Oracle on Windows vs Unix and Linux - Differences

Following are major differences of Oracle on Windows, Unix and Linux. As an expert remote dba, you should need to understand differences of Oracle on Windows v/s Oracle on Unix v/s Oracle on Linux.

Nature of Windows, Unix and Linux:

Windows is multitasking but doesn't multi user operating system. Unix/Linux is multitasking, multiuser and Multithreading operating system.

Installation of Oracle on Windows, Unix and Linux:

For installation of Oracle on windows doesn't require any other user creation, we can perform oracle installation using "administrator" superuser of windows. For installation of Oracle on Unix/linux required to creating separate operating system user account. Using super user "root" we doesn't require to perform Oracle installation.

For installation of Oracle on windows, if we create separate operating system then it should be group of super user administrator. For installation of Oracle on Unix/Linux, when we create operating system user then it should be not part of super user group.

Default location of Windows, Unix and Linux for Oracle:

Default location of password file and parameter file for Windows is ORACLE_HOME\database folder.Default location of password file and parameter file for Unix/Linux is ORACLE_HOME/dbs folder.

ORACLE_BASE,ORACLE_HOME,ORACLE_SID are defined in registry of Windows as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\HOME0. ORACLE_BASE,ORACLE_HOME,ORACLE_SID are defined as user's environment variables in Unix/Linux.

Symbolic links in Windows, Unix and Linux:

Symbolic links are NOT supported for user's environment variables or registry parameter in Windows. Symbolic links are supported for user's environment variables in Unix/Linux.

Environment variables in Windows, Unix and Linux of Oracle:

In windows we should need to set environment variable using "set" command and it doesn't save in user profile. In Unix and Linux we should need to set environment variable using "export" command and it can save using .profile (in Unix) and .bash_profile (in Linux).

Shared library and DLL on Windows, Unix and Linux:

Oracle's shared libraries are called as shared DLL in windows. Oracle's shared libraries are available in Unix/Linux.

Relinking availability on Windows, Unix and Linux for Oracle:

Relinking of Oracle executable is not available in Windows. Relinking of Oracle executable is available in Unix/Linux.

Shared Memory segment and Semaphores Windows, Unix and Linux:

Shared memory , shared segments and semaphores are NOT adjustable in Windows. Shared memory segment(SHMMAX), shared segments (SHMMNI) and semaphores (SEMMNS) are adjustable using kernel parameters in Unix/Linux.

Memory and Process on Windows, Unix and Linux of Oracle:

Oracle's SGA locking in real memory doesn't possible in Windows. Oracle's SGA locking in real memory is possible in Unix/Linux.

Each background process of Oracle is implementing as Thread inside single process in Windows. Each background process of Oracle is a process in Unix/Linux.

GUI and CLUI difference of Windows, Unix and Linux:

Windows called as GUI because it provides Graphical User Interface. Unix and Linux called as CLUI called Command Line User Interface. Due to this reason Unix and Linux provides more performance than Windows due to resource utilization.

File system and Security difference of Windows, Unix and Linux:

Windows is flat file system. Unix and Linux is hierarchical model file system. Windows kernel stores in couple of files like Registry. Unix and Linux kernel stores in many files which are hierarchy. It is very easy to understand Unix and Linux file systems in any version.

Earlier FAT and FAT32 file system has no security in Windows. Using NTFS file system windows use file permission based security. In Unix and Linux has traditional file permission security with owner,group and other users.Unix has greater built-in security and permissions features than Windows. Linux contains also same type of security and permissions logic like Unix.

Utilities for monitoring Oracle on Windows, Unix and Linux:

There are very few utilities available in Windows for performance monitoring and administration. There are lot of command line utilities are available in Unix/Linux for performance monitoring and administration.

Source code of Windows, Unix and Linux:

Source code of Operating system doesn't available in Windows. Source code of Operating system is available in some of Linux flavors, means we can modify source code of operating system.

Easy or special skill set required for Windows, Unix and Linux:

Oracle on Windows magnetizes because easy to understand, easy to maintain, easy to develop, resource availability and with good support. Oracle on Unix/Linux is not easy to understand,easy to maintain or easy to develop because it requires high skill set and depth knowledge.

Oracle deployment is very easy in Windows because not need to more knowledge or special skill sets. Oracle deployment is not easy in Unix/Linux because it requires special skill sets.

Windows is user friendly operating system. Unix and Linux doesn't user friendly operating system. Off course, during remote dba work, it is not easy to manage sometimes!

Virus attack on Windows, Unix and Linux:

There is high risk of virus attacks on Windows. Because majority of windows users run as Administrator and virus can be affecting on any of files of kernel due to super user account. There is minimum risk for virus attacks on Unix and Linux. Because most of Unix box or Linux box is being run by user interface not using "root" super user. Due to this reason virus attacker cannot able to modify kernel of operating system.

In the last:

Oracle on Windows magnetize because easy to understand, easy to maintain, easy to develop, resource availability and with good support.Oracle on Unix/Linux is not easy to understand,easy to install, maintain or easy to develop because it requires high skill set and depth knowledge.

Above reasons explain that, Oracle database administration on Unix and Linux requires extra knowledge and special expertise. Oracle on Linux and Unix provides best security and performance. Large and critical databases are running on Linux, Unix and Windows. Remote DBA Services provider has expertise to manage all type operating systems and all versions of Oracle. Dbametrix is one largest remote DBA services provider company and offers all kind of operating system support with all versions of Oracle.

In remote dba services, these type of Oracle errors are very critical to manage if you haven't access of some commands or not having more knowledge of operating system commands. Expert remote dba team of Dbametrix offers ultimate remote dba work with high availability and lowest cost remote plans.

Dbametrix is world wide leader in remote dba support. Expert remote DBA team of Dbametrix is offering high quality professional Oracle DBA support with strong response time to fulfill your SLA. Contact our sales department for more information.