SAP Buys Sybase, but...

InformationWeek -- With acquisitions being a growth engine for most large technology vendors these days, the pressure is on SAP to buy.

But is the planned acquisition of Sybase, a $5.8 billion deal announced yesterday, a good fit?

The answer depends on SAP's ability to execute. IBM's rule on acquisitions, recently articulated by software executive Steve Mills in announcing the purchase of Cast Iron Systems, is that the company be in an adjacent market and that it offer synergistic promise.

Sybase doesn't meet the first test well in that the database and mobile platform provider is not really in an adjacent market.

"Indeed, that's a key reason SAP vowed yesterday that Sybase will be run as a separate subsidiary and that it will not pressure SAP customers to switch to Sybase databases."

So the value of this deal is all down to synergies.

There are plenty of opportunities, starting with mobile access to applications and extending to potential blends of SAP and Sybase data management technologies, including in-memory analysis, column-store analytic databases and complex event processing. Read more >>

Oracle.com/IronMan2

Oracle.com - Just as man and machine join flawlessly to power Marvel’s invincible hero Iron Man, Oracle’s industry-leading software and hardware seamlessly integrate to deliver a complete IT stack unmatched by any competitor.

http://www.oracle.com/us/ironman2/index.html

At the core is the world's #1 database, supported by Oracle Fusion Middleware and best-of-breed industry and business applications. Oracle Solaris and Oracle Unbreakable Linux provide open and innovative operating systems. Leading-edge virtualization and cloud solutions provide efficient access to fast, flexible, and cost-effective service. With the final addition of Sun storage and server technology, the Oracle stack is now complete. Read more >>

LAUNCH EVENT: Introducing Oracle Enterprise Manager 11g

Join Oracle President Charles Phillips and Oracle Senior Vice President Richard Sarwal for the launch of Oracle Enterprise Manager 11g.

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>> Integrated systems management and support that provides proactive notifications and fixes combined with peer-to-peer knowledge sharing to increase customer satisfaction

Come learn how only Oracle Enterprise Manager 11g can help IT proactively drive greater business value across technologies, including Sun systems; Oracle Solaris operating system; Oracle Database; Oracle Fusion Middleware; Oracle E‑Business Suite; Oracle’s Siebel, Oracle’s PeopleSoft, and Oracle’s JD Edwards solutions; virtualization technologies; and private cloud environments.

Please register today to reserve your spot for this exclusive event.

If you are unable to attend the event in person, you may also register for the live webcast.

Oracle 11g Release 2 Now Certified for SAP

SAP Community Network -- Oracle 11g Release 2 (Oracle 11.2) is now certified for use in an SAP environment on Unix and Linux platforms.

Only SAP products using kernels 640_EX2 and higher are certified with Oracle 11.2.

This is a runtime certification only, which means customers are allowed to upgrade their existing database to Oracle 11.2. New installations of systems running with Oracle 11.2 will be certified during 2010.

Real Application Testing

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Go from IT Hero to Super Hero

Oracle.com -- Are you transforming your enterprise through innovation by using Oracle solutions? Does your company consider you a business hero? Then Marvel and Oracle challenge you to enter the Stark Industries Honorary CIO Contest. Tell us your Oracle success story and you could become the Honorary CIO of Stark Industries. Our winner will:

>> Become an Honorary CIO of Stark Industries
>> Attend a premier of Iron Man 2
>> Have their success story appear on Oracle.com

Enter to win! Contestants must enter by March 15, 2010 - some restrictions apply. Get contest details below:

>> An Honorary CIO and two runners up will be selected. Oracle customers must submit a nomination form on behalf of their company. If you already have a success story on Oracle.com, you can still enter to win; just supply the link to your current story and supplement with any new and additional items of relevance.

>> Use the online nomination form to tell us how you vanquish challenges and transform your company through innovation!

>> Winners will be selected based on business efficiencies achieved through use of Oracle products. The goal is to impress our panel with your cost savings, process improvements, increased capacity, etc. Keep in mind that Stark Industries is awed by numbers that show improvements, so quantify your achievements whenever possible.

>> Click here for the Official Rules

>> Click here to Register