Linux or Windows 2003 (64 bit) for hosting an Oracle database?
if your server admins knows only Windows (MS-only shop) - you should use Oracle on Windows... or do you want as a DBA to maintain O/S, install O/S patches, handle O/S security, do O/S backups etc etc?
However, in case of mixed shop, I usually recommend Oracle on Linux for various reasons (some might be subjective):
- Better stability, drivers and market experience of linux 64 bit vs Windows 64 bit
- Linux is more flexible to tweaking and configuration
- Linux is the development platform as far as I know - releases / patches usually comes faster
- Since linux is open source, Oracle R&D can better investigate issues
- You can optionally get support from Oracle for the O/S (and VM) - "single throat to choke"
- Linux is considered more secure (but if you consider it flame - ignore it)
- I personally don't like all the registry and windows services stuff - need to hunt down NLS registry configuration etc is not nice
- Seem to be more customers using linux in higher-end configurations (RAC, data guard etc) than Windows.
But anyway, for your developers, accessing Oracle on windows or linux is the same, totally transparent. They should be checking Oracle goodies for .NET either way.
You should also have a look at Solaris. Solaris has always been extremely well supported by Oracle. And now that Sun has been bought by Oracle, it's probably going to be even better supported.
You can very well use OpenSolaris if price is an issue, or go with standard Solaris if you want great support. The Solaris option is used in the bank where I work, by a lot of our competitors and by the state where I live.
That said, the major difference in stability / performance / cost / ... will probably come from the platform in which your administrators are the most comfortable ...