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Oracle Roadmap Helps AIX Customers Chart a Course

The director of IBM’s Systems and Technology Group Independent Software Vendor Strategy and Enablement, Emily Benner, recently spoke with IBM Systems Magazine. Benner discussed the significance of the release of the IBM Power Systems Product Roadmap for Oracle Database.

Q: What is the IBM Power Systems Product Roadmap for Oracle Database?
A: The roadmap is a tool to assist clients in building their technology deployment plans by providing detailed information on which of IBM’s announced products and features are planned for certification or testing with Oracle’s announced products. We have found that clients are looking for an understanding of the direction IBM and Oracle will take regarding certifications so they can plan their path of deployment.

The roadmap is a matrix detailing both existing and planned certified combinations of various Oracle database versions and IBM offerings on the IBM Power Systems platform. We should also note that if a combination shown in the roadmap does not indicate a planned or intended certification, then clients should assume that this is not a planned certification, and therefore it would be wise to make adjustments accordingly to their own deployment plans. Conversely, the inclusion of certification should give clients confidence in choosing that technology or combination, because it has been thoroughly tested and validated by both IBM and Oracle.

Q: Why is IBM making the roadmap available to clients?
A: Our joint client base has made it clear they would like more transparency in terms of IBM and Oracle technology planning. Especially since our offerings are released at different times, this helps clients to customize their roadmaps and do some advanced planning. It also helps them to avoid planning to implement technology that might never be certified.

Q: What is the significance of publishing the roadmap?
A: This level of transparency is unprecedented. Before, we would have considered this information proprietary, but we realize that clients need it, and it makes sense to assist them in any way we can. We want to be more transparent about what our plans are, and we will continue to do so.

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