Likelihood to Recommend Oracle Linux is a very good and useful combination of the stability of Rhel and support for Oracle Databases. Our organisation uses an application and a database combo that we offer to the client but after the inclusion of Oracle Linux into our infrastructure, the provision and the operation cost are reduced significantly. So I would recommend using Oracle Linux when you are using multiple on-premises DB servers and want to move to a more secure, organised, and fast operating system.
Read full review If you have one user or 1000's of users (especially using Windows), Windows Server is a no-brainer! The only reason I would suggest going with a Linux server is if you have old hardware (Windows Server is more process intensive than Linux). But, Linux is open-source, so anyone can publish updates/security updates, but on the flip side, malicious people also have full access to Linux's codebase allowing for much easier writing of exploitations/viruses/malware/ransomware.
Read full review Pros We use Oracle Linux distro for every customer. The OS is very easy and absolutely free to develop/host and update our customers' apps and data across the globe. I personally use it in my lab to practice and test some personal stuff We have Oracle Linux database, WebLogic, and e-business suite hosted on Oracle Linux. It is used across our whole organization in running critical applications. It is robust, easy to manage and administer, with rock-solid stability and very minimal server reboots or performance issues. I would highly recommend Oracle Linux over other operating systems. Oracle Linux is trusted in high-volume, transactional, mission-critical production IT environments. Oracle’s Linux support is relied upon for applications that require continuous or near-continuous availability Application performance in general was enhanced as a result of the migration to Oracle Linux from Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Oracle Linux-based VMs are used in our case for hosting a spark-based cluster for processing big data-based workloads. Those VMs have better security configurations and are patched. It has built-in installed packages which come in handy for a developer to start the development activity for the project. We are using Oracle Linux as our primary Linux distribution deployed for our customers, but also for testing purposes on multiple test and UAT environments. Currently, it is used mainly by our department. We aim to provide commercial technical support for customers for our products, and thanks to the Oracle Linux Support program which covers Oracle Linux, we are getting assistance if needed. I work across many different types of organizations. In some cases, Oracle Linux is being used for all database servers across the entire organization. In some cases, it is being selectively rolled out to replace legacy Unix systems. Plus in a few isolated cases, I've helped to replace Windows database servers with Oracle Linux. The common theme across all these different types of organizations is that they want the best Linux for running Oracle, which is pre-tuned and optimized as well as well supported by the database vendor. Oracle Linux wins hands down on these points. Read full review Easy to use due to its intuitive graphical user interface. Very popular and makes integration easier. Lots of software drivers available. Has many functionalities such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, VPN, RDP, VDI server, etc. Many patches and updates available. Maybe abit too much too often. Cost effective and with budget. Remote desktop feature simplifies remote access to this server. It has a built in VPN and ssl certificate feature. Event viewer is available for alerts, although it seems too cumbersome to go through the logs. If you got too many Windows systems to manage, then SCCM is an option. Read full review Cons TigerVNC needs some fine tuning in Oracle Linux 8.4. AutoTuning of Kernal Parameters for Oracle Databases based on the available hardware resources. Embedded IPA Solutions to manage large number of Oracle Linux Systems. Simple commands for LUN management. Proactive SELinux policy violation message to administrator's mailbox. Read full review DHCP Server could be better - we use the router for DHCP Routing Print Server - not a fan of using the server as a print server since you have to license it. Direct access to printers via IP addresses is a much more efficient way to go Better backup program - we utilize a third-party program that gives us more flexibility when restoring individual files. Read full review Likelihood to Renew I've carefully reviewed the servers and services currently running on Windows Server 2012, and given the opportunity would renew them as is going forward. There are two systems I currently have in place, one is a very large Linux implementation for a large ecommerce site, and one is a very large backup solution front ended by FTP servers running Linux. Neither are well suited for Windows, but the overall network infrastructure is and will be Windows Server for the foreseeable future.
Read full review Usability There are simply too many different parts of Windows Server to make it a cohesive piece of software. While some of the newer features found in Windows Server 2012 and 2016 have nice UIs that are logically laid out, there are enough parts of the system that is still based on old code with clunky UIs and confusing options to make Windows Server a particularly user-friendly experience.
Read full review Support Rating One of the most robust Linux distributions is Redhat, its forks have given rise to infinite business models and distributions that have defined the market. Oracle Linux, obviously developed by the tech giant Oracle, is constantly releasing a flexible and incredibly stable product while adding its own bunch of new features. Among the most notable is the "Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel" (UEK).
Read full review Microsoft's support is hugely wide-ranging from articles online to having to contact them directly for the more serious issues. In recent years when I have contacted them directly, I have found the support o be excellent as I have found myself connected to very knowledgeable people in the field in which I needed the support. The online support available is vast and I tend to find most of the time that there is always someone out there who has had the same issue as me in the past and knows something about how to resolve it! This is the advantage of using industry standard and long-established systems such as Windows Server.
Read full review Implementation Rating Make sure that you have detailed processes in place for every server instance you plan to install/upgrade, if possible get the base OS loaded and Windows Updates applied ahead of time, and if using a VM take a snapshot prior to installing each role, as well as along the way.
Read full review Alternatives Considered The Oracle Linux definitely comes on the top when it comes down to being easily available as its platform-independent. This is where the masses lie as we have moved to a hybrid work environment where keeping everyone on the same devices is no more required. Linux stands out as it allows the industry workers to implement BYOD in all environments. Software as a service is truly done by Linux. I don’t want to switch to other platforms anymore.
Read full review I didn't use any other system which gives the same functionality and I am not aware of any. The full integration between all components and especially the ability to integrate mail via Exchange or even via a hybrid setup with the Ofice365 cloud, including the ability to directly manage the cloud from the server, using Power Shell, is something I didn't see anywhere else.
Read full review Return on Investment Oracle Linux provides technical advances that Solaris UNIX does not while saving millions of dollars. Oracle Linux supports automated patching and easy maintenance, allowing less downtime for users and developers. Oracle Linux is recommended for applications already on Oracle Database and using other Oracle products and software. Oracle Linux is a secure, stable, and high-performance operating system that allows hybrid or cloud platforms. Read full review Because of our Microsoft Campus Agreement, Windows products are fairly affordable for us and that has been a huge blessing. We are considering some Azure cloud options and some of that is covered under our Campus Agreement, making it a nice incentive to start migrating certain apps and functionality to the cloud I don't have access to our budgets so I cannot give a good answer as far as the impact of ROI on our institution, but if your company can afford it, you cannot go wrong with Windows server. Not having to send your sys admins to Linux or Unix school alone is a big savings as well as not having to train your staff on using a Linux desktop instead of a Windows-based one. The compatibility with end users of all varieties and platforms will definitely impact your ROI in a positive way. We have Apple users, Android, Windows, and even a few Linux end users on our campus and Windows server works quite well with all of them. Read full review ScreenShots