Lakshman Nimmakayala - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Cloud Architect at UBS Financial
Real User
Top 5
Easy to set up with good performance but is too expensive
Pros and Cons
  • "We find the solution to be stable."
  • "They could improve the scalability a bit. There are other options that are more scalable, for example."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution as a database, basically. We do not use it for the data warehouse. It's just a few databases.

What is most valuable?

We're satisfied with the solution. The performance is great.

We find the solution to be stable.

The scalability is very good. You can expand it if you need to.

We don't have any concerns with the data activity and recovery capabilities.

The initial setup is easy.

What needs improvement?

The cost of Oracle is far too high. They should work to make it less expensive. We're going to stop using it for this reason. 

They could improve the scalability a bit. There are other options that are more scalable, for example. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for almost 10 years now. It's been a decade. I've used it for a while. 

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is very good and it has very good performance. 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?

We don't have an issue with the solution's scalability. It's expandable. 

What we see is Mongo and Cassandra, and many other databases that are extremely scalable and distributed. With Oracle, obviously, there are other types of databases that are performing better in this area. Obviously, they could improve scalability from a scalability perspective.

How are customer service and support?

I've never contacted technical support. I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they are. 

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

We are using DB2 on mainframes and we do have Microsoft SQL, and then we started using PostgreSQL as well.

How was the initial setup?

We haven't had a problem with the initial setup. It's very simple and straightforward. 

I haven't installed it in recent times, however, from what I recall, the actual production upgrade took us probably less than four hours.

Currently, the database team is around 40 or more people from engineering and from operations. It's a full database engineering and operations team so it's covering other databases as well - such as DB2 and SQL and Cassandra and other databases. You can take three to six engineers and have them handle deployment and maintenance, although everyone works on other things.

What about the implementation team?

We handled everything in-house. We did not need the assistance of integrators or consultants. 

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

It's CPU-based licensing. The cost is far too high. We're looking into other options to avoid having to pay so much. There are both licensing and support costs you need to consider. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have been looking at less expensive options such as Azure SQL and PostgreSQL.

What other advice do I have?

We're a customer and an end-user.

We use both cloud-based and on-premises deployments. 

While I might have recommended Oracle in the past, due to the cost factor, it's hard to recommend it these days. 

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

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Cloud Expert | DevOps | Oracle Consultant at confidential
Consultant
The most valuable feature for me is the pluggable database because it provides database consolidation and the solution for utilizing your resource.

What is our primary use case?

I have been working with Oracle products for more than 10 years, and as a consultant, I did a lot of implementations that include different database vendors. To be honest, Oracle Database provides you with different features that don't exist in any database, or you can find relevant features in other vendors, but it will not give the same capability Oracle Database has. Let's take for example RAC or real application cluster that provides HA for Oracle Database, it's considered as one of the best solutions for the database.

I have worked on different environments for different big client names since it's my job role, and Oracle provides a different solution for DR, performance tuning, security, and HA.

How has it helped my organization?

Talking about this will be unfair because regarding my experience (which is on related services), Oracle Database improved client solution by discussing what they want first, and then finding what database is the best solution for them. Most of the time an Oracle Database license is so expensive if you want to compare it with different vendors, but on the other hand, if you're looking for the best features that a database could provide to you, then Oracle is considered as the number one database of all time.

What is most valuable?

  • The most valuable feature for me is the pluggable database because it provides database consolidation and the solution for utilizing your resource. On the other hand, I find security products that are provided by Oracle very strong and not in comparison with any database vendor.
  • The encryption, database reduction, audit vault, database firewall: All of these products provide an extra layer of security when they are implemented in the right way.
  • Let's also mention real application cluster, and disaster recovery solution.

What needs improvement?

The additional features that should be included in the database: I would like to see improvements for database security products.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

one of the most stable database i ever seen, but to be honest the Support when you will have a bug or something it will make your life very hard.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The Performance for the database in general is good and the tools to analyze the performance in case you have some issue it's perfect and make it easier for you.

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

Yes, I used a different solution. The migration was to Oracle because we had to find the best for the client. It was a production database, and we needed 24/7 HA which other databases provided, but not as good as Oracle Database.

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

The cost of Oracle Database is so high if you compare it to other vendors. Therefore you have to study your solution and know exactly which features you want; this will minimize the cost and licensing price. For that, Oracle provides different types of DB such as EE, SE, SE1, etc. depending on what the clients want.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Yes, I worked on SQL Server, MongoDB, MySQL, and MariaDB.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Technical Specialist at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Partitioning is most valuable, and it is stable and fairly easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "Partitioning is most valuable."
  • "The setup for Enterprise Manager Grid Control can be a bit easier."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for OLTP and data warehouses. We're using versions 10, 11, 12, and 19.

What is most valuable?

Partitioning is most valuable.

What needs improvement?

The setup for Enterprise Manager Grid Control can be a bit easier.

The additional options are expensive. If you want to buy a rack, partitioning, diagnostics, or tuning, those options are expensive, but it is difficult to say if it is a negative or not. We've bought the product, and we use it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Oracle Database for 30 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is really stable. Its stability is fine, but just don't make any changes. The more changes you make and the more developers you've got, the more unstable it's going to be. So, if you've got a stable environment in terms of development, then it has to be stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability depends on how much money you've got. It depends on the quality of your hardware. Scalability is not an Oracle problem.

In terms of the number of users, we have maybe 5,000 people who we can log on to one system and put in expense claims. We don't have plans to increase its usage.

How are customer service and support?

They're normal. We don't make many calls. We have maybe six calls a year with Oracle support, which is not a lot. Our environment is pretty stable. It is really stable, and we haven't had any outages. When it is smooth sailing, it is easy.

How was the initial setup?

I did the setup, and it was fairly easy. I have been doing it over the last 17 years.

What about the implementation team?

I did the setup. For its maintenance, one and a half people are enough.

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

You buy it when you need it, and then you pay the maintenance. We bought the licenses over 10 years ago. We haven't changed our licenses. We are not buying new licenses, and we are not looking at other devices. So, it is difficult to say whether it is cheap or expensive. There is nothing to compare to.

The additional options, such as a rack, partitioning, diagnostics, or tuning, are expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise making sure that you train properly. I would rate this solution an eight out of 10.

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
Independent Consultant at Unaikui
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A hybrid solution for ETL and real-time data analytics
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to use. It also offers a Database Vault."
  • "The pricing could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for ETL and real-time data analytics.

How has it helped my organization?

We use the solution for the ERP system, which utilizes dynamic APIs, SQL, and ETL processes.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to use. It also offers a Database Vault.

What needs improvement?

The pricing could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Database for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is stable.

I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Depending on where you deploy, Oracle is also scalable. Sixteen sites with 50 users each are using this solution.

I rate the solution’s scalability a ten out of ten.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and took a couple of weeks. You can set up a new instance, import/export databases, or a new blank database. For on-premise, we use Jenkins. We set it up for the cloud so we can receive alerts using Jenkins or any other suitable tool.

What about the implementation team?

Deployment was done in-house.

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

The solution is very expensive.

We had an annual subscription, but Oracle only recognizes certain VMs. Eventually, we had to migrate to Oracle Linux and allocate a specific number of CPUs to a product to reduce the price.

What other advice do I have?

Four people are required to maintain the solution.

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

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Group CEO at Mmusi Group
Real User
Leaderboard
A multi-model database management system with a useful reporting feature
Pros and Cons
  • "The reporting feature was fine for what we were using it for. Oracle Database has been serving its purpose, and I was happy."
  • "Their migration strategies could be better because most of these companies keep the same version for six or seven years and then update it to the latest version."

What is our primary use case?

I use Oracle Database for storage, proxy, and general database stuff.

What is most valuable?

The reporting feature was fine for what we were using it for. Oracle Database has been serving its purpose, and I was happy. 

What needs improvement?

Their migration strategies could be better because most of these companies keep the same version for six or seven years and then update it to the latest version.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Database for five years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Oracle Database is scalable. It simply comes down to how you design the transaction screen of the database. We have more than 100 users because they use the applications.

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

Before Oracle Database, I used IBM Db2 and Microsoft SQL.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. It doesn't take long once you have the server. I would say it takes a maximum of five minutes to implement this solution. We have five technical people to deploy and maintain this database solution.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented this solution by ourselves.

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

The price is relative. Licensing costs differ based on how often you'll use the product. They also provide discounts based on the bandwidth or the use cases you want to run on it.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to potential users. 

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

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
Chief Executive Officer CEO at IT CROWD S.A.S
Real User
Provides security, high availability, and Disaster Recovery solutions with Data Guard
Pros and Cons
  • "The best features of Oracle Database Server are the security, high availability, and the Disaster Recovery solutions with the Data Guard. Specifically, on Autonomous Databases, the most valuable features are the automatic scaling and CPU scaling depending on the database workload. Today, the workload is normal and then suddenly the workload gets a spike."
  • "There are actually a lot more features for the Oracle Databases. It is almost impossible for a single person to know and give all the features."

What is our primary use case?

I'm an Oracle business partner. I'm the Oracle partner in Columbia. We resell Oracle hardware and Oracle software licenses. We deal with the leading Oracle solution with our clients in Columbia and outside Columbia. 

We were nominated twice in 2019 and in 2021 as an Oracle Excellence partner for Oracle Database Appliance. It is one of the flagship products of Oracle for databases.

We don't use Oracle Databases for our production purposes because we are Oracle partners, so we use Oracle Database for internal purposes. We use the Autonomous Database. We have very limited use.

The solution is deployed on-prem.

What is most valuable?

The best features of Oracle Database Server are the security, high availability, and Disaster Recovery solutions with Data Guard. Specifically, on Autonomous Databases, the most valuable features are the automatic scaling and CPU scaling depending on the database workload. Today, the workload is normal and then suddenly the workload gets a spike.

There is a feature that allows the database to have more CPU processing and capacity. That's the feature that the Autonomous Databases provide. The feature that we like very much on Oracle Databases is the APEX, the platform which can be used without any cost to develop a very powerful application on Oracle Databases.

What needs improvement?

There are actually a lot more features for the Oracle Databases. It is almost impossible for a single person to know and give all the features. Every year, Oracle comes up with new features and new facilities. They are ahead of all other database providers, so we are happy and our client base is also very happy with Oracle Databases.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle products for more than 24 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Oracle Databases are very well known for their stability. If there are new products, they have a process for discovering bugs, and they keep updating the software with the patches that cover all these bugs. The features that Oracle Databases have is enough for us. It's very sophisticated.

There are maybe two or three users who use Oracle Database services that are behind the cloud.

How was the initial setup?

If you want to get Oracle Database on the cloud, it's very simple. It's a question of having the necessary information like the database name and the other things that you want to come together at during initial setup. The database deployment on Oracle cloud is very straightforward. It's maybe a couple of clicks and it gives some information. 

Regarding Oracle Database setup on-premise, the documentation is very good. People who have worked with Oracle Databases for a couple of years know the standard for deploying databases, the operating system requirements, and all of those things. It's really straightforward. It's so standardized that there is nothing more that you need to know. It's not NASA science.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 10 out of 10.

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.
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Eva Kimathi - PeerSpot reviewer
ERP Database Administrator at PSKENYA
Real User
Top 10
Useful Enterprise Manager, beneficial automatic resource assigning, and high performance
Pros and Cons
  • "Oracle Database is running on the same old hardware that I had the 11g version on and it is operating faster. It seems to be really good. It's fast even when the workload is heavy, easy to do backups and other administrative tasks with the Enterprise Manager."
  • "Oracle Database has improved how we do our administrative backups. The solution has a smaller footprint than 11g, it's more efficient on the resources for the users. It has a smoother user experience with the ERP and fewer field transactions."

What is our primary use case?

I use Oracle Database to support the customized Java ERP setup that I currently have.

How has it helped my organization?

Oracle Database has improved how we do our administrative backups. The solution has a smaller footprint than 11g, it's more efficient on the resources for the users. It has a smoother user experience with the ERP and fewer field transactions.

What is most valuable?

Oracle Database is running on the same old hardware that I had the 11g version on and it is operating faster. It seems to be really good. It's fast even when the workload is heavy, easy to do backups and other administrative tasks with the Enterprise Manager. 

Oracle Database can automatically assign resources to threads that are heavy. We hardly notice when they are running a heavy query and it is better at managing memory than the older 11g version. When we use the same amount of indexes when migrating to 19c, I didn't have to do any other modification and we have increased usage on the ERP. The Oracle Database is handling everything very well.

What needs improvement?

Oracle Database could improve by having a better-integrated view of the containerized databases. The Enterprise Manager is great at that, but if there was a centralized view of all the containers it would be a large benefit.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Oracle Database for approximately one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The reliability of the Oracle Database is excellent and the performance is very good. I have used MySQL for large transactions which have given me some problems, but in Oracle Database version 19c I have not had these issues. In the Oracle Database version 11g, sometimes I would have some lagging, but in the newer version, it has been fine.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is good.

We have approximately 70 users that are using the solution through the ERP.

How are customer service and support?

The support I have received from Oracle Database has been very great. The response times have been good.

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

I have previously used MySQL.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Oracle Database is straightforward, it was easy. The migration from an older version was not a problem at all, and it took under one hour.

What about the implementation team?

I did the implementation mostly myself, but because of the ERP setup, I had to have support from the vendor. It was a partnership setup.

I do the maintenance of the solution, we only require one person. I use the solution on a daily basis.

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

Oracle Database could make the documentation better around licensing. The way you have to access software from Oracle is difficult. You have to go through the licensing lawyer to understand what your reach is when you subscribe to one unit. I wish the documents were easier to understand for everyone. This is a problem I have always grappled with and it's not changed. Having clarity is even more important now that I'm thinking of having a hybrid setup for the database in the cloud for high availability.

The cost of the solution is reasonable. It costs approximately $4,000 with some extra features we have.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others. However, it does depend on different organizations and their needs. If the resources are a little heavy, which makes for disaster recovery planning, a little bit tricky.  

I would advise people to explore how their workloads would be and if they can be containerized in the cloud. That would make it way easier for them to manage them. The scalability of Oracle Database is very easy to grow or shrink as the need.

I rate Oracle Database 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.
PeerSpot user
Senior Oracle Database Administrator at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good performance and scalability
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the most valuable features of Oracle Database is the performance."
  • "Oracle Database's migration capabilities could be improved because it's very difficult. So even if you migrate where you host your data, be it on Windows SQL Server, there is a problem because migrating the package is highly complex. The technical support could also be faster."

What is our primary use case?

We use Oracle Database to host data. We use versions 11g, 12c, 19c, and 21c, but it depends on the application. The use does not depend on us, it depends on our editors because the application is totally built on Oracle Database. 

This solution is deployed on-premises, but it's highly probable that it will move to the cloud. 

What is most valuable?

One of the most valuable features of Oracle Database is the performance.

What needs improvement?

Oracle Database's migration capabilities could be improved because it's very difficult. So even if you migrate where you host your data, be it on Windows SQL Server, there is a problem because migrating the package is highly complex. The technical support could also be faster. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Oracle Database since the company was created, so for more than 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Oracle Database is 100% stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is very scalable. 

In our organization, there are over 300 users. 

How are customer service and support?

Oracle's technical support could be faster. 

How was the initial setup?

The installation is straightforward, but you need to have technical abilities. I maintain the system myself because I installed it myself. For deployment and maintenance, we have two or three administrators. 

What about the implementation team?

I implemented this solution myself. 

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

We pay for an annual license as well as monthly support. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before using Oracle Database, I also evaluated MySQL and PostgreSQL. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Oracle Database an eight out of ten, according to performance and scalability. In terms of migration abilities, I would rate it a six out of ten because it's very difficult. 

I would recommend Oracle Database to others, especially for their new cloud policy and their subscription amount for the resources. 

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.
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