Oracle recently shared their roadmap for the technology obtained as part of the BEA acquisition. I held off on writing about this for a bit, trying to figure out exactly what I think about this latest news. However, as I write this, I'm still a little torn about the latest news on the evolution of Fusion Middleware.
I really like the continuing evolution of Fusion Middleware as Oracle acquires new companies and technologies. Some of the more prominent examples from the BEA acquisition that relate to Fusion Middleware:
- I like the selection of WebLogic as the "...strategic J2EE container". I've been a fan of WebLogic's enhanced functionality for some time, even though my own experience is that implementation is a bit more difficult than bringing up and using OC4J.
- Utilizing the AquaLogic Enterprise Service Bus over Oracle's old ESB is definitely a step up.
- I'm also excited about the change control capabilities gained by utilizing AquaLogic Enterprise Repository as the SOA Governance Repository.
I hear rumors that the 11g Apps Server will be out late 2009 or early 2010, and that it will include the new BEA components. That's exciting stuff and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
So, if I like this stuff, why am I torn in my thinking about it? It comes down to money. In my shop, we've been told that we'll need to relicense the BEA components as we move down the Fusion Middleware path. I'm a little frustrated that, as my IT budget continues to shrink (but the work doesn't), I'll be paying relicensing fees in order to stay current. I'm also a little disappointed that there is no "grandfathering" consideration for those customers on the pre-BEA Oracle components (OC4J, Oracle ESB, etc.). Now, this is all relatively new information...could be I've got it all wrong. In fact, I hope I'm wrong here (please feel free to correct me if I am) or that the policy will change in the near future.
So, I'm a little torn. While I think the evolutionary approach of integrating acquired technology to improve existing products is a great thing, I'm more than a little disappointed that many existing Oracle customers will need to relicense just to stay current.
Any thoughts? Leave a comment.
Any thoughts? Leave a comment.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/07/01/Oracle-reveals-BEA-roadmap_1.html
2 comments:
HI Floyd, fellow excited punter here.
I attended a partner BEA briefing at the end of last week and got the same messages as you about the roadmap but the message we got around pricing was that new costs were available on the price list but nothing clear yet on migration costs.
I was also clear that for us on EBS we didn't need to move before Fusion, in fact EBS would continue to be shipped with OC4J.
Again tell us if we got it wrong.
Debra
@debra lilley: We got the same pricing message. Have not received any details regarding the impact on apps, only speculation. Thanks for the info.
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