Oracle Database is a national database system that we use in our organization.
Database Administrator at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Beneficial reports, functional GUI, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "There is a lot of functionality in Oracle Database. The reports and the GUI are good."
- "If Oracle Database could have more build-in features from some of their other products it would be good."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
There is a lot of functionality in Oracle Database. The reports and the GUI are good.
What needs improvement?
With the nature of my job, there are certain things that I would want to improve. I can do this by acquiring some of the other products from Oracle, which would then make work a little bit easier. For example, in terms of replication from one site to the other site, the GoldenGate solution would be something I would have to acquire. However, this is subject to the budget. If we have the money, we could acquire other solutions. At the moment, we don't have such solutions which we can acquire in the future when budgets are low.
If Oracle Database could have more build-in features from some of their other products it would be good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Oracle Database for many years.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Oracle Database is stable, the performance has been perfect.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the Oracle Database is very good. It is easy to scale and you can have a tremendous about of users.
Our entire workforce is using this solution. For example, there is a payroll system and everybody has to access their payroll details. This is how the entire workforce will have access.
Over time we plan to increase usage of the Oracle Database. We will want to use some kind of an ERP in the future and when we do there will be many things happening on the one system.
We have a solution from Oracle and that in itself is not a complete solution. It's just a part that we have introduced. There are other parts that we will acquire over time. For example, we will keep our journal in Oracle instead of another system. We will do procurement in Oracle eventually. The solution can expand but you have to purchase the different parts.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Oracle is good. You raise your support cases over the support website and there will be support people that will work with you until you get a solution to the problem.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used dBase and it had limitations. Over the years it vanished from the market.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was simple.
What about the implementation team?
We used vendor integrators and consultants. This type of solution's installation cannot be done alone. Our experience with the help was very good, everything was successful.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are on an annual license for the use of this solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend others to work with Oracle. Oracle is a huge company that knows its product very well.
I rateOracle Database a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Professor at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
User-friendly, versatile, and offers huge ROI
Pros and Cons
- "The command interface is very user-friendly. The required commands are not complicated and we are able to easily access the root system."
- "We believe that the usability could be improved, especially within the data lakehouse. We found content management to be a little bit more simpler within the GUI part."
What is our primary use case?
We are using this for our data warehouse as well as for many of our core banking systems.
What is most valuable?
The command interface is very user-friendly. The required commands are not complicated and we are able to easily access the root system.
What needs improvement?
We believe that the usability could be improved, especially within the data lakehouse. We found content management to be a little bit more simpler within the GUI part.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the product for over 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product has been quite stable across all versions.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The database in-memory and also the extra data that we were using, was quite scalable. It had a range of capabilities, which we could see the high throughput and low latency. Scalability was very well-defined and innovative which has allowed us to stick with the product.
We have about 200 in-house users with more than 1.3 million subscribers. This requires about four to six database specialists for maintenance.
How are customer service and support?
They are committed on their SLAs and their availability is quite good. So, we are quite happy with with Oracle Database's customer service and support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have always stuck with Oracle.
How was the initial setup?
We were able to take advantage of a two-week POC to allow our technical team to become comfortable with the database. From here, it took just two to four weeks to deploy it to the mainstream and set up the whole system via data transfer.
What about the implementation team?
We relied mainly on our in-house team. An Oracle representative assisted us during our POC and we were able to phone them during deployment if needed.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment is quite good. We were able to see a growing number of subscribers. Considering the speed and amount of activities that were going on with banks, I would say we saw returns within two to three years.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Since we are in BPN, we utilize group licensing which has the tech support included.
What other advice do I have?
This product is definitely worth it. Our team is satisfied in all areas: price, scalability, support, etc.
I would rate this a nine 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.
Buyer's Guide
Oracle Database
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Oracle Database. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Software Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Performance tuning feature provides useful hints and indexing
Pros and Cons
- "I love the performance tuning feature of Oracle Database because it provides hints and indexing, which are very valuable. Some of its other valuable features are its rack, record key vaults, and backup compression."
- "Oracle is very expensive. So if I suggest Oracle to a client, they'll often say it's too costly."
What is our primary use case?
We use Oracle Database in cases where there is a high volume of transactions and to improve the performance for high availability. We're an IBR company, so we're working mostly with call centers.
What is most valuable?
I love the performance tuning feature of Oracle Database because it provides hints and indexing, which are very valuable. Some of its other valuable features are its rack, record key vaults, and backup compression.
What needs improvement?
I'm familiar with various DevOps technologies and how GoogLeNet is working. With GoogLeNet, you can upgrade the application in real-time without downtime. This feature is currently not available in Oracle. If we can do everything in the database without downtime, that would be beneficial for the users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Oracle Database for more than eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
If you get Oracle Database set up right the first time, it'll run many years without any errors. There are no problems with the database itself, but if it isn't configured correctly or you execute something incorrectly, that can cause a problem. If we use a database in the application and there is a problem, we can quickly fix it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can quickly and easily scale Oracle Database.
How are customer service and support?
Oracle technical support is wonderful. We've had no problem with that.
How was the initial setup?
The Oracle Database setup is not complex. The rack setup used to require a lot of specialized knowledge about how to set it up, but it has been simplified. For deployment, we create and execute, which takes about three to four hours.
What about the implementation team?
We were able to handle the deployment through an in-house team. And every two or three months, Oracle releases new security patches and bug fixes. So we check if it's relevant to our product and apply it. We have around six to seven database services, so we manage it when it is released.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Oracle is very expensive. So if I suggest Oracle to a client, they'll often say it's too costly.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Oracle Database 10 out of 10. I would recommend it. I've worked on many database solutions, like MySQL Server and Sybase, and Oracle is the best based on my experience. If you are considering implementing Oracle Database, I suggest thoroughly reading all the documentation first. Then, figure out a strategy for implementing it and all of the software you'll need. Before you start the setup, you should have full knowledge of the process.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
System Architect at CGI
A stable solution which performs well and is suitable for enterprise applications
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is stable and has good performance."
- "The licensing could be cheaper and clearer."
What is our primary use case?
We use version 12c, but are planning to migrate to 19c.
The solution is suitable for enterprise applications. We use it for trade systems and a betting system. We use it with applications that need a huge amount of data, such as SQL enterprise applications.
What needs improvement?
The licensing could be cheaper and clearer. It is not clear how it applies to certain options. The licensing of the solution for only several virtual servers is a big issue which should be addressed.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Oracle Database for many years, perhaps since 2001.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not had direct contact with tech support, although my colleagues have.
How was the initial setup?
I cannot comment on the initial installation, as it is handled by the Database Administrator, not I. He possesses the skill to install the solution and has never mentioned any issues with this. Perhaps my colleagues would be in a position to give a more comprehensive answer.
What about the implementation team?
In respect of the deployment and maintenance, we have two administrators, developers, an architect and a tester who are in charge of four applications.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing could be cheaper and clearer. It is not clear how it applies to certain options. The licensing of the solution for only several virtual servers is a big issue which should be addressed.
The license is yearly.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Although I would recommend the solution for certain applications, as there are licensing issues, I would prefer to use PostgreSQL where possible.
What other advice do I have?
There are many people making use of the solution in my organization, including developers, testers, end users and end application users. We may be talking about thousands. But when it comes to those with personal experience using the solution, we are talking about 40 or 50 people.
We plan to continue using the solution, as there are certain applications of ours which must remain on Oracle Database.
The solution is stable and has good performance. Licensing is the big issue we encounter.
Were I to rate Oracle Database strictly on its technical capabilities, I would have to give it a rating of nine out ten. However, its licensing issues bring this rating down to seven.
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.
Sr. System and Storage Administrator at a government with 51-200 employees
Stable, flexible, and very user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "You can scale the solution if you need to. Its scalability is good."
- "The solution is a bit expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for critical financial applications.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very stable. The performance is quite good.
The product has been very user-friendly and very easy to use.
The flexibility is very, very good.
You can scale the solution if you need to. Its scalability is good.
What needs improvement?
The product could offer easier ways to configure everything.
The initial setup could be more simple and straightforward.
Technical support could be quicker to respond to queries.
The solution is a bit expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about two years or so. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has proven to be very stable. The performance is good. There are no bugs. It's not glitchy. It doesn't crash or freeze on us. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is very good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so easily.
We do have plans to continue to use the product in the future.
We have about 100 users on the solution currently.
How are customer service and technical support?
We've dealt with technical support in the past and found them to be slow to respond. They should work on getting back to clients faster in the future.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup isn't as straightforward as it could be. It's an aspect that could be adjusted.
If a company has all the prerequisites and all of the deployment considerations on hand, the deployment time is about one hour. It shouldn't take too long.
We have two administrators on our team that are capable of handling any maintenance that may be required.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the implementation ourselves. We didn't require any outside assistance in the form of a consultant or integrator. We handled everything in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for licensing on a yearly basis.
It's a bit expensive. We would like it to be a bit cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
We are using the latest version of the solution. I cannot recall the exact version number at this time.
I'd rate the solution at a nine 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.
Consultant at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
We can optimize the database for authorizing expenditure and other resource-heavy functions
Pros and Cons
- "The database performance. We can optimise the database for authorising expenditure and other resource-heavy functions."
- "They could improve the storage and network overhead."
What is our primary use case?
We use this on-premise and cloud technology for our client databases.
How has it helped my organization?
Oracle thinks about the global customer, but the technology is only part of the solution.
What is most valuable?
The database performance. We can optimize the database for authorizing expenditure and other resource-heavy functions.
What needs improvement?
They could improve the storage and network overhead. They could minimize the storage to improve performance further. You have to optimize the resources according to your project.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the Oracle Database for a few years. I am the Customer Service Manager. Claro Colombia is the first telecommunications company in Colombia and a subsidiary of an American company based in Mexico. It's considered to be the third-largest company in South America outside China.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Oracle Database is stable and reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Oracle Database is scalable and can be used with various sizes of projects.
How was the initial setup?
We have to plan to simplify the setup, as it includes integration. The traditional infrastructure needs to adapt to the new technology, and Oracle introduces extra data into the mix. You have to establish if the project is small, large, or medium. This means the system is designed for the size of the customer or project.
What about the implementation team?
We used integrators and consultants, including internal resources and external consulting. We used our internal install team with external consulting assistance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the Oracle Database an eight out of 10 as a solution.
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.
ERP Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
All our financial data, as well as sales, revenue and all other data is there, and it's easily accessed.
What is most valuable?
Our backend Database is for JDE. Complete enterprise system runs on JDE Oracle Database. But the original, older v9 does support JDE the older platform because all our financial data, as well as sales, revenue and all other data is there, and it's easily accessed.
How has it helped my organization?
Everything, because we are the customer for database ... all our applications not only JDE, ERP or some third party applicants APK's also have the backend for Oracle. Because of the flexibility as well as performance wise and as well as data volume, we have huge volume stored. So, other databases cannot provide that kind of flexibility.
What needs improvement?
Right now, we are very happy. I mean, I don't know what R&D are doing. We are not any looking specifically for anything else. As right now what is available is great.
So far we didn't find any demerits, I mean false reproductions in the database.
So, it's running very well for us.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used it for 16 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very good because Oracle supports very nice and releases some versions and as well as technical support from Oracle itself is very good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There was no issue with scalability. If you talk about database size it can store high volumes of data.
How is customer service and technical support?
They are very responsive and as well as knowledgable. If you have any questions or issues, you can search the questions and find the answer yourself, without even talking to a representative. If there is something else they need to know, they call immediately.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy.
What other advice do I have?
There's no other database that supports us like Oracle. My recommendation is, if you are starting a new system for example, I recommend a backend database because it's a universal support. Any applications you can use in the Oracle Database. For example, if you go for iSeries, it supports only db2. Oracle is not like that. It supports SAP, it supports JDE, it supports any. So, it's a universal database.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Programmer Analyst Team Lead at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
The high availability and the performance are the most valuable features.
What is most valuable?
The high availability and the performance are the top-most valuable features.
How has it helped my organization?
Because we are servicing the end clients, I need to meet the SLA. The performance is the key prize for us. When a customer comes in and logs into the website, that needs to happen within a few seconds for the SLA. That's how it's helped us; improved performance and, ultimately, gain the customer’s satisfaction.
What needs improvement?
Right now, we are on the version that is just one lower than what's available. I'm looking forward to upgrading to that version, especially the container-based database. That's what I'm looking forward to.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable product, especially the RAC node clusters. If one goes down, it's very seamless; you have other nodes backing up.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's easy to scale; you can add more memory or more storage if you need to scale. Horizontally, you can add one more node. It's a pretty scalable product.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have used technical support when we have had some issues. It's pretty good; a very good support model. You create a service request and they, depending on the priority, call us back. It's pretty good support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not previously use a different solution; we've been using this one.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup was complex; it's very complex work.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We decided to choose this product because it is a very solid, robust product, and because of the better features and so on; that's why.
What other advice do I have?
I definitely encourage checking out this solution. Work with Oracle; they're pretty good at coming to your site, giving demos and so on.
The top-most important criteria when I’m choosing a vendor such as Oracle is the support model and the willingness to work with us.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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