IBM Partners with Oracle for Netfinity Serving
Decisions, decisions. Just when you thought that IBM had pulled out all of the stops porting its DB2 database to the Windows NT platform, the company has finagled a deal with Oracle to bundle a trial version of Oracle's Oracle8 database server software with IBM's line of Netfinity servers, giving customers a viable alternative to IBM's own DB2 wares.
"The bundling program reflects the Oracle and IBM commitment to providing Windows NT customers with high-value business applications and easy-to-implement data management solutions," explains Wendy Jeansonne, VP of the IBM products division at Oracle.
The trial version of Oracle8 will enable users to experience Oracle8 for 60 days, at which point customers wishing to continue using Oracle8 after the two month period will need to contact Oracle for a full use license.
The bundled product will be a fully functional copy of Oracle8 Enterprise Edition, and the software will ship immediately with IBM Netfinity 5500 servers. IBM is expecting to bundle this software with IBM Netfinity 7000 and 3500 servers as well sometime soon.
"IT managers need an industry-standard enterprise server and a powerful database to run their businesses. Oracle8 and IBM Netfinity servers can meet this challenge," says Lineene Krasnow, VP of marketing for IBM Netfinity servers.
The Oracle8 bundle is part of an ongoing initiative between IBM Netfinity and Oracle to deliver solutions on the Windows NT platform. The two companies are expecting to continue this relationship in the coming months by introducing additional product bundles and consulting services. Also, Oracle and IBM are hard at work building turnkey decision support solutions that are based on the Oracle Data Mart Suite and delivered by IBM's Global Business Intelligence Solutions division.
The companies are also planning to deliver ERP applications based on Oracle Financial and Manufacturing Applications on Windows NT.