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Oracle Solaris vs Ubuntu Linux 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

Oracle Solaris
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
139
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Solaris is 2.6%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 14.5%, down from 23.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Kevin Haury - PeerSpot reviewer
Linux's advanced terminal empowers versatile usage and ongoing secure development
Initially, there was nothing complicated. It's easy since I have many years of experience with it. However, if I were a beginner with Linux, it could be completely disruptive compared to Windows. So, I would have to spend some time practicing with Linux to understand how it works and how I can accomplish the same tasks compared to Windows. Maybe one month, at least.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its networking has helped me combine the power of a neural network with the benefits of virtualization to improve the AI's performance."
"Solaris's best features are high availability, robustness, and database hosting."
"One of the main advantages is the rock-solid reliability. It works. The stability is very good. It has a very good track record in the data security database."
"Oracle Solaris was the preferred operating system for their customers to run their databases on and to get the best performance. It performs well with Oracle applications. Additionally, there are some features inside that are called zones which are Linux containers."
"We are able to deploy new environments very quickly and securely. Using the virtualization features, we can migrate the environments very flexibly between our servers."
"We like that the virtualization is built in, so you don't have to spend extra money on buying licenses for a hypervisor."
"It works well. It is very stable and very good. It is also very safe. It cannot be easily infected by viruses or attacks."
"Oracle Solaris is great due to the fact that it actually is meant for high-end servers."
"Open source with a fast OS."
"The product is easy to use."
"The solution is stable and performing very well."
"You can scale the solution quite well."
"It's great for security and it is very safe."
"The most valuable features of the solution are that it is a very free tool and serves as a very trustworthy product."
"The solution has a very good graphical user interface."
"It is open-source, secure, and easy to use."
 

Cons

"If it could support other file systems, it would be better."
"Red Hat Enterprise Linux is more secure and better documented. So Oracle could learn from them when it comes to security and documentation."
"Solaris is not easy to use. It needs better GUI, UI, and configuration tools."
"Currently, there are two variants, there's SPARC and there's x86. I would have wanted a scenario where they're all just one product."
"The challenge arises from the differences in commands and configurations compared to more common systems like Linux."
"I would love to see improvements in SVM, so file systems could be increased or migrated without downtime to the environment, similar to what ZFS is capable of."
"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."
"Oracle Solaris can improve by supporting all the recent features that are in the market from other competitors."
"The product could be easier to manage."
"The solution could improve by allowing more integration."
"The solution could improve by having the user interface use fewer resources."
"Stability could be improved."
"The encryption of the partition regarding software systems could be improved."
"The learning curve is quite high for non-technical users. Therefore, it's not a suitable solution for a general office environment."
"Ease of use and ease of deployment could still be improved in this system."
"The stability could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no OS licensing cost if you use their hardware and purchase hardware maintenance."
"As a private user or individual, I wouldn't recommend it to others, considering it is a costly product."
"There should be an option to install the solution for free and just pay for the support. We purchased an annual license and the price could be better."
"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."
"If you buy Oracle hardware it's supported free with the hardware. If you're putting it on non-Oracle hardware, that is when you buy the support license, which is also very reasonable. It is $1000 dollars per year, so it's not overly expensive."
"It is an expensive product. I rate the pricing a ten out of ten."
"Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"If the customer wants to start, there is no license required. It is all free, but they must purchase the production license."
"It is open source, so it is free. There is no licensing fee."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source operating system."
"It's an open-source solution that can be used free of charge."
"Ubuntu is an open-source Linux operating system that can be used free of charge."
"This solution is free."
"It's an open source solution, but you can make donations if you'd like to."
"I use the free version, so I don't have any license fees."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
University
11%
Manufacturing Company
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 ...
What do you like most about Oracle Solaris?
We use the solution as an internal operating system.
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 do you like most about Ubuntu Linux?
It has a good support system for loading databases.
 

Also Known As

Solaris 11, Solaris
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Siemens, IVV
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Solaris vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.