Oracle Linux is an enterprise level distro based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. You’ll find it to be in the same league as most other enterprise focused distributions, such as SUSE Linux. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.
As you might expect, Oracle Linux has been developed to integrate well with other Oracle products. This makes it a solid choice for businesses that have invested in other Oracle software or hardware, including their popular database applications. It features the “Oracle Unbreakable Kernel” which Oracle touts as highly stable and reliable.
Following in RHEL’s footsteps, Oracle Linux comes with the GNOME desktop environment by default. It’s free to install and use as you please, but has optional support available for those that wish to subscribe. This is a departure from RHEL’s model that makes a subscription necessary to use their OS.
Oracle Linux Release Schedule
Oracle Linux’s release schedule is closely tied to that of RHEL. When a new major version of RHEL is released, typically a new version of Oracle Linux will follow within one or two weeks. This means that major releases come out every 3-5 years and are supported for five years.
When updates are no longer available, Oracle experts are willing to assist you with upgrades as long as you are a paid subscriber to their support service.
Download Oracle Linux
Grab the latest ISO installer images of Oracle Linux from the distro’s download page. It will require you to register an account with Oracle in order to access the downloads. If you’d like to bypass this, you can also try Oracle’s other download page. The operating system is only available for 64 bit systems.
Closing Thoughts
As a business that runs other Oracle hardware of software, it makes a lot of sense to also run Oracle Linux. This will ensure that various Oracle software suites stay compatible with each other.
Having an operating system based on RHEL is also a safe bet for corporations, especially since Oracle claims that the two distros are 100% compatible. Lastly, Oracle’s optional support service can help a business face as little downtime as possible in case any issues arise.
