NetSuite deal adds to Oracle purchases, broadens cloud apps line

Introduction

Oracle agreed to acquire cloud applications provider NetSuite for $9.3 billion in July 2016, making it the latest in a string of Oracle purchases intended to help the software giant continue its expansion into the cloud. However, the connection between NetSuite and Oracle goes farther back than Oracle's expanded interest in cloud computing. Larry Ellison, Oracle's founder, CTO and executive chairman, was the primary early investor in NetSuite, putting in a total of $125 million to help start up the cloud software pioneer. Founded in 1998 and originally known as NetLedger, the San Mateo, Calif., company grew to a nearly $750 million business in 2015 and reported revenue of just under $450 million for the first half of 2016. Ellison or members of his family still owned about 40% of NetSuite's stock as of early 2016, putting him in line for a payment of about $3.5 billion from Oracle as part of the acquisition.

The question now is whether the deal will also pay off for Oracle, as well as its customers and existing NetSuite users. In this Essential Guide, you'll find news and analysis on the implications of the Oracle-NetSuite deal from several TechTarget sites, plus coverage of earlier Oracle acquisitions and other notable developments in the evolving Oracle cloud strategy.

1What it means for users-

Oracle's plan to buy NetSuite

Oracle's decision to buy NetSuite may have far-reaching effects for both Oracle and NetSuite customers. Oracle is looking to use NetSuite to increase both its customer base and its application capabilities in the cloud, while NetSuite hopes Oracle's sales force will help it reach more users. The big question is what will happen to NetSuite after it has been acquired by Oracle. As with previous Oracle purchases of large software vendors, Oracle said it will continue to invest in both its own cloud applications and NetSuite's; the separate product lines will coexist "forever," it proclaimed. The stories in this section provide more details about the planned acquisition and reaction to it from users and analysts.

News

Purchase of NetSuite for $9.3B helps Oracle cloud ERP gain ground

The Oracle cloud ERP chase could gain speed, thanks to a $9.3B plan to buy cloud applications vendor NetSuite. The software giant's timing may be good, as more users look to the cloud for ERP deployments. Continue Reading

News

Oracle promises to respect NetSuite's independence

Oracle has agreed to buy NetSuite but the acquired company will retain autonomy says Oracle Continue Reading

News

CRM experts eye market's future after NetSuite acquisition

CRM users and industry insiders look at promises and history to predict how Oracle's acquisition of NetSuite's cloud applications might play out. Continue Reading

News

Oracle's software as a service, SMB strategies get a boost with NetSuite buy

Industry watchers say the NetSuite acquisition by Oracle provides a needed platform for SaaS ERP applications aimed at the SMB market, but questions remain about overall strategy. Continue Reading

Podcast

NetSuite could fill in the missing pieces of Oracle's CRM puzzle

The CRM market has undergone another shift with Oracle's acquisition of NetSuite. Whither NetSuite's fate? Continue Reading

2Purchase history-

Other recent Oracle acquisitions

The planned acquisition of NetSuite adds another deal to the list of large-scale Oracle purchases, following earlier deals for high-profile companies such as PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, Siebel Systems and Sun Microsystems. More recently, Oracle has been steadily buying less-heralded companies that it hopes can help extend its reach and functionality, particularly in the cloud. This section looks at some of those acquisitions and their place in Oracle's market and technology strategies.

News

After buying Micros Systems, Oracle expands its retail cloud services

Oracle introduces six cloud services to help retailers get to grips with loss prevention, customer engagement and inventory management Continue Reading

News

Micros point-of-sales data seen as key to Oracle purchase

Micros Systems sells POS software to major retailers, restaurants and hotels. Why is Oracle interested in that? Maybe, it's about the data. Continue Reading

News

Oracle acquires StackEngine to add Docker container management

Oracle is investing in container management technology for Docker through an acquisition of cloud computing startup StackEngine, which provides a platform for managing Docker applications. Continue Reading

News

Oracle buys Corente to get into software-defined networking

The software giant buys New Jersey-based startup Corente to take advantage of its software-defined networking technology Continue Reading

News

GreenBytes acquisition shows Oracle's interest in flash technology

Analysts say Oracle acquired GreenBytes for its deduplication technology, which makes a good fit for a future all-flash array. Continue Reading

3Developments and trends-

Oracle's expanding cloud strategy

Oracle's cloud strategy has come a long way since founder Ellison mocked the cloud as a passing fad in 2008. Since then, Ellison has belatedly embraced cloud computing; in fact, he dedicated Oracle to an effort aimed at becoming the biggest player in the cloud space. Making that leap has required Oracle to develop new products to face off against incumbent cloud companies. Large Oracle purchases -- such as acquiring NetSuite -- are just one way the vendor is growing its cloud capabilities. The stories in this section examine other Oracle cloud moves.