Comments on: Microsoft: SQL Server licensing to win Oracle customers

Company says licensing is weak spot in Oracle's armory, and it hopes to use it to woo database customers to SQL Server 2008.

[sigzero]

Hey where can I install SQLServer?

Oh yeah, just on Windows.

[KTLA_knew]

Uhh...

...zing?

[swhitear]

Why SQL Server is a great option

?Anyone that would willingly choose to run a database on Windows is nuts.?

How about Verizon Communications, Lucent Technologies, Scottish and Southern Energy, and hundreds of other world class organisations that have committed to the SQL Server platform?

I?ve been working with SQL Server for nearly 10 years. I?ve used it for everything from small support databases through to billion row OLTP engines. Sure there are some tuning tips and tricks that are needed for the high end stuff, but I?ve never found a problem that couldn?t be solved by careful design and the performance tuning tools. It drives BizTalk, SharePoint and a number of third party toolsets that are all highly scalable, and it does this by being both powerful and flexible.

There?s nothing wrong with Oracle; although for me it?s not a easy to work with and the toolset is nowhere near as rich as with SQL Server. Any debate about features and performance is completely irrelevant, unless you?re running Linux / UNIX of course. But it is more expensive to buy, more expensive to develop, and more expensive to support (look at contract rates for a guide).

So if Windows is an option, why would I choose anything else?

S Whitear
Netstore Plc

[wilson.bigg]

SQL Server 2005 Training for the Oracle DBA

If anyone is interested, we run a course on SQL Server for Oracle DBA's. Come along and see for yourself. http://www.skyline-services.co.uk/training/

[heinrich_vv]

Why the fuss - All b

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. All businesses offering products tailor their licenses/prices according to their customers / target base and business strategy. Why should MS be any different?

[JohnDeVoy]

Is this a news story?

Some Microsoft marketing director reporting that he has heard from "lots of Oracle customers" that they are mistaken about their support contract with Oracle? This is not news, it's not even very plausible.

The reporter further suggests that Microsoft "had seen its database market share grow at 30 percent-plus revenue each quarter for several years." Not really possible for market share to grow at the rate described, is it? But if we're generous and assume that the reporter meant to describe Microsoft's database _revenue_ growth, well then that suggests Microsoft's own license strategy may not be consumer friendly.

Microsoft is to be congratulated for managing to get this piece of marketing innuendo reported as news.

[jamba_juice]

C'mon ORCL does have site licensing

Here is what Larry said is response to a licensing question at OpenWorld couple of days back.

--------------------------------------------------
Then came licensing. In the wake of Oracle VM this week, "will you reconsider licensing, because with every feature Oracle is becoming expensive"?

The problem, according to Ellison, is not Oracle's per-user or per-processor charging or its fiendishly confusing calculations - it's you, the customer, who's stupid for having lots of little licenses and for not buying in bulk with one license.

"We'd much rather sit down with a customer and agree a company license - use as much as you need. Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) is our preferred license agreement.

"People used to think ULA was the prerogative of large customers. That's not the case. We are doing ULA with medium and smaller customers. Please talk to your Oracle sales person about going away form per processor or per person," Ellison advised.

http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/11/15/ellison_audience_smack_down/page2.html

[sal-magnone]

Kind of

I go after Oracle licenses for revenue reclamation all the time. The discount isn't as big as you might think. Medium and small customers don't see a big savings. Also Oracle does not negotiate on annual charges - they are a flat rate based on sale price. Yes that means its based on a negotiated price, but its a high % to begin with.