Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is an enterprise-grade cloud computing platform launched by Oracle Corporation. Officially commercialized in 2016, it leverages Oracle's extensive technical expertise in enterprise software and hardware to deliver high-performance, highly secure, and highly compliant Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions.
The platform's core offerings include virtual machines, bare-metal servers, hybrid cloud deployments, edge computing, and high-performance computing (HPC) solutions. These are complemented by enterprise-grade services such as object storage, block storage, load balancing, and private networking. Primarily targeting large enterprises, government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and educational/research organizations, the platform supports scenarios including enterprise application migration, AI/ML training, big data processing, and core business system deployment.
1. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Fundamentals
- Service Provider Name: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
- English Name: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
- Established: 2016 (Commercial Launch)
- Headquarters Address: Austin, Texas, USA
- Official website address:https://www.oracle.com/cloud/
- Server Types: Virtual Machine (Compute Instance), Bare Metal Server (Bare Metal Instance), Hybrid Cloud Server (OCI Dedicated Region), Edge Computing Server (OCI Edge Services), High-Performance Computing (HPC) Cluster
- Coverage Areas: North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Singapore, Japan, India, Hong Kong, China, etc.) Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia) South America (Brazil, Chile) Africa (South Africa, Nigeria)
- Primary user types: Large enterprises, government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, educational and research institutions, technology companies
- Reference Pricing: Virtual Machine (AMD E4.small) starting at $4/month; Bare Metal Server starting at approximately $150/month; Custom quotes for High-Performance Computing Clusters.
- Trial Availability: Offers a 30-day free trial. New users receive $300 in credits (valid for 30 days). Supports testing core server products.
2. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Product Types and Plans
| Product Type | Instance Category/Package Name | Typical Configuration Example | Estimated Monthly Price (USD) | IP and Network Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always Free | ARM Architecture (A1) | 4 virtual CPUs (Ampere architecture), 24GB memory | $0.00 (Permanently Free) | Includes 1 public IPv4 address; monthly 10TB Free data |
| x86 Architecture (E2) | 1 virtual CPU (AMD), 1GB RAM | $0.00 (Permanently Free) | Includes 2 small instances; shares a 10TB traffic package | |
| Elastic Compute | General Performance Type (E5) | 2 OCPUs (AMD), 32GB RAM | Starting at ~$58.00 | Featuring the latest AMD EPYC processors; Public IPv4 approximately $ 0.01/hour |
| High-Performance (Intel) | 2 CPUs (Intel), 32GB RAM | ~$85.00 and up | Optimized for high-frequency demands; 10Gbps+ network bandwidth | |
| GPU Cloud Services | AI/ML Computing Power Type | 1 NVIDIA A10 / H100 | Starting at $900 – $6,500 | Industry-leading GPU rental pricing; billed by the hour |
| Managed Database (RDS/ADB) | Autonomous Database (Shared) | 1 OCPU, 1TB storage | ~$250.00 and up | Fully Automatic TuningIncludes high availability and backup |
| Object Storage | Standard Storage | Per GB of data storage per month | $0.025 per GB | First 10GB of storage is free; Low retrieval costs |
| Block Volume | High-Performance SSD | Per GB of storage / 10 VPUs | $0.0425 per GB | Performance is billed in VPU tiers;First 200GB free |
- Maximum Free Allowance: OCI's
Always FreeIt is currently the most generous among all cloud providers. In particular, the Ampere-based ARM instances (4-core/24GB RAM) are more than sufficient to run medium-sized websites or multiple containerized applications. - Public IPv4 Fee: In line with AWS and GCP, OCI will begin charging for resources allocated to instances starting from the end of 2024.All public IPv4 addressesFees (approx.) $ 0.01/hourequivalent to approximately 1TB/4TB 7.2/month）。Note: Free tier accounts may still have certain exemptions; refer to your billing details for specifics.
- Cost-effectiveness of traffic: OCI's network pricing is highly competitive. For all regions, the top 10TB of outbound traffic is completely freeThe rate for the excess portion is also significantly lower than AWS.
- Flexible Customization (Flex): OCI allows you to choose either 1 OCPU with 1GB of memory or 1 OCPU with 16GB of memory. You only pay for the total amount of resources selected (approximately $0.025 per hour per CPU core and $0.0015 per hour per GB of memory).
- Unified Regional Pricing: Compared to AWS's complex regional pricing differences, OCI maintains consistent pricing for foundational resources (compute/storage) across the vast majority of its global regions, making it highly suitable for multi-region deployments.
3. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Core Capabilities and Architectural Features
Enterprise-grade high-performance computing capabilities
At the compute layer, it employs AMD/Intel high-performance CPUs, supporting hybrid bare-metal and virtual machine deployments, and is optimized for high-performance scenarios such as large-scale databases, AI training, and HPC.
Hybrid Cloud and Dedicated Zone Deployment Capabilities
At the architectural layer, it supports seamless integration across public clouds, private clouds, and on-premises data centers, offering Dedicated Region deployment to meet enterprise data localization and compliance requirements.
Global Low-Latency Backbone Network Architecture
At the network layer, leveraging Oracle's global backbone network, it enables low-latency, high-bandwidth cross-region data transmission while supporting Virtual Cloud Network (VCN) isolation, load balancing, and traffic encryption.
Security Compliance and Data Protection Capabilities
At the security layer, it incorporates built-in security chips, data encryption (at rest/in transit), DDoS protection, identity authentication, and other features, meeting global top-tier compliance standards such as GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.
Oracle's Deep Integration Capabilities in the Ecosystem
At the management layer, it offers native compatibility with enterprise-grade software such as Oracle Database, Oracle Middleware, and Oracle Applications, reducing the cost of migrating and integrating enterprise applications.
4. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Data Center Distribution / Billing Currency
- Coverage Areas: North America (Virginia, Texas, California, etc., USA; Toronto, Canada; Mexico City), Europe (Frankfurt, Germany; London, UK; Paris, France, etc.), Asia-Pacific (Singapore; Tokyo, Japan; Hong Kong, China; Sydney, Australia, etc.), Middle East (Dubai, UAE; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), South America (São Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile), Africa (Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria)
Distribution Characteristics: Comprehensive global regional and availability zone coverage, with each region comprising multiple independent availability zones. Supports dedicated regions and on-premises deployment, deeply tailored to enterprise-level global and compliance deployment requirements.
Supported billing currencies: US Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), British Pound (GBP), Japanese Yen (JPY), Chinese Yuan (CNY), Indian Rupee (INR), Australian Dollar (AUD), and over 30 other global currencies.
5. How to Deploy Servers Using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
- Visit the OCI official website (https://www.oracle.com/cloud/), click “Start for Free” to register an account, complete email verification, submit identity information, and link a payment method to activate your account and claim your free trial credit.
- Log in to the OCI console (https://cloud.oracle.com/), then select “Compute” (or other server products such as bare metal or HPC clusters) from the list of services.
- Create a Virtual Cloud Network (VCN) and subnets, select the target region and availability zone, configure the server name, operating system (Oracle Linux, Ubuntu, Windows Server, etc.), hardware specifications, and storage.
- Configure security group rules and network access control lists (ACLs), select a billing model (pay-as-you-go/reserved instances), and submit the deployment order after confirming the configuration.
- After deployment is complete, obtain the server's public IP address and login credentials from the console. Then log in to the server via SSH (Linux) or Remote Desktop (Windows).
- Configure the basic runtime environment and enterprise-level applications (such as databases and middleware). For automated management, refer to the official documentation (https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/) to learn how to use the OCI CLI, Terraform, or Resource Manager.
6. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Common Use Cases
- Cloud Migration and Deployment of Core Business Systems (ERP, CRM, SCM) for Large Enterprises
- High-performance managed services for enterprise-grade databases such as Oracle Database and MySQL
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Model Training and Inference (with OCI Data Science)
- High-performance computing (HPC) scenarios (such as weather simulation, drug development, and financial risk analysis)
- Building Compliance IT Systems for Government and Financial Institutions (Aligned with Industry Regulatory Requirements)
- Hybrid Cloud Architecture Deployment (Integrating On-Premises Data Centers with OCI Cloud Resources)
- Global Distributed Deployment of Large E-commerce Platforms and High-Concurrency Web Applications
7. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Frequently Asked Questions
Is OCI suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises or individual developers?
OCI is primarily positioned for enterprise-level users. Small and medium-sized businesses can opt for entry-level virtual machine packages, while individual developers can access free trial experiences. However, it is generally better suited for large organizations with complex business operations and compliance requirements.
Are there any usage restrictions for the OCI free trial?
Certain premium instance types and dedicated region services are excluded from the free tier. The $300 credit expires after 30 days, and usage exceeding this amount will be charged at on-demand rates.
Does it support server elastic scaling and pay-as-you-go billing?
Support: Both virtual machines and bare-metal servers support elastic scaling (vertical/horizontal). The default provisioning model is pay-as-you-go, though you may opt for reserved instances to reduce long-term usage costs.
How to Ensure Enterprise-Level Data Security and Compliance?
OCI provides end-to-end data encryption, secure isolation, access control, audit logging, and other capabilities. It holds multiple global compliance certifications, supports localized data deployment, and meets industry regulatory requirements.
What are the advantages of OCI compared to other cloud providers (AWS/Azure/GCP)?
With outstanding strengths in enterprise-level software integration, database performance, hybrid cloud deployment, and compliance security, it is ideal for organizations already using Oracle ecosystem products to migrate to the cloud.
What channels are available for obtaining technical support when encountering technical issues?
We offer tiered technical support services. Free users can troubleshoot issues independently via community forums and official documentation. Paid users may select Standard, Premium, or Elite support levels to receive 24/7 assistance from professional engineers.
Editor's Note
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) leverages its core strengths of enterprise-grade performance, security compliance, and ecosystem integration. Its pricing structure caters to the bulk procurement needs of large organizations, making it ideal for businesses requiring stable core operational systems and prioritizing data security and compliance. Compared to cloud providers targeting developers, OCI involves higher operational complexity. New users must invest time in learning platform architecture and configuration logic, while those already using Oracle databases or enterprise software experience lower migration costs.
