Oracle challenges the world with 'Unbreakable' products<\/p>\n
Lela E. Madjiah, The Jakarta Post, San Francisco, California<\/p>\n
Oracle picked the perfect time when it launched its latest
\ntechnological development, the Unbreakable Oracle9i Internet in
\nearly December. It's a complete, simple Internet application
\ninfrastructure featuring Oracle9i Database (Oracle9i DB),
\nOracle9i Application Server (Oracle9i AS) and Oracle Development
\nTools.<\/p>\n
The theme \"Unbreakable\" is both catchy and challenging,
\nespecially in a world still astounded by the Sept. 11 terrorist
\nattacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Even Oracle
\nchairman and CEO Larry Ellison admitted in his presentation at
\nOracle OpenWorld 2001 that he was quite stunned by his marketing
\nteam's choice of campaign word.<\/p>\n
\"Are you guys crazy?\" he had asked, fearing attacks by
\nhackers.<\/p>\n
As if to fulfill his prophecy, since its introduction the
\n\"can't break it challenge\" has attracted 1,000 attacks per day to
\nOracle's website. The site is still running without any
\ninterruption of service, though.<\/p>\n
Oracle senior vice president, product and services marketing,
\nJeremy Burton, explained that the theme was chosen to enable
\nbusinesspeople, who make purchasing decisions, know what clusters
\nis.<\/p>\n
\"The word 'Unbreakable' is so Oracle. If we had said clusters,
\nno one would understand it,\" added Mark Jarvis, Oracle senior
\nvice president and chief marketing officer.<\/p>\n
The real application clusters (RAC) is among the most
\nsignificant features of the more than 400 new features in
\nOracle9i DB. Clustering allows technology departments to increase
\napplication performance by adding new servers as transaction
\nvolumes grow. It also improves overall application reliability by
\ndirecting other computers in the cluster to take over if one node
\nin the cluster fails.<\/p>\n
\"Oracle9i RAC is fault-tolerant, that is why it's
\nunbreakable,\" Ellison said, adding that its security is fully
\nproven, having been approved by 14 independent security
\nevaluations.<\/p>\n
\"You can't break it, you can't break in.\"<\/p>\n
The Oracle9i DB with RAC is a result of 12 years of
\ndevelopment. Based on Oracle Cache Fusion Architecture, Oracle9i
\nRAC delivers nearly linear scalability and unbreakable
\nreliability for all applications. It provides transparent
\napplication scalability by quickly and efficiently sharing
\nfrequently accessed data across all the computers in a cluster.<\/p>\n
Transparent scalability means Oracle9i RAC behaves exactly
\nlike the Oracle9i Database on a single server. Scalability with
\navailability means all machines in the cluster act as backup for
\nall the other machines in the cluster. The more machines you add
\nto the cluster, the more reliable the entire system becomes.<\/p>\n
\"Oracle9i Real Application Clusters is a breakthrough
\ntechnology. The ability to dramatically scale application without
\nmodification is an invaluable new proposition for customers,\"
\nsaid Carl Olofson, IDC program director, during a news briefing
\nat Oracle OpenWorld 2001.<\/p>\n
\"High availability is a key factor, with today's demands for
\ndatabase centers to operate 24 hours.\"<\/p>\n
John Zyskowski writes in the June 25, 2001, issue of Federal
\nComputer Network that one of the key tests for the new Oracle
\ndatabase will be the ease with which users can add servers to the
\ncluster. Current approaches to clustering typically involve time-
\nconsuming efforts, such as reprogramming software and
\nredistributing data across the cluster, when adding new servers.
\nOracle claims the process with Oracle9i will be far easier.<\/p>\n
\"It's going to be a straightforward process,\" said Orin
\nMerrill, vice president of Science Applications International
\nCorp.<\/p>\n
Oracle9i RAC also offers unlimited performance and is more
\ncost-efficient. Lower investment is a key attraction. Mark
\nShainman said in an article in the Nov. 14, 2001 issue of Server
\nInfrastructure Strategies, through 2003-2005, the continued
\nexternalization of corporate information will cause exponential
\ngrowth in database management system (DBMS) user volumes.
\nEscalating internal access to information (e.g. packaged
\napplications, analytic tools, customer relationship management)
\nwill further expand data access avenues.<\/p>\n
\"This rapid growth of users is driving demand for cost savings
\nand simplification through the use of capacity-based pricing
\nmodels. By 2004\/2005, 90 percent of customer database licensing
\ndemand will be for cost-efficient, capacity-based licenses. With
\nthe release of Oracle9i Database, Oracle announced a cheaper and
\nsimplified capacity-based pricing model,\" he writes.<\/p>\n
Oracle will charge customers a per-processor fee for database
\nlicenses, similar to the pricing model used by other competing
\ndatabase vendors. The core enterprise edition of Oracle9i
\nsoftware costs US$40,000 per processor, not including optional
\nmodules such as the one that enables clustering. The standard
\nedition, excluding support options such as clustering, will cost
\n$15,000 per processor.<\/p>\n
The previous pricing plan that drew the ire of some customers
\nused a measurement called Universal Power Unit to determine the
\nlicense price. With UPU, the price was related to the number and
\nspeed of the processors in the servers that ran the Oracle
\ndatabase.<\/p>\n
Oracle revised pricing model in response to customer pressure
\nand to make it easier to compare it and its competitors' prices.<\/p>\n
Comparing Oracle9i to a Mercedes Benz, Ellison said good
\nthings didn't come cheap.<\/p>\n
However, buyers should be careful when comparing costs.<\/p>\n
\"Users should not assume that everything they need is part of
\nthat $40,000 (Oracle9i core license). It's not,\" Mike Schiff, a
\nvice president with the market research firm Current Analysis,
\nsaid as quoted by Zyskowski. \"The clustering option, for example,
\ncosts an additional $20,000 per processor. That said, you're
\nprobably still getting good value. The headroom that clusters get
\nyou is significant. And when you come right down to it, you're
\ntrying to get the job done. Price isn't the key factor.\"<\/p>\n
Burton shared Schiff's view, saying (cheap) price is not on
\neveryone's list.<\/p>\n
\"People look for security and reliability,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Security will always be at the top of people's minds post-
\nSept. 11,\" confirmed James Governor, analyst and IT advisor with
\nUK-based Illuminata, Inc.<\/p>\n
Jarvis said there had been a boom in database storage
\nmanagement following the attacks.<\/p>\n
\"Remember, information is the enemy of the terrorists.\"<\/p>\n
The company's decision to make Oracle9i application server its
\nthird line of business has raised eyebrows, for Oracle has been
\ntraditionally a database company. Since its release in October,
\nOracle9i AS has 8,300 new customers and confirms Oracle's place
\nin the application server market.<\/p>\n
\"I guess the key news is around the application server market.
\nThere's no sign of let up on the applications side. I wouldn't be
\nmore surprised that they want to own everything. Ellison wants to
\nown as much of the industry as he can,\" said Governor.<\/p>\n
Some users might feel frustrated with Oracle's fast move,
\nGovernor said, but Jarvis said Oracle plans to launch new
\ndatabase software every 18 months and new applications every 18
\nmonths to two years.<\/p>\n
Although Oracle claims its software runs on Java-based,
\nstandard-based technology, there is the question of pricing.<\/p>\n
For a country like Indonesia, where Oracle has around 450
\ncustomers, Oracle remains an exclusive brand. Price, for example,
\nis a key factor, given the current economic situation.<\/p>\n
\"It's too expensive for most local companies because the kind
\nof databases here don't need such sophisticated software as
\nOracle provides as yet,\" said IT analyst Priyambodo RH.<\/p>\n
Priyambodo is also concerned with service support.<\/p>\n
\"Within ASEAN, probably only Singapore is ready for such high
\ntechnology. Our human resources are not prepared to handle such
\nhigh technology.\"<\/p>\n
\"The prospects are there, it's a matter of convincing people
\nof the importance of a secure database,\" he said, adding that
\nOracle could concentrate on factories that need a 24-hour link
\nwith their headquarters for data exchange and monitoring.<\/p>\n
Chris Hummel, vice president for marketing of Oracle Asia
\nPacific Division, admitted the shortage of skilled engineers.<\/p>\n
To fill the gap, Oracle provides education and training in
\nvarious countries, including Indonesia, through cooperation with
\nthe academic world and the government.<\/p>\n
\"This academic initiative helps build Internet skills from
\nprimary schools to university level,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The writer was one of 100 journalists invited to cover the sixth
\nOracle OpenWorld 2001, held by Oracle Corporation, from Dec. 2
\nthrough Dec. 7.<\/p>",
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