Oracle kisses and makes up with longtime rivals Microsoft and Salesforce.com as it scuttles to bolster its cloud-based capabilities... and to think Oracle CEO Larry Ellison used to describe the cloud as "complete gibberish" back in 2009!
Through the first deal Oracle customers can deploy Oracle software (Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic server) on Windows Server Hyper-V or Windows Azure, while Windows Azure customers get access to Oracle Linux.
The second deal is a "comprehensive 9-year partnership" with both vendors integrating each other's offerings into their own. In other words, Salesforce.com standardises its CRM platform on Oracle Linux, Exdata systems, Oracle Database and Java Middleware Platform, and Oracle integrates salesforce.com with Fusion HCM and Financial Cloud.
Oracle does not reveal the financial details of either deal.
“It’s about time, and we’re really glad to have the chance to work in this much newer and more constructive way with Oracle,” Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says. “The partnership has an immediate benefit to customers of every size and shape.”
Meanwhile Salesforce.com CEO (and former Oracle salesman) Marc Benioff quips “Larry [Ellison] and I both agree that Salesforce.com and Oracle need to integrate our clouds.”
Microsoft and Salesforce.com are not the only company Oracle is reaching out to-- the company also plans an alliance with NetSuite for use of the upcoming 12c database.
