it_user436206 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oracle Applications DBA/UNIX SA at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
The amount and complexity of data it can handle is really great, especially in agribusiness.

What is most valuable?

The reliability and speed of Oracle Database are its most valuable features. The amount and complexity of data it can handle is really great, especially in agribusiness.

How has it helped my organization?

From a business perspective, it's an enterprise-class database that is extremely reliable. It's rock solid and we never had issues with it. Because of that, we can continue to run our business without fear that something will happen to all the sensitive, business-critical data that have in it.

What needs improvement?

I think that technically, it's nearly a flawless product. But, when it comes to pricing, it's very expensive. In fact, it's quite a bit pricier than probably its closest competition, Microsoft SQL Server.

Also, even though it may seem easy to install, you have to follow the documentation closely because there are some things that may cause you to trip up.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We've had no issues with deployment.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've had absolutely no issues with instability. It's incredibly stable, which is one of the reasons we chose it despite the price.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's been scaling just fine for us. We've had no issues with adding more and more data.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup should be pretty straightforward, and it was for us. However, you should know what you're doing to have a successful setup. You should get training if you don't have experience.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it ourselves with our in-house team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Compared to something like Microsoft SQL Server, it's quite a bit pricier. Oracle Database is the better product, but you definitely pay for that advantage.

What other advice do I have?

It's a very powerful, stable tool. You do have to follow the instructions closely during setup and you have to be willing to pay a premium for a superior product.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user419334 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Principal Production Support Engineer at Intelsat
Vendor
The most valuable features for us are its capability and reliability. It's dependable, rarely going down or exhibiting instabilities.

Valuable Features

The most valuable features for us are its capability and reliability. It's the best performing database solution I've used, and it's dependable, rarely going down or exhibiting instabilities.

Improvements to My Organization

We have a lot of applications that are critical to our business running on Oracle Database. I think it's pretty feature rich, although we don't use all of the features that are available. It's a very solid platform for applications, giving us confidence in the data it maintains and our access to it.

Room for Improvement

There are so many applications that run with Oracle Database that it's difficult getting our various IT personnel to get tested and certified for it. It's like herding cats. And although the upgrades are not technically difficult, it is difficult to manage all the applications and the people who work with it.

Use of Solution

We're mostly on version 11.2.0.4. We've played just a little bit with version 12.

Deployment Issues

We've had no issues with deployment.

Stability Issues

It's very solid. We've had no issues with Oracle DB being unstable. Again, its reliability is one of the best features for us.

Scalability Issues

We have not had to scale it to a great degree, but we've had no real issues with capacity and we have confidence that Oracle DB will scale as needed.

Customer Service and Technical Support

Technical support is generally quite good. We've been overall very satisfied with Oracle's support.

Initial Setup

I was involved in the setup of it 25 years ago and it was a transition to Unix at the time. I can't say it was that straightforward, but It was also not unexpectedly complicated.

Implementation Team

We generally do a major Oracle version upgrade every year or two and do a major patch upgrade at least once a year if we don't do a major version upgrade. We do upgrades in-house.

Other Advice

I've seen that things are evolving very fast since we first installed Oracle DB 25 years ago and since I've been a DBA for the last 30 years. We've got a lot of expertise in database administration. Honestly, that's being de-emphasized by the cloud offerings for the whole data center. Having people look at rack hardware and install the operating system is being de-emphasized. I think somebody starting out, if they are a not a big operation, they ought to look seriously at using the cloud as an alternative to having to support a lot of IT functions in-house.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Department head of gas projects design at ENPPI
Real User
Easy-to-use interface, simple to deploy, and can be customized to your processes
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is easy to use."
  • "Better integration with other databases would be an improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use Oracle as an in-house development database.

What is most valuable?

The interface is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The reporting can be improved. SAP has more reporting features than Oracle.

Better integration with other databases would be an improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Oracle Database for 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Oracle is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We cannot scale this solution. We have about 1,000 employees that use it.

How are customer service and support?

I have not been in contact with technical support.

How was the initial setup?

Oracle is easy to deploy.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented Oracle by ourselves. Our IT division handles both implementation and maintenance. Our division has about 200 engineers.

What other advice do I have?

We have decided to use SAP ERP Enterprise and we plan to integrate it with Oracle. My advice for anybody who is considering Oracle Database is that as a tool, it's very easy to implement and you can customize it based on your processes or your job.

In summary, this is a good product and it's user-friendly, but I like SAP better.

I would rate this solution an eight 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.
PeerSpot user
System support engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Quick to deploy, reliable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very easy to use in general."
  • "I would like to see more integration with other databases and the cloud as well as Microsoft's Office 365."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution to house our database applications and as a part of our ERP. 

What is most valuable?

The solution has been scalable.

The stability is good. We find the product to be reliable. 

The solution is very easy to use in general.

Its initial setup is quite straightforward. The deployment is fast.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see more integration with other databases and the cloud as well as Microsoft's Office 365. It should have, for example, a certificate that is then authorized in Oracle Databases so that easy division will be possible with other cloud solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for eight to ten years at this point. It's been about a decade, or just under. We've used it for a long time in general. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is reliable and quite stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. The performance is great.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is quite scalable. It's not a problem if you need to expand. 

We have about 18 to 20 users on the product currently. We have managers, admins, and engineers on the product.

How are customer service and support?

We do occasionally deal with technical support. For example, in the case of the wrong data entered in the ERP, support is required to purge out the wrong information.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not use a different solution previous to Oracle. We've always used Oracle. We started using it at version 6 around 2006 or 2007.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward and simple. The deployment takes a maximum of one and a half to two hours. It's not difficult.

We only have and need one person for deployment and maintenance tasks. 

What about the implementation team?

We are able to handle the installation ourselves. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We have a license for Oracle Database. You need one in order to use it.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of versions, we are using currently 11G and we are planning to move to 12G in a couple of months.

I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten.

I would recommend this solution to others considering implementing it.

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.
PeerSpot user
Technical Team Lead at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Easy to use, stable, and offers great technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is great."
  • "If you want to scale, it will get even more expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for data storage.

What is most valuable?

Oracle is one of the strongest solutions on the market.

The user experience and the tools provided with Oracle are great. For example, there's the SQL developer, and these tools are really easy and user-friendly. You get used to it very fast. 

The initial setup is straightforward. 

The solution scales well.

We have found the solution to be quite stable.

Technical support is great.

What needs improvement?

The solution has a high cost. Due to this, people are going for open-source instead. 

If you want to scale, it will get even more expensive.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for ten years or so. It's been a decade or so. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability potential depends on the package that a company gets. If you purchase Datadog, it will be easy to extend and have multiple nodes. The more features you purchase, however, the higher the price. Scaling comes at a cost.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support has been very helpful. They respond on time and you don't waste any time waiting for the tickets. You just get the answer directly usually in the same hour or on the same day at a maximum. We are extremely satisfied with them.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not overly complex or difficult. It's very straightforward.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The cost is very high. All the customers that I know are planning to move to an open-source database for this reason.

What other advice do I have?

I'm just a customer and an end-user.

We used to use 12C, however, we recently moved to 19C.

I would recommend the solution if the company has a budget and if you have a project that will provide revenue to cover the price for the actual product. If a company is going to start a product that will not give the right revenue at the beginning, I would suggest PostgreSQL.

I would rate the product at an eight out of ten. It loses a  few points mostly due to the high price tag.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Software Development Manager at gama
Real User
Is powerful, fast, and easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "It's powerful and fast, and the backup system is wonderful."
  • "Even if you have backup discs and never use Data Guard, you still have to pay for a license for it."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use it for accounts payable, accounts receivable, and HR. We also use it for financial modules and inventory.

What is most valuable?

The database is perfect. It's powerful and fast, and the backup system is wonderful.

It is easy to install as well.

What needs improvement?

After Oracle bought Sun Microsystems, they blocked all patches, even while using Solaris 8 or 9. So, we cannot get the patches for them.

You have to purchase extra licenses for Oracle Data Guard. Even if you have backup discs and never use Data Guard, you still have to pay for a license for it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Oracle Database since 2002.

How are customer service and technical support?

We are satisfied with Oracle's technical support. Depending on the situation, they may respond within an hour or in a day to weeks if testing needs to be done.

How was the initial setup?

Oracle Database is easy to install. I have never come across a big problem during these 20 years.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Oracle requires you to purchase extra licenses for Oracle Data Guard.

What other advice do I have?

Oracle seems to be losing power and losing customers in the last two to three years. However, I still think it's a good solution and rate it at nine on a scale from one to 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.
PeerSpot user
Information Systems Computer System Controller at a insurance company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 20
A stable multi-model database management system
Pros and Cons
  • "I like that it's stable. What's good is that Oracle manages the infrastructure. We have got better because they update the server by default or whenever it's needed. They try to fix it server by server because of their own support plans."
  • "It could be cheaper and easier to manage. Support could also be better. Performance could be better. Sometimes testing impacts the prediction performance. We have a complex server that serves both prediction and testing. Sometimes testing applies to many other deployments that impact the service provided. It's a problem for our company."

What is our primary use case?

We use Oracle Database in most of our prediction environments. We're working on managing most of our applications for prediction and testing and running it on Oracle. 

What is most valuable?

I like that it's stable. What's good is that Oracle manages the infrastructure. We have got better because they update the server by default or whenever it's needed. They try to fix it server by server because of their own support plans.

What needs improvement?

It could be cheaper and easier to manage. Support could also be better. Performance could be better. Sometimes testing impacts the prediction performance. We have a complex server that serves both prediction and testing. Sometimes testing applies to many other deployments that impact the service provided. It's a problem for our company.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Oracle for more than 20 years and Oracle Database for many years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It provides stable services, and we don't worry about that.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I think it's scalable because we're now doing an integration, and we have been providing the capacity required for that. We currently have about 2,000 users and plan to increase usage.

How are customer service and technical support?

Oracle's technical support isn't good enough. Our own professionals manage some issues.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It could be cheaper. We pay for the license on a yearly basis.

What other advice do I have?

On a scale from one to ten, I would give Oracle Database an eight.

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.
PeerSpot user
Deputy IT Manager at ICAPP (Americana Group)
Real User
Top 20
Stable and flexible, easy to use with a user-friendly interface
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is user-friendly."
  • "Oracle is not easy to integrate with other systems, which is something that should be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I primarily deal with infrastructure and do not manage applications but in the company, we use Oracle for our financial applications.

What is most valuable?

Oracle is a product that is easy to use.

The interface is user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

Oracle is not easy to integrate with other systems, which is something that should be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I began using Oracle approximately 10 years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable database product and we plan to continue using it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Oracle Database is scalable. We have approximately 100 users in the organization.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not been in contact with Oracle's technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use SQL in other applications, including Salesforce.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is complex.

What about the implementation team?

We had assistance from a third party that we outsourced for the deployment. It was a two-person team of engineers.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Licensing is on a yearly basis.

What other advice do I have?

Oracle Database is a popular product that is used around the world and has a very large market share, compared to SAP.

In summary, this is a product that is really stable and flexible with a user-friendly interface, and I recommend it.

I would rate this solution an eight 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.
PeerSpot user
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