처음 소식을 접하고는 어찌 황당하던지…
썬마이크로시스템즈는 내게 있어서 뭐랄까… 아련한 풋사랑의 느낌이랄까? 이 세계에 발을 들여놓았던, 그 시작을 함께한 기계를 만든 회사니까. (이상하게 컴퓨터는 그 물리적 녀석보다 회사로 기억되는 경향이 있는 것 같다.) 그런데 그 회사가 이제 유닉스 역사 속에서 사라질 모양이다.
오! 나의 썬, 안녕히~~
아련한 향수는 향수일 뿐. 그럼 이 (마치 혜성이 떨어진 것 같은) 역사적 사건이 우리(?)에게 주는 자극은 어떤 것일까?
큰 족적을 남기지 못했다는 평가도 있으나 나름대로 오픈소스와 관련된 다양한 움직임이 있어왔던 썬마이크로시스템즈를 인수한 회사는 다름아닌 오라클. 데이터베이스 전문회사라는 느낌이 강한 소프트웨어 회사이다.
오라클은 업계 1위의 RDBMS 전문 회사인데, 근래의 행보를 보면 BEA 등의 인수를 통하여 “Back End” 영역에서 중간 또는 앞단으로의 행보도 있었고, Oracle Enterprise Linux, Unbreakable Linux 라는 이름의 리눅스 OS 제품과 지원 서비스를 통하여 보다 아랫 부분의 소프트웨어 스택을 확보하려는 노력도 해온 듯 하다. (어찌보면, 이 모두는 DB 1위의 자리를 확고히 하면서 시장을 넓히려는 것이겠으나…) 또 다른 방향으로는 버클리DB를 소유한 SleepyCat 사를 인수하여 임베디드 데이터베이스 시장으로의 진입 또는 영향력 강화에 노력하는 모습을 비추기도 했었다.
아쉬움 속에 사라져가는 썬마이크로시스템즈 역시, 최근에 MySQL AB 사를 인수하고 Innotek를 인수하는 등, 전통적인 하드웨어, OS, Java Platform(그리고 그 개발환경)과 함께 오픈소스 기반의 소프트웨어 인프라를 확장하려는 움직임을 보여왔었다.
정말 이제 내부로부터의 성장은 멈춘 것일까? 먹고 먹히고, 입에 물은 채 먹히는… :-)
(성공적이었든 아니든) 썬마이크로시스템즈는 자사의 OS와 Java Platform을 오픈소스로 전환하고 OpenOffice, MySQL, VirtualBox 등의 오픈소스 소프트웨어를 인수, 지원하는 등, 오픈소스 세상에서 나름의 흔적을 가지고 있는 비교적 오픈소스 친화적인 기업이었다. 오라클은 어떤가? 일찍이 Oracle DB의 리눅스버전을 발표했으며 OEL라는 리눅스 배포본도 가지고 있는 등, 얼핏 보면 오픈소스에게 우호적인 것으로 비춰질 수도 있으나 글쎄… OEL 또는 UBL의 기형적 모습도 그렇거니와… :-)
오픈소스와 그리 친하지 않은 오라클에게 시집간 썬마이크로시스템즈의 딸린 오픈소스 자식들의 운명은 어떻게 될까?
- (Open)Solaris의 운명은 어떻게 될까?
- MySQL은 살아남을 수 있을까?
- Sun xVM과 Oracle VM은 어떤 방식으로 길을 잡을까?
- OpenOffice야 사실 따질 여지가 없지만…
Who wins, who loses in an Oracle-Sun deal?
April 20, 2009 (Computerworld)
This morning, we found out that the Sun might rise again. Oracle has decided to spend approximately $7.4 billion to buy its longtime Silicon Valley neighbor. A combination of these two stalwarts, both instrumental in the rise of the Northern California high-tech power base, would signal a regretful passing of a member of the old guard. But times change and Sun did not change with them (much as Digital, Compaq, SGI, Cray and others before it). The question is, why would Oracle, a company that has been gobbling up companies over the past few years (including Siebel, PeopleSoft and BEA), but with its own set of challenges, want to move into hardware – a commodity, cutthroat business? The answer is it probably doesn’t – at least not directly. Although this acquisition is attractive to both Oracle and Sun for different reasons, it may not be so attractive to end-user organizations. Let’s look at who gains through this acquisition and who the winners and losers might be.
From Oracle’s perspective, an acquisition of Sun would give it control of Java and the ability to kill off an imminent threat to its database hegemony in the MySQL open-source database. Control of Java, at the core of Oracle’s enterprise software products and similarly for many of its competitors, would be a real coup for Oracle and Larry Ellison. This can’t make IBM (or SAP) very happy, since it has also built its key business software offerings around Java. It also puts Oracle in more direct conflict with Microsoft beyond the database and into its middleware efforts with the .Net framework.
Obviously, Oracle is buying a large hardware business. With it will come a chance to upsell to any Sun shops that haven’t yet installed Oracle’s back-office suites. But Oracle has attempted to get into the hardware business more than once in the past and was never very good at it – always allowing its products to die a slow, silent death. I believe that Oracle will not stay in the hardware business very long. My expectation is that Oracle will take the software assets (primarily Java and Solaris), perhaps keep some key hardware subsystems (networked storage – an increasingly important market for Oracle’s analytics, BI and databases) and phase out or sell off the commodity hardware business (perhaps to IBM or HP). There is no advantage in Oracle owning a hardware business. If anything, it is a disadvantage, both in terms of alienating partners such as HP and Dell and in the challenge of making a profit on hardware. If Oracle’s true intent in this acquisition is to stay in the hardware business, then the board needs to do some serious soul searching.
What about Sun? It gets to stave off its forthcoming collapse. This deal is really a lifeline to Sun, which surely needs one. Sun has not kept up with the challenges of the new commodity and open-source-based needs of its customers. It is top-heavy and can’t compete with leaner suppliers like Dell, HP and even IBM. IBM’s offer to buy Sun fell apart on a number of points. But the Silicon Valley philosophies of McNealy and Ellison are more closely aligned than those of McNealy and IBM, so this may be a better fit overall. Nonetheless, I expect significant changes to come to Sun once the acquisition is completed, including substantial layoffs and the jettisoning of numerous products and technologies.
This may be a good deal for Oracle and Sun, but is it good for the marketplace? Not really. Oracle is more controlling, which could ultimately mean fewer choices and increased prices. Oracle has a history of being “pricey,” and this probably won’t change. Other questions of the moment: How will Java licensing change? Will there be Oracle proprietary extensions (as in SQL)? What will happen to Solaris and Open Solaris? Oracle would be smart to spin out the hardware business as soon as possible. This may actually benefit IBM, HP and other Unix server suppliers, and may also signal the death knell for the Sparc processor (to the benefit of Intel and AMD).
So, the winner in this event is clearly Oracle, but Sun wins as well, since it would have floundered without a rescue. The losers are the end-user organizations, which can now expect higher prices for software and fewer choices; “open source” is an ugly word at Oracle. Of course, IBM and HP are short-term losers, but they may ultimately gain if the Sun hardware business suffers or is sold off. And Microsoft and/or Sybase may gain share at the edges if Oracle loses customers because of heavy-handed terms and pricing, or may gain some MySQL accounts.
Jack Gold is the founder and analyst at J.Gold Associates LLC, an information technology analyst firm in Northboro, Mass., covering the many aspects of business and consumer computing and emerging technologies._M#]
참고: 오라클은 “Oracle Buys Sun"이라는 제목으로, 그리고 썬마이크로시스템즈의 사이트엔 “Sun and Oracle"이라는 제목으로 각각 프레스 릴리즈를 했다.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 20, 2009 – Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) and Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) announced today they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire Sun common stock for $9.50 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun’s cash and debt.
“We expect this acquisition to be accretive to Oracle’s earnings by at least 15 cents on a non-GAAP basis in the first full year after closing. We estimate that the acquired business will contribute over $1.5 billion to Oracle’s non-GAAP operating profit in the first year, increasing to over $2 billion in the second year. This would make the Sun acquisition more profitable in per share contribution in the first year than we had planned for the acquisitions of BEA, PeopleSoft and Siebel combined,” said Oracle President Safra Catz.
“The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems,” said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. “Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system - applications to disk - where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up.”
There are substantial long-term strategic customer advantages to Oracle owning two key Sun software assets: Java and Solaris. Java is one of the computer industry’s best-known brands and most widely deployed technologies, and it is the most important software Oracle has ever acquired. Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle’s fastest growing business, is built on top of Sun’s Java language and software. Oracle can now ensure continued innovation and investment in Java technology for the benefit of customers and the Java community.
The Sun Solaris operating system is the leading platform for the Oracle database, Oracle’s largest business, and has been for a long time. With the acquisition of Sun, Oracle can optimize the Oracle database for some of the unique, high-end features of Solaris. Oracle is as committed as ever to Linux and other open platforms and will continue to support and enhance our strong industry partnerships.
“Oracle and Sun have been industry pioneers and close partners for more than 20 years,” said Sun Chairman Scott McNealy. “This combination is a natural evolution of our relationship and will be an industry-defining event.”
“This is a fantastic day for Sun’s customers, developers, partners and employees across the globe, joining forces with the global leader in enterprise software to drive innovation and value across every aspect of the technology marketplace,” said Jonathan Schwartz, Sun’s CEO, “From the Java platform touching nearly every business system on earth, powering billions of consumers on mobile handsets and consumer electronics, to the convergence of storage, networking and computing driven by the Solaris operating system and Sun’s SPARC and x64 systems. Together with Oracle, we’ll drive the innovation pipeline to create compelling value to our customer base and the marketplace.”
“Sun is a pioneer in enterprise computing, and this combination recognizes the innovation and customer success the company has achieved. Our largest customers have been asking us to step up to a broader role to reduce complexity, risk and cost by delivering a highly optimized stack based on standards,” said Oracle President Charles Phillips. “This transaction will preserve and enhance investments made by our customers, while we continue to work with our partners to provide customers with choice.”
The Board of Directors of Sun Microsystems has unanimously approved the transaction. It is anticipated to close this summer, subject to Sun stockholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
There will be a conference call today to discuss the transaction at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time. Investors can listen to the conference call by dialing (719) 234-7870, passcode 923645. A replay will be available for 24 hours after the call ends at (719) 884-8882, passcode: 923645. A live audio webcast of the call will be made available at www.oracle.com/investor and a replay will be available for seven days after the call ends.
Oracle Buys Sun
Redwood Shores, CA - April 20, 2009Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) and Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) announced today they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire Sun common stock for $9.50 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun’s cash and debt. “We expect this acquisition to be accretive to Oracle’s earnings by at least 15 cents on a non-GAAP basis in the first full year after closing. We estimate that the acquired business will contribute over $1.5 billion to Oracle’s non-GAAP operating profit in the first year, increasing to over $2 billion in the second year. This would make the Sun acquisition more profitable in per share contribution in the first year than we had planned for the acquisitions of BEA, PeopleSoft and Siebel combined,” said Oracle President Safra Catz.
“The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems,” said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. “Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system – applications to disk – where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up.”
There are substantial long-term strategic customer advantages to Oracle owning two key Sun software assets: Java and Solaris. Java is one of the computer industry’s best-known brands and most widely deployed technologies, and it is the most important software Oracle has ever acquired. Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle’s fastest growing business, is built on top of Sun’s Java language and software. Oracle can now ensure continued innovation and investment in Java technology for the benefit of customers and the Java community.
The Sun Solaris operating system is the leading platform for the Oracle database, Oracle’s largest business, and has been for a long time. With the acquisition of Sun, Oracle can optimize the Oracle database for some of the unique, high-end features of Solaris. Oracle is as committed as ever to Linux and other open platforms and will continue to support and enhance our strong industry partnerships.
“Oracle and Sun have been industry pioneers and close partners for more than 20 years,” said Sun Chairman Scott McNealy. “This combination is a natural evolution of our relationship and will be an industry-defining event.”
“This is a fantastic day for Sun’s customers, developers, partners and employees across the globe, joining forces with the global leader in enterprise software to drive innovation and value across every aspect of the technology marketplace,” said Jonathan Schwartz, Sun’s CEO, “From the Java platform touching nearly every business system on earth, powering billions of consumers on mobile handsets and consumer electronics, to the convergence of storage, networking and computing driven by the Solaris operating system and Sun’s SPARC and x64 systems. Together with Oracle, we’ll drive the innovation pipeline to create compelling value to our customer base and the marketplace.”
“Sun is a pioneer in enterprise computing, and this combination recognizes the innovation and customer success the company has achieved. Our largest customers have been asking us to step up to a broader role to reduce complexity, risk and cost by delivering a highly optimized stack based on standards,” said Oracle President Charles Phillips. “This transaction will preserve and enhance investments made by our customers, while we continue to work with our partners to provide customers with choice.”
The Board of Directors of Sun Microsystems has unanimously approved the transaction. It is anticipated to close this summer, subject to Sun stockholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
There will be a conference call today to discuss the transaction at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time. Investors can listen to the conference call by dialing (719) 234-7870, passcode 923645. A replay will be available for 24 hours after the call ends at (719) 884-8882, passcode: 923645. A live audio webcast of the call will be made available at www.oracle.com/investor and a replay will be available for seven days after the call ends.