Welcome to 5 Minute Briefing: Oracle an information resource prepared by Database Trends and Applications Magazine and published in cooperation with the Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG). To subscribe, click here.

Oracle Unveils WebLogic Server 10g Release 3

Oracle, which completed the acquisition of BEA Systems at the end of April, has announced Oracle WebLogic Server 10g R3, combining technology from Oracle Fusion Middleware and BEA. Oracle WebLogic Server 10g R3 includes new features and capabilities, as well as integration with other Oracle Fusion Middleware products such as Oracle JDeveloper, Oracle Coherence and Oracle TopLink, as well as Oracle Enterprise Manager.

It is significant that so soon after the BEA acquisition, Oracle has released “one of the strategic products within Oracle Fusion Middleware,” Mike Piech, senior director of product marketing for WebLogicServer, Tuxedo and related products at Oracle, told 5 Minute Briefing. “This is certainly one of the biggest and most important foundation products within the overall stack,” Piech noted. “That we continued and maintained on schedule the release of such a significant product is representative of the commitment, the energy and sheer investment that Oracle is putting into and maintaining in this product line.”

A key theme for the new release is continued support as the foundation for SOA. “Things that are fundamental to SOA and SOA-based applications are an important area of technological advance in this release of the product,” Piech said. Another theme, he added, is continued focus on manageability. Attention to the developer productivity and building applications is very important and attention has certainly been paid there, said Piech. But also, he noted, “when you really get down to it, a lot of what WebLogic Server is all about is managing large-scale mission-critical, make-or-break-the-business kinds of applications, and the ability to run those with performance, with reliability at scale, is incredibly important.”

Oracle WebLogic Server 10g R3 offers new support for Java SE 6, new security standards including SAML 2.0, WS-Security 1.1 and WS-SecurityPolicy 1.2, and, in Web services JAX-WS 2.1, WS-Reliable Messaging 1.1 and WS-Policy 1.5. Oracle WebLogic Server 10g R3 also offers a lighter-weight footprint, optional service startup, and faster startup, while the new FastSwap feature provides seamless and rapid develop-debug-test cycles. With this release, support for Spring developers is further expanded. The new HTTP publish-subscribe feature enables improved out-of-the-box capability for support of dynamically updated Web 2.0 style rich user interfaces; and support for Java SE 6 and JRockit Mission Control allows developers and end-users to get more performance and insight into application behavior and responsiveness. For more information, go here.

Back to top

Voltaire Achieves Certification with Oracle Real Application Clusters 11g and Oracle Enterprise Linux

Voltaire Ltd., a provider of grid backbone solutions for data centers, has announced that its InfiniBand products have achieved Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) 11g and Oracle Enterprise Linux certifications using OpenFabrics Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) over InfiniBand. 

“Voltaire manufactures and develops high performance InfiniBand-based switching technology, and software and support, which accelerate the performance of applications such as Oracle in enterprise environments - and we do this by leveraging bandwidth which is greater than other technologies on the market today,” Patrick Guay, executive vice president and general manager of Voltaire told 5 Minute Briefing. “We connect servers together using technology that operates at 10 and 20 Gbps performance as well as dramatically lower latency than is traditionally seen by other networking technologies.”

With the new certification, said Guay, Voltaire can take its solutions, which have traditionally been running with other software platforms, and now apply them towards Oracle, improving the performance of Oracle in 11g environments.

Oracle's Linux development group has developed RDS as an open source project. RDS is a high bandwidth, low latency communication protocol that can improve the performance of cluster interconnect intensive applications. The availability of RDS along with InfiniBand fabric supporting software, from the OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED), represents “a major milestone” for Oracle Real Application Clusters and Linux users, according to the companies. 

Oracle Enterprise Linux is a key component of the Oracle Unbreakable Linux support program, which provides enterprise-class support for Linux. Available as open source, Oracle Enterprise Linux is compatible - both source and binary - with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Oracle Enterprise Linux can also be freely distributed, enabling partners to easily create low-cost solutions for their users. More information about Voltaire is available here.

Back to top

Daon Becomes Certified Partner in the Oracle PartnerNetwork

Daon, a provider of identity assurance software, has announced that the company has become a certified partner in the Oracle PartnerNetwork. Daon's biometrics platform integrates with Oracle's identity management suite, enabling tighter credentialing and logical access control, and is also integrated with Oracle's Siebel, providing strong identity services to the Siebel case management solution.

Daon and Oracle are working together to provide a commercial-off-the-shelf identity assurance infrastructure for public sector and corporate applications that supports multi-modal biometrics. Based on an open standards-based service-oriented architecture (SOA), the system is intended to offer a flexible and cost-effective way to implement solutions that require high availability, scalability and security.

"By incorporating the biometric platform provided by Daon, Oracle customers can truly realize security from the edge to the core of their network,” Rohit Gupta, senior director, Oracle Identity Management, said at the time of the announcement. “Our efforts with Daon are an important part of our identity management (IdM) solution, and just one of the ways Oracle Identity Management's best-in-class suite of IdM solutions allows enterprises to manage the end-to-end lifecycle of user identities across enterprise resources both within and beyond the firewall." For more on Daon, go here. For more information about the Oracle PartnerNetwork, go here.

Back to top

Tripwire Announces Oracle Database 10g Policy Support to Maximize System Performance

Tripwire, a provider of configuration assessment and change auditing solutions and member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork, has announced a new configuration assessment policy that helps ensure Oracle Database 10g deployments meet best-practice guidelines for performance and availability.

Tripwire Enterprise’s Oracle Database 10g Operational Policy includes tests that assess the strength of the Oracle Database management system, gauging both database availability and performance. The policy builds on Tripwire Enterprise’s configuration assessment capabilities, which assist users running Oracle Database on Windows and Solaris systems, helping to ensure a compliant state.

Tripwire continuously monitors an organization’s IT environment to ensure that all configurations conform with industry benchmarks and best practices, automatically notifying staff when IT settings need to be reconfigured to meet internal and external policy requirements. For IT environments using Oracle Database 10g, Tripwire Enterprise runs multiple tests to enable the system to meet best practice guidelines. When tests fail, Tripwire provides remediation steps that can be followed to put the system into its optimal state.

In addition to providing support for Oracle’s operational policies, Tripwire automatically detects unauthorized, non-compliant change to enterprise-wide systems and virtual environments and immediately alerts IT staff so that exceptions to change and release management policies can be immediately updated and investigated. This approach enables organizations to better manage risk by providing continuous, automated compliance across their environment. For more on the Oracle PartnerNetwork, go here. . For more on Tripwire, go here.

Back to top

COLLABORATE 09 - IOUG Forum Call for Volunteers Extended

The deadline has been extended for COLLABORATE 09 - IOUG Forum Conference Committee submissions. Consider volunteering for the position of Track Manager or Reviewer, and help facilitate tracks within the education program of the IOUG Forum. To learn more about these positions and to submit an application to become a volunteer, click here. All applications are due Monday, August 25.

Back to top

COLLABORATE 09 Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities Now Available

The IOUG invites you to sponsor or exhibit at its premier annual conference for industry education and networking - COLLABORATE 09 - IOUG Forum, May 3-7, 2009, Orange County Convention Center West, Orlando, Florida - and access the greater Oracle community, comprised of:

• Application Server Administrators
• Architects
• BEA users
• DBAs
• Developers
• Essbase users
• Hyperion users
• Oracle Fusion Middleware users
• Stellent users
• System/Security/Storage Managers
• And many more!

Don't miss your chance to take advantage of COLLABORATE 09's unique sponsorship opportunities, ranging from speaking opportunities to social events to signage and more.

View the Sponsor Prospectus to find out which opportunities are right for you.

Feel free to contact Scott Narug, Senior Sales Manager, at 312.673.5974 or scott_narug@ioug.org with any questions, including the ability to combine sponsorships for special pricing.

Back to top

IOUG Presents Customer-driven Education at Oracle OpenWorld

The IOUG is once again presenting a stellar lineup of customer-driven education sessions across numerous tracks during Oracle OpenWorld, September 21-25, Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA. Don’t miss your chance to attend:

• IOUG SIG Day, taking place Sunday, September 21, where more than 45 technical sessions in valuable focus areas will be presented by the SIGs.
• BEA sessions, taking place Sunday, September 21, where the IOUG will co-host BEA-specific sessions with the Oracle Development Tools Users Group (ODTUG).
  
• Additional sessions, taking place Monday, September 22 – Thursday, September 25, where the IOUG will present more than 20 sessions in tracks like database, application server and transaction processing and identity management.

Click here to learn more about the IOUG at Oracle OpenWorld. Then, register for Oracle OpenWorld today. Make sure you indicate you’re an IOUG member when registering!

Back to top

Deadline to Submit Your BIWA Summit 2008 Presentation is August 31

Are you an expert on Business Intelligence, Warehousing and Analytics? Share your knowledge with other Oracle users at BIWA Summit 2008 , taking place December 2-3 in Redwood Shores, CA. The deadline to submit presentation proposals is August 31, so submit yours today. Speakers receive complimentary registration to the event.

Register for BIWA Summit 2008 by September 15 to Save Haven't registered for the only international conference devoted exclusively to Oracle-based Business Intelligence, Warehousing and Analytics? Register by September 15 to save $100 and:

• Hear from top-notch keynotes, including Jeanne Harris, Executive Research Fellow and Director of Research, Accenture Institute for High Performance Business and Usama Fayyad, Chief Data Officer and Executive VP of Research & Strategic Data Solutions, Yahoo! Inc.
  
• Attend more than 75 education sessions across three tracks
• Peruse the Solution Showcase
  
• Meet Oracle experts
  
• Attend analyst/user panel discussions
  
• And much more!

Register today!

Back to top

Announcing Oracle’s Database Sessions at Oracle OpenWorld

This year, the content for Oracle OpenWorld 2008 is divided into four streams—Applications, Database, Industries, and Middleware—so you can focus on your area of interest and easily get face time with experts in your field.

The Database stream addresses your most in-depth technology needs. With more than 120 sessions to choose from, you will:

• Discover new ways to deliver a higher quality of service at lower cost
  
• Find out what’s next for Linux and Microsoft Windows
  
• Get the latest developments in storage management, data integration, data warehousing, data privacy and compliance, in-memory data caching, enterprise management, and much more
  
• Learn everything you need to know about Oracle Database 11g and how it can benefit your organization

Andy Mendelsohn and partner executives will present the Database stream’s general session on the latest Oracle Database strategies. To help you navigate the conference, all Database sessions will be located in the same area, so you can easily get from one to the next. And don’t forget to visit the Database Lounge, where you can network with experts and peers who share your interests.

Back to top

Enhance Your BEA Knowledge at Upcoming Regional Events

With the recent acquisition of BEA, Oracle is hosting numerous regional events to clarify what the acquisition means to you. Gain insight into Oracle Fusion Middleware, learn the extended benefits of working with Oracle, how to engage with Oracle locally and more. Remaining sessions include:

• August 21, New York, NY
  
• August 26, Bridgewater, NJ
  
• August 27, Rocky Hill, CT
  
• August 28, Toronto, ONT
  
• September 9, Cincinnati, OH
  
• September 10, Columbus, OH
  
• September 16, St. Louis, MO
  
• September 17, Minneapolis, MN

Members of the IOUG will be at some of these events, so register for a session by clicking one of the links above.

Back to top

Register Today for UTOUG Fall Conference 2008 and IOUG University Seminar

Register today for two top-notch Oracle education training events this fall – IOUG University Seminar and UTOUG Fall Conference 2008, taking place October 27 and 28 in Salt Lake City, UT respectively.

Only UTOUG Fall Conference 2008 provides you the chance to:

• Hear from keynote speaker Mark Sunday, CIO and Sr. VP, Oracle
  
• Attend numerous educational seminars on Oracle topics and tools
  
• Peruse the Exhibit Hall for the latest products that can enhance your business
  
• Network with more than 600 UTOUG members and Oracle users

UTOUG members: Register for UTOUG Fall Conference 2008 by September 26 to attend for FREE! Non-member or late registration is $50.

And, extend your stay in Utah by attending the IOUG University Seminar, Oracle Database 10g Streams: Data Replication, taking place the day prior to the conference. Register by September 26 to save $100!

Back to top

Be on the Lookout for Your Oracle Technology Best Practices Booklet

The IOUG recently published its third annual Oracle Technology Best Practices Booklet. This digest-size reference book answers the most common questions of Oracle technologists, and is an exclusive IOUG member benefit.

This issue of technical tips and best practices includes a number of DBA and developer tips, which you will want to refer to time and time again throughout your work days.

If you are a member of the IOUG, be on the lookout for your booklet, which will be mailing with the quarter four issue of SELECT Journal.

Back to top

Save the Dates for IOUG Boot Camp Seminars this November

The IOUG is excited to announce that it's co-hosting educational seminars with various Regional Users Groups (RUGs) this November. Receive top-notch training from an IOUG Boot Camp Seminar, without having to travel far from home:

• November 6 in partnership with National Capitol Oracle Users Group in Reston, VA
• November 7 in partnership with Ohio Oracle Users Group in Dublin, OH
  
• November 14 in partnership with Dallas Oracle Users Group in Plano, TX

All seminars include a presentation by Michael Ault titled Zen and the Art of Database Tuning, which focuses on SQL and Database tuning techniques. Topics include: proper table and partitioning design, proper selection of indexes for a specific database and SQL type and more.

Keep checking the IOUG Web site for more information, as registration will open shortly!

Back to top

Access Podcasts from COLLABORATE 08

Do you have an IOUG Forum educational session that you would like to re-visit? Was there a session that you missed, but wish you could have attended? Now you can hear what you missed by downloading the podcasts from sessions that were recorded at COLLABORATE.

Please note that you must be an IOUG member to access these podcasts. Click here to join.

Back to top

Download the Latest Tools from Oracle

FREE: Oracle Database Security Resource Kit
Learn how Oracle can help you address data privacy, insider threats, and regulatory compliance. Request your free Oracle Database Security Resource Kit containing technical white papers, step-by-step tutorials, as well as analyst reports, expert webcasts, and a self-assessment tool to get you started today. Download now!

You can still attend the on-demand virtual tradeshow, “EPM: The Next Generation of Business Intelligence and Performance Management”, brought to you by Oracle, BearingPoint, Deloitte, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and Wipro Technologies. Available until October 15th, 2008, this is an excellent resource to learn more about Oracle’s Enterprise Performance Management strategy and products. Attend now!

Don’t Fail the Test! Did you know with Oracle Real Application Testing you can save up to 80% of your testing efforts as compared to manual and 3rd party testing tools? Experience Greater Agility, Lower Costs, Reduced Risk, and Higher Efficiency. Click here to learn more now.
 
Live Webcast: Wednesday, Sept 10, 2008 – 11 a.m. PT/2:00 p.m. ET
Application Grid: Oracle’s Vision for Next-Generation Application Servers and Infrastructure- View this live Webcast to hear senior Oracle executives Hasan Rizvi, Steve Harris, and Adam Messinger discuss the application grid. Learn how Oracle is combining cutting-edge technologies from its recent acquisition of BEA with the Fusion Middleware portfolio. Discover a new level of reliability, performance, and "scale-agility" in your data center, with emphasis on efficiency for today’s challenging economic environment. Register Now.

Join in or miss out! Oracle White Papers ensure you are well informed
Join the Oracle e-mail community to download our top ten white papers covering hot topics such as EPM, CRM, Security, SOA and much more. You will also be among the first to hear about upcoming events and webcasts, exclusive offers, hot new downloads and real-life customer success stories – all delivered conveniently to your inbox.

Oracle ‘Virtual Trade Show’ supports EPM launch
On the 16 July the concept of ‘Management Excellence’ and the new version of the Oracle EPM solution were launched. There is an EPM ‘Virtual Trade Show’ which enables webcast replay and the downloading of relevant documents and podcasts. To visit go to: http://events.techtarget.com/EPM/
 
Take the DBA 2.0 Challenge! Join us at this highly entertaining and educational event to learn what it takes to become a DBA 2.0. As more business-critical applications become customer facing revenue streams, the operationald emand and expectations for the DBA will only intensify. At this unique event, you'll discover firsthand through real world scenarios how you can help your organization face the high demadns and challenges of today's complex IT environments. Register to attend the DBA 2.0 event nearest you!

Be the First to Know with Oracle Real User Experience Insight
Today, the pace of business demands high performance IT applications. If application users can’t do their jobs, business suffers. Yet many performance and availability issues are actually identified and reported by end users, not IT staff. Find out how you can identify such issues before they impact your users and business productivity with Oracle Real User Experience Insight. Register now to read the Forrester Research report "Moniforce Provides a World-Class End User Experience Monitoring Solution."
 
Deploy Higher Quality Applications in Less Time with Comprehensive Testing
How can you ensure the quality and performance of your mission-critical business applications in the face of evolving technology, limited understanding of test parameters, and understaffed testing, development and operations teams? With Oracle Application Quality Management solutions. These solutions let you deploy higher quality applications with less effort and at a manageable cost. Read the white papers and learn more!

FREE: Oracle Application Express Resource Kit Learn how Oracle Application Express (APEX) can help you address the manageability, security and scalability challenges associated with using spreadsheets and personal databases to store mission-critical data. Request your free Oracle Application Express Resource Kit containing the latest release of Oracle Application Express and a link to related free packaged applications, as well as analyst reports, white papers, and customer testimonials. Learn more now!

FREE: Ovum Summit Whitepaper - Making the Case for Oracle Database on Windows
Read this Ovum Summit white paper to learn how companies of all sizes can benefit from deploying Oracle Database on Windows by taking advantage of Oracle’s Windows integration capabilities, which range from ensuring interoperability with core Windows features, such as Active Directory, to making sure Oracle Database and its tools work seamlessly with the popular Visual Studio development suite. Read more now!

Back to top

Founded in 1993, the Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG) (formerly International Oracle Users Group) is a user-driven membership organization for Oracle technology and database professionals serving more than 15,000 database administrators, developers, architects, technical managers and other Oracle professionals throughout North America and worldwide. The IOUG empowers its members and the broader Oracle community through their technical publication, SELECT Journal, Web site resources including more than 3000 papers, tips and articles and networking with other users through online discussion forums, Special Interest Groups and a network of regional Oracle user groups. For more information about the IOUG, please visit the IOUG Web site.

Database Trends and Applications, published by Unisphere Media, a division of Information Today, Inc., provides timely coverage of the technology and intelligence needed to conceptualize, plan, initiate, implement and manage large-scale integrated information projects. Unisphere Media also publishes 5 Minute Briefing: Data Integration, a summary of news, trends, and insights addressing crucial data integration challenges and 5 Minute Briefing: MultiValue, a review of news, technical tips and insights for the MultiValue database community. Visit our Web site here.

Keep Getting This Newsletter

Don't let future editions of 5 Minute Briefing: Oracle get lost. Take a moment to add the newsletter's address to your anti-spam white list: Oracle@dbta.com. If you're not sure how to do that, ask your administrator or ISP. Or check your anti-spam utility's documentation. Thanks.

Back to top