
I think in some moments, the security was a little bit more complex to configure when it was delegated to other systems, making it an area where improvements are required.
What needs improvement with Oracle WebLogic Server?
Sometimes, some issues don't get fixed by Oracle's technical support team, and you need to invest time to fix them by yourself. Oracle's support team fails to understand the real problem of the cus...
What is your primary use case for Oracle WebLogic Server?
I use the solution in my company since few customers use WebLogic applications and also since they have a few number of applications deployed on it.
 

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server
WebLogic Application Server
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

TalkTalk, Property management group, E.SUN Bank, Ohio National Financial Services, Aviarc, Cincom Systems, FJA-US, D+H, Staples, Michigan Municipal League
Colab Consulting Pty. Ltd., Infosys Ltd., Sascar, Banca Transilvania, UL, Center for Railway Information Systems, SPAR Austria Group, Reliance Commercial Finance, Industrial Bank of Korea, Al Jaber Group, Safe Water Kenya, Chhattisgarh Infotech and Biotech Promotion Society
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Oracle WebLogic Server and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.