Oracle Corporation, a longstanding stalwart in enterprise software for nearly five decades, has gradually transitioned its core offerings to the cloud over the past decade, albeit in an evolutionary manner rather than through groundbreaking transformations. This dynamic has now shifted with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), ushering in a more vigorous and ambitious strategy from Oracle in the realm of cloud infrastructure. In a progressive maneuver, Oracle has established strategic partnerships with leading cloud competitors, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). This collaboration aims to integrate Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) directly into these hyperscalers’ data centers, thereby enabling its Autonomous Database and Exadata infrastructure to blend seamlessly with the technologies and services of these industry giants. This strategic integration creates a more versatile and interconnected cloud ecosystem, facilitating organizations’ access to a variety of applications across diverse platforms with greater ease. As Oracle’s co-founder, Mr. Larry Ellison, articulated at the recent Oracle CloudWorld event in Las Vegas, the industry is entering a transformative phase referred to as multi-cloud. Mr. Ellison emphasized the existing challenges of cloud interoperability: “Customers may use many applications, but the problem is that clouds do not work well together, nor are they gracefully integrated,” he remarked, highlighting the need for optimal connections among multiple clouds. Oracle’s innovative response involves embedding OCI within AWS, Google, and Microsoft Azure to enhance performance, increase bandwidth, and reduce latency. The notion of multi-cloud is underscored by Mr. Ellison’s assertion that it is not a unidirectional arrangement. For instance, a customer utilizing Google Cloud can concurrently leverage Oracle’s services, thereby allowing for a flexible amalgamation of applications from varying clouds. Industry analysts recognize Oracle’s shift towards a multi-cloud strategy as a significant turning point. Mr. Franco Chiam, Vice President of Infrastructure Cloud and Telecom at IDC, remarked that this approach permits organizations to utilize integrated services across multiple providers while addressing vital issues concerning security, privacy, and governance within the context of GenAI. Oracle’s revitalized commitment to cloud solutions is yielding substantial results, with its cloud infrastructure business flourishing. The company reported quarterly revenues amounting to US$13.31 billion for the period ending August 2024, reflecting an increase of 8% year-over-year. Furthermore, Mr. Safra Catz, Oracle’s Chief Executive Officer, announced plans to invest US$10 billion by 2025 to further expand its cloud data center capacity. Additionally, Oracle is making notable strides in the cybersecurity domain. During the Oracle CloudWorld conference, Mr. Ellison proclaimed an ambitious objective: to eliminate the reliance on passwords for company system access by 2025, substituting them with AI-powered biometric authentication methods. “Traditional passwords are very dangerous,” he stated, referencing the heightened security vulnerabilities associated with password reuse that have precipitated numerous data breaches. This transformative no-password initiative will impact approximately 150,000 Oracle employees worldwide, underpinned by the company’s implementation of its own zero-trust security model. Mr. Chiam noted the dual advantage of biometric authentication, which promises to bolster security while simultaneously enhancing user convenience and productivity. Nonetheless, he also cautioned about the associated costs and the current inadequacies within the biometric ecosystem, alongside potential governance issues and the risk of false positives. Mr. Ellison’s proposition for a password-free future complements a broader ambition: to fortify Oracle’s standing in the cybersecurity landscape, a domain in which the company has long been engaged; indeed, its very first client was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Critics may characterize Oracle’s entry into the cloud space as delayed; however, the company is demonstrating rapid progress to catch up. It has pledged to construct 100 new cloud data centers globally while also enhancing the capabilities of 66 existing centers. With its cloud business gaining traction alongside the ongoing AI revolution, Oracle is poised for a promising future in the technology landscape.
Original Source: www.techgoondu.com
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