R "Ray" Wang
R "Ray" WangNews Analysis: Oracle Launches Fusion Middleware 11g
Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g launch starts countdown to 100 days of innovation until Oracle Open World
In short, Oracle is putting forth a suite of middleware solutions that not only enable developers and software publishers to build their future solutions, but also deliver the middleware tools that will serve as the foundation for its go forward Oracle Fusion Applications. There are a number of product updates in this Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g launch. They include the Oracle Application Grid, Oracle SOA and Process Management, Oracle JDeveloper and Oracle ADF 11g, Oracle Applied WebCenter, Oracle Identity and Access Management, and Fusion Middleware Enterprise Manager (Note: the version of Oracle Enterprise Manager to manage Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g is 10g R3, this is the version currently available. - added 7/6/2009) What's positive about this release is the number of customers who have already tested and proven that these solutions can work. In each one of the components, there are a list of customers who already use these solutions in their production environments. Here are some high level product details:
- Oracle Application Grid puts forth a foundation built on the Oracle WebLogic Suite (i.e. Oracle WebLogic Server 11g ) that adds GridLink for RAC, enterprise grid messaging, real operations automation, real operations insight, active cache, and enterprise manager. high availability - added 7/6/2009
POV: Oracle pulls together their integrated platform for application development in a high performance computing SOA world. This will prove to be the Oracle internal foundation for hosting and other OnDemand capabilities. - Oracle SOA and Process management infrastructure brings together technologies such as Oracle JDeveloper, Oracle BPA Suite, Oracle BPM Suite, Oracle BAM, Oracle BPEL Process Manager, Oracle CEP, Oracle Service Bus, Oracle Enterprise Repository, Oracle Services Registry, and Oracle Web Services Manager.
POV: These common infrastructure components provide a way to mediate, orchestrate, manage business events and processes that support external integration, process governance, customizations, and change. These will prove critical in hybrid deployments that bring the Web 2.0 world to Enterprise 2.0 - Oracle JDeveloper and Oracle ADF 11g -the new team center and application development framework provides desktop integration to Microsoft Office and Java apps; new ADF Faces such as hierarchy viewers and carousels, SCA/SDO integration, and mobile development.
POV: Hopefully, Oracle customers can benefit from a richer set of dev tools that can be used in custom development and for Fusion Apps. This could provide the foundation for extending Oracle Fusion Applications or building apps on JDeveloper in a PaaS platform. - Oracle Applied WebCenter- solutions pulls together their Oracle WebCenter becomes the backbone collaboration infrastructure and Oracle Fusion Middleware architecture for collaboration in content management, business process management, and analytics.
POV: Oracle customers get treated to a unified environment to deliver a consistent user experience for a Web 2.0 and more social enterprise experience. The new release of Applied WebCenter may provide customers a unified UI strategy they have been looking for. - Oracle Identity and Access Management 11g includes enhanced features in areas such as identity management, provisioning and role management, web access management, Federation, entitlements management, fraud prevention, applications centric, and identity platform.
POV: Oracle focuses on addressing reliable security, regulatory compliance, and help desk efficiencies for identity and access management. Customers seek this level of single accountability and role based access as they keep adding SaaS and other deployment options. With best of breed coming back in the form of SaaS, enterprises must move beyond single sign on (SSO). - Oracle Fusion Middleware Enterprise Manager builds management and monitoring across the stack including apps, middleware, database, and Virtualized Host/ OS / Network
POV: Oracle showcases a more unified attempt at managing the entire Oracle stack and environment. Will it replace your HP, BMC Remedy or IBM Tivoli tools? No. Not completely, but it's a good start.
The bottom line - Oracle raises the stakes in the stack wars with IBM and showcases its middleware foundation for Fusion Apps
Announcements today by Charles Phillips and Thomas Kurian provide insight into the compendium of Oracle product investments in Middleware. Oracle Fusion Middleware provides the critical "glue" to tie Oracle's acquisitions back into a cohesive IT strategy for not only its customers but also Oracle's "Red Stack". The stack wars with IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle focus on gaining the greatest percentage of the IT budget. Oracle's investments today and pending acquisition of Sun will change the landscape from a perceived apps rivalry with SAP to more a stack competition with Microsoft and a battle for the IBM "Blue Stack". In fact, as Oracle continues to acquire and invest in the service based industries IBM dominates today, expect Oracle to make the case for a "Red Stack" and create "Purple" stacks in the years to come. The eventual prize - converting IBM "Blue Stack" clients to the "Red Stack". Don't expect IBM to stand still so let's see what the next move is in the continuing Stack Wars!
Your POV
What do you think about Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g? Vaporware or real competition in the stack wars? Will you be more compelled to bet on Oracle as part of your apps strategy? Please post or send on to rwang0 at gmail dot com and we’ll keep your anonymity.
Copyright © 2009 R Wang. All rights reserved.