Ever since the Oracle-BEA deal was given the green light by the federal government in February, we’ve all been asking the same questions:
How will Oracle combine the two company’s middleware offerings? Will BEA customers be forced to migrate to the new products? How will this change Oracle’s SOA and application server strategies?
This month, we’ve finally gotten some answers, along with some positive feedback. The Wall Street Journal summed it up by saying that after Oracle’s July 1 webcast, which revealed the company’s BEA plans, one thing is certainly clear: “Oracle is getting a knack for handling acquisitions.”
So, how is Oracle handling this one? Here are some recent highlights:
- The upcoming Oracle Communications Service Delivery portfolio will combine components of the former BEA WebLogic Communications middleware and Oracle Fusion Middleware.
- A key part of this integrated service delivery portfolio will be the Oracle Communications Services Gatekeeper 4.0 (formerly the BEA WebLogic Network Gatekeeper): a set of automated developer tools that will help service providers deal with third-party partners.
- Oracle President Charles Phillips said to BEA customers and partners: “There will be no forced migration at all.”
- In SOA news, the two companies’ ESB technologies (Oracle’s ESB and BEA’s AquaLogic) will be combined into a single, new product. Oracle will also have new Eclipse tools and a new platform for Java-based tools.
It all looks great on paper. But is everyone (including BEA customers) really satisfied?
According to a recent survey conducted by SearchSOA.com (before the July 1 webcast), many BEA users are uneasy about the BEA acquisition and the future of BEA products. Out of those polled, 52% reported a somewhat or very negative view of the acquisition, and 32% voted neutral. The survey also indicated a lack of confidence in Oracle, current satisfaction with BEA products and an unwillingness to migrate over to the new offerings.
A follow-up with poll respondents reiterated these opinions. One senior software developer had this to say:
“It’s very difficult for BEA users to migrate their existing applications running on BEA products, but they can be convinced.”
What do you think of the recent developments from the acquisition? Is it just a matter of time before everyone feels comfortable with the new products? What other extra steps can Oracle take to make sure BEA customers are kept informed and involved? What can Oracle’s other acquisitions teach us about what will happen with BEA?