Can Sun and Oracle stay friends?
Sun Microsystems yesterday announced a strong move into the database market with its acquisition of MySQL, the developer of one of the world's fastest growing open source databases, for around a billion dollars. Not to be out-done Oracle, the world’s largest database company, bought middleware giant BEA for $8.5 billion.
"Today's acquisition reaffirms Sun's position at the center of the global Web economy,” said Jonathan Schwartz, CEO and president of Sun Microsystems. The move will certainly strengthen its position as a web infrastructure outfits, with MySQL already deployed by companies like Google, Nokia and Facebook.
Oracle’s move is yet another huge acquisition by the company that has already spent over $20 billion buying Peoplesoft, Siebel and Hyperion in recent years. "The addition of BEA products and technology will significantly enhance and extend Oracle's Fusion middleware software suite," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
The question that remains, however, with Oracle currently installed on many Sun servers, is can the two companies continue their close partnership? Sun executives have been quick to downplay any the effect of the MySQL acquisition their relationship but Oracle has yet to comment.
