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Oracle Linux vs Windows Server 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
9.3
Oracle Linux offers free, stable performance, financial benefits, and robust tools, saving costs compared to Microsoft, despite currency challenges.
Sentiment score
4.9
Windows Server enhances efficiency and stability, provides competitive advantage and cost savings through virtualization, making it a worthwhile investment.
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.
We're very competitive commercially and technically because of it.
We've seen value in Windows Server because the systems work smoothly without any problems.
Windows Server offers excellent value for money, particularly when compared to alternatives.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Oracle Linux support is appreciated for expertise and integration but criticized for delays, high costs, and complex issue handling.
Sentiment score
6.1
Microsoft's customer service is generally good, but response times and expertise vary by region and support agreements.
Not all support engineers at Oracle are the same, so sometimes I experience good support that resolves issues quickly, while other times, it loops.
It is not as helpful or friendly as their application support.
Our in-house team can also solve most issues.
If you go through a partner who sells or supports Windows, the support could be around seven out of ten, because Windows relies on these partners for assistance.
Microsoft's technical support for Windows Server has been lacking, with rare responses even with premium support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.4
Oracle Linux efficiently scales diverse applications, handling various deployments with minimal configuration, supporting high-performance clustering and cloud environments.
Sentiment score
8.3
Windows Server is scalable, supporting medium to large enterprises, but complexity arises with growth, especially in advanced environments.
It handles device performance well, automatically managing any issues that arise.
I rate its scalability a ten out of ten.
It's definitely scalable.
The solution is used extensively in our organization, and we have plans to increase the usage.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Oracle Linux is highly stable and reliable, outperforming competitors in enterprise environments, especially with Oracle database optimizations.
Sentiment score
7.9
Users praise Windows Server's stability and performance, noting improvements, minimal crashes, and reliability for various applications despite occasional update issues.
Testing determines stability, as continuous Linux use and installations reveal more bugs.
We have experienced no blue screens or crashes and often achieved an uptime of 2,000 to 3,000 days without any issues whatsoever.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
The tool is stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Oracle Linux needs faster security updates, better documentation, improved usability, third-party compatibility, and more affordable licensing and support.
Windows Server needs better integration, security, stability, performance, pricing, support, compatibility, and seamless cloud integration improvements.
Having a user interface would make tasks easier, saving time by avoiding the need to remember command-line instructions.
Oracle Linux's outage management can be improved to better handle outages.
Some applications supported by other operating systems are not supported, which is a pain.
The solution should improve its stability.
From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities.
Deploying antivirus and firewall software on the server is advisable, but having an external firewall adds an extra layer of security.
 

Setup Cost

Oracle Linux is cost-effective, integrating with Oracle products, competitive in pricing and often cheaper than Red Hat.
Enterprise buyers find Windows Server licensing costly and complex, often preferring simpler, more affordable alternatives like Linux.
The cost of Microsoft OS is pretty high, and switching to Oracle Linux, which is free, reduced our costs by about 20% to 25%.
It is quite expensive.
Previously, a Windows Server with two processors cost around two 154 euros annually, but now it is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000 euros for the same configuration.
On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I rate it ten out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

Oracle Linux delivers high performance, robust security, and cost-effectiveness with seamless upgrades and strong support for enterprises.
Windows Server is user-friendly and integrates seamlessly, offering stability, performance, scalability, and robust security for enterprise applications.
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.
Oracle Linux offers an unbreakable system.
Oracle Linux has American Standard levels of security, which I consider to be quite good.
Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that every Microsoft product is scalable, flexible, secure, and available on a certain budget.
The IP directory is the most valuable feature.
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
113
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
188
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Linux is 11.1%, down from 14.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.0%, up from 8.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Marcelo Muniz - PeerSpot reviewer
The operational system is the best and is packed with free features like CapsLive
It is important to work with a vendor who will sell you the correct product for your environment rather than just try to make the most money off of you. Study the solution and learn how to install it correctly and use it in the best ways. Follow best practices from Oracle and get some training in the operational system. The solution comes with a lot of features and options that you can use for free. It is reliable and you can even use an old version with no issues. It is not the most user friendly, but you can learn it with a bit of study. Overall, the solution beats other operational systems by a large margin. The solution is rated a nine out of ten.
NirajSingh - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly platform streamlining client connectivity
We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases Rather than purchasing and setting up infrastructure, we are using Windows Server, which obviously saves some costs. Windows Server is fulfilling our daily work-life purposes.…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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 ...
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
I think there is room for improvement in the stability of older versions. Additionally, Windows Server could be more power-efficient, especially for individuals doing labs or studies on personal co...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
Windows Server ( /products/windows-server-reviews ) is the operating system we run on our servers. We use it in the IT department, primarily as the OS for our servers.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

Oracle Enterprise Linux
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

See here
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.