Oracle Linux is an operating system based on the open-source Linux kernel and is designed and developed by Oracle Corporation. Here’s a brief history of Oracle Linux:

1. Acquisition of Oracle Enterprise Linux: In October 2006, Oracle Corporation announced the acquisition of the technology assets of the company called “Unbreakable Linux.” This acquisition formed the foundation for Oracle’s Linux distribution.
2. Unbreakable Linux: Unbreakable Linux was a Linux distribution that aimed to provide high performance, reliability, and support for mission-critical applications. It was based on the popular Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) distribution. Oracle rebranded Unbreakable Linux as “Oracle Enterprise Linux” (OEL).
3. RHEL Compatibility and Support: Oracle Enterprise Linux maintained compatibility with RHEL, ensuring that applications developed or certified for RHEL could also run on Oracle Linux without modifications. Oracle offered full support for Oracle Linux, including patches, updates, and technical assistance.
4. Collaboration with the Linux Community: Oracle actively participated in the open-source community and collaborated with upstream Linux projects. They contributed bug fixes, enhancements, and code improvements to the Linux kernel and other open-source projects.
5. Unbreakable Linux Kernel: Oracle introduced an “Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel” (UEK), an optimized Linux kernel specifically designed for Oracle Linux. The UEK aimed to deliver better performance, scalability, and reliability for Oracle workloads.
6. Oracle Linux and Oracle VM: Oracle positioned Oracle Linux as the preferred operating system for running Oracle software, including their flagship database, middleware, and applications. It was tightly integrated with Oracle’s virtualization platform called Oracle VM, offering a complete solution for virtualized environments.
7. Transition to Oracle Linux: In 2012, Oracle rebranded Oracle Enterprise Linux to “Oracle Linux,” aligning the name with their broader Oracle brand. This change also signaled a stronger focus on the integration of Oracle’s software and hardware offerings with Oracle Linux.
8. Continued Development and Updates: Oracle has continued to enhance and update Oracle Linux over the years, ensuring compatibility with the latest hardware, security patches, and support for modern technologies. They have also expanded their support offerings, including long-term support (LTS) options and premium support services.

Oracle Linux is positioned as an enterprise-grade Linux distribution, offering stability, reliability, and seamless integration with Oracle’s software stack. It is widely used in enterprise environments, particularly for running Oracle database and application workloads, where tight integration between the operating system and Oracle software is desired.