Heroku Platform vs. Oracle Java Cloud vs. Oracle Java SE Subscription

Heroku is very well suited for startups looking to get a server stack up and running quickly. There is little to no overhead when managing your instances. However, you'll need a background in basic DevOps or system management to make sure everything is set up correctly. In addition, it's easy to accidentally go crazy on pricing. Make sure you're only creating the server instances you need to run the base application and set up an auto-scaler plugin to handle peaks.

Incentivized

Oracle Java Cloud is especially appropriate for moderate to complex Java applications. Due to BYOL licensing, it is also works well when you are planning to do dev and test in-house and then deploy it on Oracle Java Cloud. It is not well suited for simple Java applications due to the cost of Oracle Java Cloud. Simple applications don't need the fully managed aspect of Oracle Java Cloud.

Incentivized

The Oracle Java SE Subscription is a useful service that can support larger organizations that need to implement quick feature development and need to do so with maximum support with minimal fuss. Performance can vary due to the nature of Javas JVM having to boot upon every start and there can be some compatibility issues with a few third-party systems. Smaller organizations would be better off utilizing Java SDK or OpenJDK as these are free but don't have the benefit of direct support from Oracle. If a larger organization has a long history of using Java and has legacy systems running on older versions of Java, then the extra support needed will more than justify the cost If you are heavily invested in Java and need to support applications running on older versions such as Java 8, or you want to use OracleJDK, then you would want to consider getting the subscription for its support and patches.

Incentivized

• Heroku has a very simple deployment model, making it easy to get your application up-and-running with minimal effort. We can focus on our efforts the unique aspects of our application.
• The robust add-on marketplace makes it easy to try out new approaches with minimal effort and investment -- and when we settle on a solution, we can easily scale it.
• Heroku's support is quite good -- their staff is quite technical and willing to get into the weeds to diagnose even complicated problems.

Incentivized

• Integration with development tools
• Auto scale
• Enhanced security

• Collect in an inventory all versions of Java that have been used in different applications.
• Determine the status of old versions of Java and update or apply essential security patches.
• Oracle Support is the best to be able to solve problems in an agile and safe way.
• Fast update cycles to make new features available.

Incentivized

• Large price jumps between certain resource tiers (2x Dyno for $50 per month versus Performance Dyno for $250). Free Postgres next jumps to $50 per month.
• Marketing/Branding to non-technical stakeholders. As the years pass, I've had to fight more to convince stakeholders on the value of Heroku over AWS.
• Improve Buildpack documentation. This is one area where Heroku's documentation is fairly confusing.

Incentivized

• Pricing can certainly be improved as the cost adds up for dev/test environments using the Oracle Java Cloud platform.
• It is hard to customize Oracle Java Cloud for complex Java applications requiring high bandwidth memory and network requirements.

Incentivized

• AMC Usage details hard to Decipher and Categorize
• AMC JRE Upgrades have very limited Scheduling of Deployments, should be more like SCCM. Where you know exactly when deployments are going out. Not just when the Agent decides to check in.
• Cost is WAY too high

Incentivized

Heroku is easy to use, services a ton of functions for you out of the box, and provides a means to get a software product off the ground and managed quickly and easily. The tools provide allows a small to medium size org to move very quickly. The CLI tools provided make managing an entire technical infrastructure simple.

Incentivized

It provides an affordable way to protect your investment.

Incentivized

Easy to use web based console and easy to use command line tools; deployment is done directly from a GIT repository. What more could you ask for? The one thing that keeps me from giving it a 10 is that custom build packs are almost incomprehensible. We used one for a while because we needed cairo graphics processing. Fortunately, I was able to figure out a different way to do what we needed so that we could get off the custom build pack.

Heroku availability correlates pretty strongly to AWS US EAST availability. We had a couple of times where there was a Heroku-specific issue but not for the last 7-8 months.

The only issue that I ever have is that about 1 out of 20 deployments (git push) will hang and need to be cancelled and done again.

I've used it for many years without facing any major problem. It's not hard at all to get used to it, it's documentation is outstanding and simple. We are close to 2020 and I don't think most of the existing companies or startups should still face old problems such as wasting time deploying code and calculate computing resources.

Incentivized

As I mentioned before, quality of support from Oracle Java SE Subscription is extraordinary. The speed of resolution and the expertise of the staff is really appreciated. We raised a high priority support incident which blocked our process [and] Oracle Java SE support did a quick analysis and provided a solution which took less time than we expected. They also help us in installing patches and updates whenever required.

Incentivized

Be ready to pay a bit more than expected in the beginning if you're migrating from a big server. The application is probably not ready for the change and you have to keep improving it with time.

It's also important to consider that you can't save anything to the disc as it will be lost when your application restarts, so you have to think about using something like S3.

Incentivized

Heroku is the more expensive option for hosting compared to some of the cloud platforms we investigated, but it's worth it for us because of the plug-and-play nature of Heroku deployment. We can be up and running in a few minutes and know with precision how much it will cost us each month to run the application, unlike Amazon Web Services where you have to go to great pains to configure it correctly or else you might end up with a shocking monthly bill. Overall, spending the time to configure Amazon Web Services or one of its competitors is likely the more affordable and powerful choice, because you have control over so many specifics of the configuration. But it also requires the burden of continuing to maintain and update your AWS instance, whereas with Heroku they take care of security fixes and platform upgrades. It's a great service and we are happy to pay the extra cost for the value-adds Heroku provides.

Incentivized

We selected Oracle Java Cloud for its native integration with other Oracle solutions and its focus on Java applications. Overall, our experience with Oracle Java Cloud has been positive, as it has improved our efficiency, security, and scalability in developing cloud applications.

It is more suitable and effective to opt for Oracle Java SE Subscription to receive enhanced support for your Java SE Applications. The support team is highly qualified and technically sound to manage your Java SE Applications properly. Also they are available 24*7 to make sure applications are up-to-date.

Incentivized

• It has been critical in seamlessly operating our platform with runs all of our programs.
• It has been impressive with its ability to scale quickly which results in the growth of our work.
• It allows for tracking of different features which allows for quick problem solving which saves us time.

• Positive impact on ROI by reducing the time to deploy Java applications in the cloud.
• Positive impact on business objectives by reducing the CapEx needed to hire staff to deploy and then later maintain the Java instances.

Incentivized

• Code portability allowed us to run the same code on all platforms
• Security is always a key issue especially in the world of increasing cybersecurity laws. It only makes sense to invest in a secure development environment
• Developers appreciate rich community support for java se platform

Incentivized