More upside: The complete solution under one roof. What other company can deliver this? Information techology is growing more complex at a frightening rate. I don't know of any other organization that can take the uncertainty out of the implementation of leading edge technology (an inherently white-knuckle experience to IS managers) as well as Oracle.
Sure, one company can deliver a spiffy database engine, and some other company can build apps for it, and a third can implement the apps, and a fourth can support them....But what happens when something goes wrong? Bigtime finger pointing - especially when you're talking about new unproven technology. The vast majority of CIOs out there are and will continue to be risk-averse. The prospect of some misbehaving 3rd party datablade critically wounding their mission-critical 24x7 operation scares the bejeezus out of them. The prospect of a big-six implementation of a 3rd party application with the big-six blaming the Apps vendor, who in turn blames the database company who in turn blames the big-six consultants is just as scary, especially when the clock's ticking and the meter's running.
Technology is very important. A company with good technology is like a golfer with a good drive. But as many golfers will tell you: you drive for show, but you putt for dough. Risk reduction's where the money is in big-time IS. Remember how much information is still in flat files and how many corporate desktops are still on Windows 3.11!
With regard to database technology, Oracle has a history of innovation. When behind, Oracle has the resources to allow it to catch up, and when they do, they have the infrastructure in place to minimize risk to corporate decision makers. Oracle offers not just proven technology, but the ability to deliver complete solutions (db, apps, support, and consulting with various core competencies - servers, networks, olap, financial and mfg apps, bpr), a single point of contact, and complete accountability if something goes wrong. I know you've all heard this before, but the ability to sleep at night is a big motivating factor for buyers of database technology - in many cases, more so than the technology itself.
The network computing architecture is another area where Oracle and other big database vendors stand to profit handsomely. To be sure, NCA is not so much about making Oracle a consumer product. It's more about adding Oracle's clout to a movement away from complex proprietary desktops and more towards a simpler paradigm based on open standards offering greater competition and therefore more benefits to consumers and less risk to IS managers. If IBM has their own NCA, great! Because IBM is part of OMG and its products will conform to the same standards and inter-operate in the same CORBA bus as any Oracle network computing product. If Sun has another, terrific! That's the point. Openness, simplicity, choice, continued improvement driven by competitive forces. A huge win for customers and vendors alike - for everyone in the computer business. Except maybe for Microsoft. |
