ERP came of age. Everyone had to have the functionality ERP packages promised. Since then, as Web and Internet technologies have matured, CRM packages on the front end, and e-Procurement and Supply Chain Management packages on the back end, these packages have come into their own.
Now in 2001, the catchphrase is "Collaborative Commerce," where we unite all of the above elements into one coherent system within and between organizations. This is the Big Kahuna, the zero latency, fully transparent, 360 degree exposure that is the stuff systems integrators dream of. Is it here? Are the technologies mature enough? Simple enough?
This, the fifth in a series of articles on Collaborative Commerce (C-Commerce), takes a look at Oracle's vision of C-Commerce, a vision which some may consider expansive but myopic by nature.
Oracle's Database: Blurring the Lines Between Database and Application
Oracle has always been known for its robust database solutions, and less well-known for its suite of applications which, up until version 8i (released in March of 1999) was, in its most stable form, text-based, dumb-terminal style. Oracle made haphazard efforts in the mid 90's to bring its applications (primarily ERP - Financials, Manufacturing, and Logistics) to the browser, but its solutions were buggy, difficult to use, and often didn't match the feature and functionality set of its text-based brethren.
March 1999 saw the introduction of Oracle 8i ("i", for Internet) database, Oracle's first serious push toward web-oriented functionality. What was interesting from the start was how Oracle has chosen to define its functionality set for its products. Oracle 8i RDBMS extended Oracle's technology in the areas of data management, transaction processing, and data warehousing. Built directly inside the database, Internet features such as Java Server, an "Internet" File System, Internet Directory services, and Internet Security allowed companies to build Internet applications while blurring the definition of what a "database" means and represents.
In June 2001, Oracle introduced Oracle 9i, which further extended the database's functionality, and, as well, continued to blur the lines between database and application. Oracle 9i includes something they call Real Application Clusters, which enables multiple copies of the Oracle 9i database to be instantiated across multiple servers, acting as a single database in a cluster, for considerable performance improvement. Customers can add computers to the cluster, and the database software transparently adapts to utilize the new computing resources, significantly improving application scalability and availability without forcing the customer to modify their applications.
In addition to Oracle9i Real Application Clusters, other new key features of Oracle9i included improved database availability, functionality, enhanced security capabilities, and a more complete and integrated infrastructure for building business intelligence applications, with built-in capabilities for Data Warehousing, Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL), OnLine Analytic Processing (OLAP), and data mining.
Oracle's Application Server: 9iAS Provides More Functionality at the Middle Tier
In June 2000, Oracle 8iAS Internet Application Server was introduced. Oracle billed 8iAS as "an open software platform for developing, deploying and managing distributed Internet software application programs."
Further refining and defining the Application Server functionality, Oracle released Oracle 9iAS Internet Application Server in October of 2000. 9iAS includes J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition), XML, and JDBC support, as well as new caching technology. But it goes considerably beyond that, by including the following components:
* Oracle 9iAS Personalization- Provides the ability to personalize the customer web experience based on various criteria, for "true 1:1 marketing."
* Oracle 9iAS Portal - For customers, employees, and partners. Portal sites are assembled using portlets, which are reusable interface components that provide access to Web-based resources such as applications, business intelligence reports, syndicated content feeds, hosted software services or other resources.
* Oracle 9iAS Wireless - Provides wireless (including voice) access to Oracle applications.
* Oracle 9iAS Business Flows - Provides facilities for notifications, alerts, and escalations.
* Oracle 9iAS Email - A simple email handling package.
* Oracle 9iAS Unified Messaging - Provides multi-channel support (phone, web, fax, email).
Oracle E-Business Suite: The Top Layer
Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11i has been on the market for about a year. It integrates CRM, ERP, and SCM functionality components to the point where Oracle feels it can claim that it is "the only company to offer a fully integrated suite of business applications, managing the entire business cycle on a global basis and solving end to end business problems." Oracle breaks out E-Business Suite Release 11i in the following categories:
1. Business to Business
Enables trading Partners, through Oracle Exchange, a B2B Marketplace, to share data in the supply chain and product development processes.
2. Business Intelligence
Oracle lists Business Intelligence as part of the E-Business Suite, but the functionality is actually part of their 9i database. Take note that their literature says their business intelligence solution is "fully integrated with," but not part of, the E-Business Suite.
3. CRM
* Oracle Marketing - Campaign and events management.
* Sales - Direct-, Tele-, and Web-sales, as well as Incentive Planning.
* Service - Customer support, field service, depot repair.
* Contracts - Contract maintenance, in support of Sales.
* e-Commerce - Internet marketing, selling, and servicing. Includes Storefront functionality as well as Product Configuration.
* Oracle Interaction Center - multi-channel incoming support. Again note that, though this is listed under Oracle E-Business Suite, this functionality is actually provided in Oracle's 9i Application Server.
* Business Intelligence - Listed once again, and again, actually part of the 9i database.
4. Financials
Classic AP/AR , GL.
5. Oracle HRMS
Workforce intelligence and analysis, Payroll, Self-service.
6. Projects
Activity and Project based decision-making and analysis.
7. Verticals
* Aerospace and Defense
* Communications and Media
* Consumer Sector / Retail Financial Services / Banking
* Utilities
Oracle's Multiple Tier Approach: Confused Yet?
Basically, you need to buy all three products, Oracle Database, Oracle Application Server, and Oracle E-Business Suite, to have Oracle's complete C-Commerce solution. Oracle has split functionality that other companies include strictly at the application layer, across their three layers. Oracle, and Oracle alone, can do this; no one else in the marketplace has all three platforms across which to spread functionality.
SOURCE:http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/collaborative-commerce-erp-crm-e-proc-and-scm-unite-a-series-study-oracle-16520/
Now in 2001, the catchphrase is "Collaborative Commerce," where we unite all of the above elements into one coherent system within and between organizations. This is the Big Kahuna, the zero latency, fully transparent, 360 degree exposure that is the stuff systems integrators dream of. Is it here? Are the technologies mature enough? Simple enough?
This, the fifth in a series of articles on Collaborative Commerce (C-Commerce), takes a look at Oracle's vision of C-Commerce, a vision which some may consider expansive but myopic by nature.
Oracle's Database: Blurring the Lines Between Database and Application
Oracle has always been known for its robust database solutions, and less well-known for its suite of applications which, up until version 8i (released in March of 1999) was, in its most stable form, text-based, dumb-terminal style. Oracle made haphazard efforts in the mid 90's to bring its applications (primarily ERP - Financials, Manufacturing, and Logistics) to the browser, but its solutions were buggy, difficult to use, and often didn't match the feature and functionality set of its text-based brethren.
March 1999 saw the introduction of Oracle 8i ("i", for Internet) database, Oracle's first serious push toward web-oriented functionality. What was interesting from the start was how Oracle has chosen to define its functionality set for its products. Oracle 8i RDBMS extended Oracle's technology in the areas of data management, transaction processing, and data warehousing. Built directly inside the database, Internet features such as Java Server, an "Internet" File System, Internet Directory services, and Internet Security allowed companies to build Internet applications while blurring the definition of what a "database" means and represents.
In June 2001, Oracle introduced Oracle 9i, which further extended the database's functionality, and, as well, continued to blur the lines between database and application. Oracle 9i includes something they call Real Application Clusters, which enables multiple copies of the Oracle 9i database to be instantiated across multiple servers, acting as a single database in a cluster, for considerable performance improvement. Customers can add computers to the cluster, and the database software transparently adapts to utilize the new computing resources, significantly improving application scalability and availability without forcing the customer to modify their applications.
In addition to Oracle9i Real Application Clusters, other new key features of Oracle9i included improved database availability, functionality, enhanced security capabilities, and a more complete and integrated infrastructure for building business intelligence applications, with built-in capabilities for Data Warehousing, Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL), OnLine Analytic Processing (OLAP), and data mining.
Oracle's Application Server: 9iAS Provides More Functionality at the Middle Tier
In June 2000, Oracle 8iAS Internet Application Server was introduced. Oracle billed 8iAS as "an open software platform for developing, deploying and managing distributed Internet software application programs."
Further refining and defining the Application Server functionality, Oracle released Oracle 9iAS Internet Application Server in October of 2000. 9iAS includes J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition), XML, and JDBC support, as well as new caching technology. But it goes considerably beyond that, by including the following components:
* Oracle 9iAS Personalization- Provides the ability to personalize the customer web experience based on various criteria, for "true 1:1 marketing."
* Oracle 9iAS Portal - For customers, employees, and partners. Portal sites are assembled using portlets, which are reusable interface components that provide access to Web-based resources such as applications, business intelligence reports, syndicated content feeds, hosted software services or other resources.
* Oracle 9iAS Wireless - Provides wireless (including voice) access to Oracle applications.
* Oracle 9iAS Business Flows - Provides facilities for notifications, alerts, and escalations.
* Oracle 9iAS Email - A simple email handling package.
* Oracle 9iAS Unified Messaging - Provides multi-channel support (phone, web, fax, email).
Oracle E-Business Suite: The Top Layer
Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11i has been on the market for about a year. It integrates CRM, ERP, and SCM functionality components to the point where Oracle feels it can claim that it is "the only company to offer a fully integrated suite of business applications, managing the entire business cycle on a global basis and solving end to end business problems." Oracle breaks out E-Business Suite Release 11i in the following categories:
1. Business to Business
Enables trading Partners, through Oracle Exchange, a B2B Marketplace, to share data in the supply chain and product development processes.
2. Business Intelligence
Oracle lists Business Intelligence as part of the E-Business Suite, but the functionality is actually part of their 9i database. Take note that their literature says their business intelligence solution is "fully integrated with," but not part of, the E-Business Suite.
3. CRM
* Oracle Marketing - Campaign and events management.
* Sales - Direct-, Tele-, and Web-sales, as well as Incentive Planning.
* Service - Customer support, field service, depot repair.
* Contracts - Contract maintenance, in support of Sales.
* e-Commerce - Internet marketing, selling, and servicing. Includes Storefront functionality as well as Product Configuration.
* Oracle Interaction Center - multi-channel incoming support. Again note that, though this is listed under Oracle E-Business Suite, this functionality is actually provided in Oracle's 9i Application Server.
* Business Intelligence - Listed once again, and again, actually part of the 9i database.
4. Financials
Classic AP/AR , GL.
5. Oracle HRMS
Workforce intelligence and analysis, Payroll, Self-service.
6. Projects
Activity and Project based decision-making and analysis.
7. Verticals
* Aerospace and Defense
* Communications and Media
* Consumer Sector / Retail Financial Services / Banking
* Utilities
Oracle's Multiple Tier Approach: Confused Yet?
Basically, you need to buy all three products, Oracle Database, Oracle Application Server, and Oracle E-Business Suite, to have Oracle's complete C-Commerce solution. Oracle has split functionality that other companies include strictly at the application layer, across their three layers. Oracle, and Oracle alone, can do this; no one else in the marketplace has all three platforms across which to spread functionality.
SOURCE:http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/collaborative-commerce-erp-crm-e-proc-and-scm-unite-a-series-study-oracle-16520/
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