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Oracle + Sun (not HP) = Exadata Version 2

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On September 15, 2009 Oracle's Larry Ellison and Sun's John Fowler unveiled the world's fastest machine for both data warehousing and online transaction processing (OLTP). The  Exadata Warehouse Machine Version 2 features Oracle software running on Sun hardware including FlashFire technology and Oracle database 11g. The Exadata Version 2 is available in 4 models and can be purchased immediately.
    
So here we are, Oracle software running on Sun hardware just like Oracle has been advertising for the past few months. After all the talk about the $7.4 Billion takeover, rumors about Sun's fate and the continuous antitrust scrutiny something positive comes out of this unlikely acquisition. This new machine is said to be twice as fast as the previous generation model built by Oracle in collaboration with HP. Did I just say HP? Of course, it had to come up at some point. After all I did put HP in the title. Not only did Oracle choose Sun over HP to build Exadata Version 2, but it also snubbed HP in the process by confirming that it will no longer be making database machine with them.

Of course it is not hard to figure out why Oracle built the Exadata system with Sun and not HP. I mean, why not use the hardware you already own, it is just good business. However the seemingly obvious decision by Oracle goes a long way with those who still believe that Sun's hardware business is still going to be sold off to another hardware manufacturer such as IBM or Fujitsu.

Then there is also Sun's falling share of the server business. Ever since Oracle's announcement that it acquired Sun Microsystems, Sun has lost over 1% of its worldwide server marketshare to rivals such as IBM and HP. Then again, Sun's server business could never rival IBM's in the past, but now with the world's no. 1 database software company behind them the sky is the limit.

I know that the incorporation of Oracle and Sun technologies for one new product is not going to be enough to regain all of Sun's lost marketshare. However this small gesture of collaboration and stability may be worth more than any one product can ever be.