Oracle Linux Reviews

We use the product for Oracle Database and MySQL databases.

We do not use any features specific to the OS. We are more interested in the packages needed as prerequisites for Oracle databases. The performance, feasibility, and flexibility of the I/O subsystem are valuable to us. The compatibility of Kernel with Oracle is much better than other tools.

NTP communication should be more concrete and robust. Time drifts happen frequently, and the database restarts automatically to protect data integrity. The product should give a warning before the time drift happens. It should alert us about how long the time drift will take. Such features will make the product a very good OS.

I have been using the solution for around ten years.

I rate the product’s stability an eight out of ten. The operating system has some issues with the network time protocol.

The scalability is very nice. We can scale horizontally by adding more servers. We can also scale a single server vertically. It depends on the physical hardware that is available. On average, we have 1500 users.

We got a few opportunities to interact with the support team when we had vulnerabilities in Kernel. We contacted the team for feedback on which version to use to fix the vulnerability. We have created four or five tickets. All the tickets were supported very well.

Once, we created a database ticket that required a spin-off ticket to the operating system team. We could easily create the ticket and get both teams to work together. That is the advantage of having both Oracle Enterprise Linux and Oracle Database.

The initial setup is straightforward. Once the first installation is done, we can clone and replicate it for other installations. The solution is deployed on our own private cloud.

We have nine DBAs and two engineers to deploy the solution.

We are not paying anything for the operating system.

We are using synchronous I/O and ASM storage. We are not using any other features. Before bringing in improvements, we want to evaluate RHEL and OEL for better integration of the platforms and the virtual machines we are deploying. We are checking the compatibility of RHEL and OEL with our existing infrastructure.

We want the product to support the database, have more compatibility, and give fewer issues during peak workloads. These are the things we are looking for. We are mainly concerned about library support, security patching, and technical support from the vendor.

I am an end user. I am not aware of the deployment process. The operating system will be deployed as per our specifications, and it will be given to us. We perform the database installation on it.

We do not have much interaction with the development team. We only interact with the team when it needs to create a new database or a user inside it. I recommend the solution to others. Most of the Oracle tools were developed on Oracle Enterprise Linux. Compatibility and support-wise, everything will be under a single umbrella. We do not have to find another vendor. We have an unlimited license for Database. I do not know the terms.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

We were using Oracle Linux for moving the SAP on Oracle workloads to the cloud.

Overall Oracle Linux is very good.

The price of Oracle Linux should improve, it is expensive compared to other solutions.

I have been using Oracle Linux for approximately three years.

We have ad a very good experience with Oracle Linux, and we have been happy.

Oracle Linux is in the cloud making it very scalable.

The scalability of Oracle Linux can depend on many factors. We are currently working on a UK project, it changes completely. For those systems, approximately 600 to 800 users work on those SAP systems which are hosted on Oracle Linux.

We are using close to 55 VMs now in our current project.

My colleagues who are junior architects have contacted the support and the feedback has been great.

We switched from Red Hat to Oracle Linux. 

Oracle Linux was not our first choice but it was our company requirement.

Oracle Linux's setup is straightforward. The process was no different for us as compared to Red Hat or SUSE.

The implementation of Oracle Linux was done in-house.

The number of people needed to implement and support Oracle Linux depends on the duration of the project and the number of VMs. In the current project that we're working on, we have close to 60 Oracle VMs and, over a period of four to six months, we did the implementation with one engineer, it is fairly simple.

Oracle Linux license and support are far more expensive than Red Hat or SUSE.

I rate Oracle Linux an eight out of ten.

We are using Oracle Linux for supporting traffic surveillance in Hungary.

When it comes to my favorite features of Oracle Linux, I have been impressed with its ability to facilitate a smooth and efficient workflow system. This system is responsible for gathering data from multiple cameras and transferring this information to the backend systems. The system comprises around 10 to 12 servers, all of which are integrated into a highly reliable and redundant cluster setup. Currently, we are using Red Hat Linux for our production needs, however, we have plans to switch over to Oracle Linux in the near future. The reason for this change is due to the specialized nature of our system which precludes the use of cloud computing capabilities.

What can improve in the solution is a rather challenging question given that Oracle is pushing towards cloud computing and the closed nature of the system. Maintaining Oracle Linux behind a firewall can be a cumbersome process, as it requires manual intervention to copy repositories and obtain approval from internal authorities. With the current emphasis on cloud computing, the support and development of traditional, closed systems like Oracle Linux may not receive as much attention, leading to potential limitations in the system's capabilities and performance.

My aim is to be in control of the automation process of Oracle Linux, as it holds immense significance for my current work. However, to request that the traditional methods of operation be maintained, as not everyone has the means or access to utilize the public cloud for their services. This is particularly true in my case, where I am operating within a closed system, which is protected by a state firewall and lacks direct internet connectivity. Additionally, I have been unable to find a clear and comprehensive guide or roadmap that addresses how to effectively manage these types of scenarios, as my level of experience in this field is limited.

I have been using Oracle Linux for approximately one year.

The solution is indeed stable. After conducting a thorough evaluation and comparison between a Red Hat system and an Oracle Linux system, the kernel stability remains constant and unaltered. There was no observable difference in the stability between the two systems. Additionally, during the period of usage, no issues or problems regarding stability were encountered.

The number of users utilizing Oracle Linux within our organization is rather limited. This is due to the fact that the system operates in an autonomous manner, and primarily, it appears that only a maximum of one hundred individuals utilize the front-end component of the system.

At the current moment, there are no concrete plans to increase usage. This is due to the fact that the individuals responsible for utilizing the system are state-employed clerks and the organization has no intention of expanding its numbers. Instead, they have expressed interest in implementing automation as a means of streamlining the process, rather than increasing the number of personnel involved.

The solution can contain a substantial amount of data, it is not considered to be a true big data system. At present, there are no scalability issues to contend with as the system is not overburdened in terms of memory or processor capacity. The data is preserved in clusters that are connected through load balancing, and no quantization is currently being utilized. While it is possible that scalability may become a concern in the future, particularly if there is an increase in the number of connected devices, it is unlikely to be a pressing issue in the near term, perhaps two to three years down the line.

I have not utilized the technical support offered by Oracle. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, my previous agent was not able to continue providing support, which resulted in me seeking support from the community instead of professional support. I highly recommend that Oracle invest in proper support services, however, at present, it is a challenge to persuade them to do so.

The Oracle Linux setup process is simple and effortless to execute. The installation DVD is a great resource for those who want to verify their administrative privileges, as it is a straightforward and uncomplicated process. By downloading the DVD and utilizing it to install the software, one can ensure that it is installed in a seamless and convenient manner, with the strength and security of fiber and steel behind it. This makes the setup experience truly outstanding.

The deployment process took approximately one week to complete. The duration was due to the need for thorough checks and verifications of the sources behind the firewall, which required additional control measures. The Red Hat system that was previously used had not been properly maintained for the past five years, which caused some delays in the upgrade process to Oracle Linux. The upgrade involved significant changes to auxiliary systems, including the higher proxy and naming system, which added to the time taken to complete the deployment. Despite these challenges, the actual installation of Oracle Linux from scratch only took approximately one or two hours. The slow deployment process was not a result of the installation of Oracle Linux, but rather the previous maintenance issues and the need for thorough checks during the upgrade process.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I am Oracle Linux a nine out of ten.

In our company, we are using Oracle Linux for virtualized machines or VMs. So, Oracle Linux is the operating software for us. The tool is easy to use, and its performance is also good. From a competitive point of view, the solution is cost-effective, so it is installed in our machines.

The solution's security could be better and improved, but I am not sure.

Since it is a VM, it gets slow. It can be an area for improvement. So, we get a connection, making it not a very significant issue since it usually works well.

I have been using Oracle Linux for two to three years as an end-user. Also, I don't remember the version of the solution I am using.

It is a stable solution. We rarely face any issues with the machine.

Since the solution is a per-machine license-based one, I am unsure about its scalability.

I have worked with thousands who were working on the solution.

With our machines, we do seek help from the solution's technical support. So, whenever we have an issue, as I mentioned, we go back to IT support to raise a ticket, and they resolve our issues in a day.

We switched to Oracle Linux from another solution since it is our organization that provides us with software, it is. So they decided Oracle Linux to be the operating system we all use.

We get the machines to work on, but since I am an end-user, I feel that I am not the right person to speak on how Oracle Linux does the setup and the cost involved in the solution. We let the staff involved in the deployment and maintenance know whenever we have an issue with the operating system. We generate a ticket, and depending upon an issue, they take a day maximum to resolve our issues.

Our IT support team did everything related to the installation part.

We are currently operating the solution using a license-based version. We get licenses per machine.

The evaluation of other solutions was not carried out at an organizational level but at a personal level, and I looked at Microsoft-based products. There are two different scenarios, one of which, at a personal level, I might have a different operating system on my computer, while in the second one, my office might be providing me with some different machine. But we need to acknowledge the fact that the company's decision is of paramount importance.

I rate the overall product a seven to eight out of ten.

We deploy the OS and prepare the VM, then give it to the development for the application users to use. It is the base that we create, depending on requirements, on how many CPUs or how much memory is required.

Oracle Linux is stable, easy to back up, and easy to maintain.

The solution has zero downtime and is easy to optimize right out of the box.

Troubleshooting the solution is simple.

I would like Oracle Linux to have more frequent updates.

I have been using the solution for five years.

The solution is stable.

The solution is scalable. We make a copy of the request and keep it so that we can modify the scale of the solution as needed.

The technical support is absolutely good, there are no issues.

The initial setup is easy. 
Depending on the requirements of the prerequisites, which we have. The deployment doesn't take us more than two to three hours.

The implementation was completed in-house.

The majority of our evaluated solutions were Red Hat Linux.

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

We need an OS admin, and VM admin to clearly apply, install the solution and verify it according to the prerequisites we have, which are given to us by the application owners. Two, or three people are enough to deploy and maintain the solution.

We only have to deploy the solution and the system is used by all the students and faculty of the university.

I recommend Oracle Linux to new users.

I primarily use the solution as an operating system, an OS. It's mainly used for hosting some products. 

It's a decent OS.

It is a stable solution. It's mostly reliable. 

I did not really enjoy working with the solution. 

The deployment is a bit complex.

The community and the documentation were not great. I did not like the end-user experience and decided to move towards an open-source Linux. 

I haven't used the solution for a very long time. 

The solution was stable. It was reliable. There were no bugs or glitches. I'd rate the stability seven out of ten in terms of reliability. 

I've never tried to scale the solution. I just used it myself for my personal needs. 

While I have never used technical support, the company might have. I'm not sure how useful they were in terms of assistance. 

I've also worked with Ubuntu Linux. I've also used Red Hat and CentOS among other solutions. I find other solutions easier to use as opposed to Oracle Linux.  

I have found the solution to be a bit complex in terms of the original setup. 

I wasn't directly involved in the setup and therefore do not know much about the deployment process. I'm not sure how long it took to deploy. 

I didn't deploy the solution on my own. We had a team that managed the deployment. 

While my understanding is that a license is involved, I don't have any details about terms or cost. 

I work with the latest version of the solution. 

I wouldn't recommend the solution to others. I had an easier time with other operating systems. 

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. 

We use Oracle Linux to deploy our core banking product. Our client has nearly 1,000 concurrent users. 

We have an Oracle-based platform. For example, we use Oracle WebLogic for our application server and Oracle's enterprise database. We previously used SUSE Linux, but we were exposed to some vulnerabilities in SUSE Linux 9.10. Switching to the Oracle UX platform cut down on some of these vulnerability issues. All our Oracle applications like WebLogic and Oracle database sit perfectly on top of Oracle Linux. 

We don't have any failing cases. Oracle releases regular hot patches, so we don't have many difficulties. 

I've used Oracle Linux for four years.

We are in live banking production servers using Oracle Linux. 

Yes.

We are running in clusters, so Oracle Linux is scalable.

We have a dedicated ticketing system based on severity. As an ISV partner for Oracle, we are okay with the support system. It could be easier to reach a higher support level. 

In the past, all our deployments were running on SUSE Linux. When Oracle Linux come into play, we took 90 percent of our deployment off of SUSE Linux because of the license cost and the vulnerability issues in the old versions. I hear that the latest SUSE Linux is doing well, but we stopped using it. The bottom line is that we believe that an Oracle operating system is better for Oracle products.

Setting up Oracle Linux is straightforward. One person could handle it, and it took two or three days to deploy.

We did everything in-house. 

The ROI is what we expected at the end of the day.

It's free to do development on Oracle Linux, but you need to pay a license for dedicated support. I think it's relatively cheap. 

I rate Oracle Linux eight out of 10. On the surface, there isn't much difference between SUSE Linux and Oracle Linux, but Oracle's kernel is a little more powerful, and the operating system performs better when you are running their products. My advice to new users is to explore enterprise deployments on top of Oracle Linux that will give you the best result.

What I like about Oracle Linux is that out of the box it's already pre-optimized, pre-configured, has all the right RPMs, has checking packages. It's basically all the stuff I would have to do with a different distribution manually. It probably saves me a couple of hours on each time I do a database install, and that's worth a lot. Plus, the performance is better because it's been highly optimized or tuned. The kernels been optimized. The memory management specifically is better, so it makes for a very stable platform.

Performance and stability. I can get maximum performance with the least amount of effort, and stability-wise, I never have a crash. I've yet to have one.

One of them is because I'm lazy, and most people wouldn't admit that, but when you go from version 6 to version 7 of Linux, a lot of commands changed, and even some file locations have changed. I wish they would keep the compatibility mode, or the stupid mode for me for a couple of years. I hate to learn new commands right away, but it is what it is.

Just keeping up, keeping the pace with the Red Hat main distributions, so if Red Hat's on 7.3, I'd like to see Enterprise Linux on 7.3, at the same time. On one occasion, I think they actually beat Red Hat. I think they came out with their point release first. That's what I would kind of like, is for them to stay very aggressive on that, because kernel modifications typically end up being performance. They have taken the best of Solaris and put it into it. They keep adding tools that are necessary for doing performance optimization and monitoring. It's very mature.

What's really nice about the stability is that even when you have situations that might cause issues with other OSs, other variants of Linux, Oracle Enterprise Linux seems to do a better job of catching and handling those exceptions. An example would be, maybe I'm doing a wrap-cluster or I'm using ASM, automatic storage management, there are some cases where those products can cause an error that might cause a different distribution of Linux to maybe hang or lock or get confused. With Enterprise Linux it seems to be a non-issue. It's very stable.

I love the scalability. Because of the fact that it's already optimized for performance, I can scale it to whatever maximum numbers I need very easily. The only time I have to make any adjustments is if I'm doing RAC, real application clusters, I may want to tune a little bit differently based on the number of nodes, but it's very minimal.

Oracle technical support is like most companies with technical support. It's either great or horrible. It sort of depends on the phone call. Generally speaking, it's great. A lot of times though, if you're in a mission critical situation, you need to get them to escalate you to level two so that you can get beyond the first level and typically you can get an answer quicker. I would say the most interesting interaction I had with them was, one time I was patching an Exadata machine and I did a step wrong because I didn't read all the directions. Did an incorrect step. Ruined my Exadata box. Made sure that they got me to second level support, and then it took us about eight hours working together but we got it recovered. Very few vendors would have spent eight hours, midnight to eight AM, just on a phone call.

I was an early adopter of Linux, long before companies saw the light, and before it went mainstream. I would say I got into the early adopter, sort of experimental stage, so that I would be prepared when my companies were positioned to take advantage of it, I would already be an expert.

I actually started using Linux, probably about the time that Red Hat was Red Hat version 3, so more than a decade ago, probably closer to 15 years, and part of that was because I could see that the commoditization of hardware was going to mean that server rooms were going to be predominantly Intel, and they were going to predominantly be Windows and Linux, and you'd better know both of them. With Linux being a much lower cost OS, and also hosting databases like Oracle really well, you just knew it was going to end up in the Enterprise environment, and it just made sense to work with Enterprise Linux. Now I worked originally with Red Hat and CentOS, but it very clearly became evident to me that Oracle Enterprise Linux, starting at version 5.8, was just as good, just as stable, offered more with very few differences in the learning curve.

Oracle does have a few additional tools that are not on the standard distribution, but they actually make your job a lot of easier, like for example, one of them is an RPM check. It just checks to make sure we have all of the pre-loaded or the pre-required RPMs loaded, and there's nothing to do other than to activate it, and it just gives you a message. It's not very hard to learn these additional features.

Honestly, if you've done any Linux installation of any distribution, and specifically if you've done CentOS or Red Hat, all that really changes are some of the images and backgrounds and colors and labels, but other than that, it's probably 98% identical, but Oracle does have some optimizations and some additional RPMs already installed. It's a very small difference, but if you know Linux, and even if you're with a different variant, say like a Ubuntu, you'll still be okay. You won't be a fish out of water.

I think that the licensing model is fair. It's reasonable. What's nice is that if you have the database tech support or maintenance, and you have the Linux support or maintenance, for them it's one phone call. Now you may switch a person on the phone, but you're not having to call and get back in the queue again, so it's nice to deal with one company, especially for a critical asset like a database.

The marriage with the database, to me is the most critical or most important item. Now I know that sounds like I may be pandering to Oracle, since they make the database and they make the OS, but it's just a natural. The same as with Microsoft SQL Server. Why do you run it on Windows? Now, I know it's coming on Linux, but where will it probably run best for a long time? Probably on Windows.

Having that marriage between the OS and the database is critical, and Oracle really understands their database, better than anybody else, and they seem to understand Linux as well as anybody else, and they were an early contributor, so it's just a natural progression to put the database on their Linux.

Rating: It’s a 10, because even though there are free alternatives, I mean totally free alternatives, like CentOS, I've quit using them. For me to quit using something that's totally free, with no even maintenance charges, must mean that what I've chosen is worth every penny of whatever costs there are. Oracle Linux is clearly there.