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SQL Server compared to Oracle

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 provides a data platform with many advantages and business benefits including better security, performance and scalability, developer productivity, and Business Intelligence tools (BI) – all at a lower total cost of ownership.

At A Glance

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 advantages over Oracle 11g

  • Better Performance and Scalability:  SQL Data Services, Filtered Indexes, Advanced Sparse Columns, Column Prefix Compression

  • Better Security: Module Signing using Certificate, and integrated updates and patching

  • Better Business Intelligence (BI) tools: Optimized cube designers, on-demand processing and instance-based rendering, optimized integration with the 2007 Microsoft Office system

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SQL ServerOracle 11g
Performance and Scalability
More Secure (Less Vulnerable)
Developer Productivity
Business Intelligence*
Microsoft Office Integration*
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

*Oracle provides only partial functionalities in these areas and requires additional licensing costs.

 

Performance and Scalability

SQL Server scales to some of the world’s largest workloads

  • SQL Server already powers the world’s largest customers in every industry.

  • SQL Server is designed to meet industry benchmarks and scales to meet the most demanding needs of the largest enterprises.

  • Customers running SQL Server 2008 report excellent experiences with the latest scalability enhancements

  • ISV Partners in all industries trust the SQL Server platform to run the most demanding applications. More ISVs support SQL Server than Oracle database.

  • SQL Server is recognized as Best Seller and Top Growth Best Seller by CRN Magazine.

  • Customers such as Unilever, Citi, Barclays Capital, and Mediterranean Shipping support their most mission-critical applications on SQL Server, including large ISVs such as Siemens and RedPrairie. 

More Performance

More Scalable

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Security

SQL Server experienced very few security vulnerabilities over the last four years, compared with over 375 critical security vulnerabilities in Oracle’s database products (National Vulnerability Database (NIST)) as of January 2009. 

  • Advanced security features  are included in Standard, Enterprise, and Workgroup SQL Server Editions

  • Oracle provides only basic security in its standard and enterprise editions, with costly add-on security options available only with the Enterprise Edition 

  • Secure engineering processes as a part of the Trustworthy Computing Initiative have resulted in SQL Server being built on a highly secure foundation

  • A robust Microsoft Update infrastructure reduces security risk and patching downtime

  • According to one expert, Oracle is five years behind Microsoft in patch management

  • Two-thirds of Oracle DBAs do not apply security patches

Industry insiders compare SQL Server and Oracle security:

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Business Intelligence

SQL Server 2008 is part of the Microsoft’s integrated BI platform, spanning data warehousing, analytics, reporting, score carding, planning and budgeting. 

Read industry news and analysts’ reports about Microsoft BI

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Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

SQL Server ships with advanced and integrated enterprise features (Advanced Compression, High Availability, Manageability, Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining, Enterprise Reporting, Spatial, and Advanced Security) included. Oracle customers must purchase these as add-ons. 

More Value

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