User group tips new Oracle products
Oracle's Australian user group is tipping the software giant could announce new versions of its e-business suite, application server and database at its annual OpenWorld conference in the US next week.
The 4,000 strong Australian Oracle User Group (AUSOUG) will not officially send representatives to the event this year due to the International Oracle User Council choosing to meet by teleconference instead of at OpenWorld.
Despite no formal AUSOUG presence, many Australian organisations will still travel to the event. Representatives from National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ are scheduled to attend; as are construction companies Multiplex, Abigroup, and Crane Group; and others such as Westfield and Stockland.
AUSOUG will still monitor proceedings with interest.
"We would expect to see version 12 of the e-business suite released," said AUSOUG national president, Martin Power.
"We would expect that or a significant announcement about the release date or key features."
The 11G versions of Oracle's database and application server products could also be announced, he said.
On the technology front, Power said a lot of Oracle users wanted more progress on security.
"We would expect some announcements on security and how they're binding security to components that make up the applications.
"It's a current issue with their style of development.
"They have very small components making calls to each other and there hasn't been a full-blown security model to ensure there's no interception of data. It's a big issue for network administrators," he said.
AUSOUG had few "demands" of Oracle however, with most of the concern over Oracle's Fusion roadmap for PeopleSoft and JD Edwards customers a thing of the past.
"The announcements Oracle have made about lifetime support [for JD Edwards and PeopleSoft] -- we don't have any push-back from members," said Power.
"The move towards a fused environment has stopped and people can stay on JD Edwards and PeopleSoft."
His view was consistent with that of Smorgon Steel senior business analyst, Stephen Cate. The steel manufacturer uses JD Edwards in its accounting departments.
"Oracle have made all their statements pretty clear, in terms of they're heading towards this Fusion product," Cate said.
"They're going to encourage people to migrate to later releases, and they're building Fusion obviously with the technological basis that they have for it ... and people migrate when they're good and ready.
"They're not forcing people off [JD Edwards] World, I understand. Previously I think they were."
Oracle users in Australia will be able to discuss the fallout of OpenWorld at AUSOUG's 2006 conferences in Melbourne and Perth in November.
Oracle executives from Australia and Asia Pacific will brief attendees on OpenWorld announcements.
Power said AUSOUG 2006 would include a full Siebel stream for the first time, as well as training classes for both technology and applications.
AUSOUG expects around 450 attendees at each city.