Hard to imagine, Oracle's a legend that actually started from IBM.
June 1970, IBM researcher Edgar's Lookout (Edgar Frank Codd) in Communications of ACM published his famous "large shared database relational model of data" (A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks) of the paper. This is a turning point in the history of the database. To know that the network model or the hierarchical model and database products in the market accounted for the main location. From the beginning of this paper, opened the relational database software, the prelude to the revolution.
Although born in 1970 on a relationship model theory, but the market still have not seen a relational database management software release. Many opponents argue that the main reason is the relational database is too slow, then compare hierarchical database. Should be funny is, IBM While 1973 started the System R project to study the practical feasibility of a relational database, and no timely introduction of products such as IBM, then the IMS (well-known hierarchical database) market good If the introduction of relational databases, many people involved in IBM's self-interest. Moreover, IBM's bureaucracy in large and complex decision-making far less flexible.
June 1977, Larry Ellison and Bob Miner and Ed Oates founded in the Silicon Valley company called common software development laboratory (Software Development Laboratories, SDL) of the computer company (Oracle's predecessor). At that time, 32-year-old Larry Ellison, the reading of three college dropouts failed to graduate, just an ordinary software engineer. Founded at the beginning, Miner is president, Oates as Vice President, and Ellison, as a matter of a contract, still another company to work. Before long, the first employee Bruce Scott (used by Oracle database software will know that there is Scott users, right? Yes, that is, the Scott, The Scott user's password Tiger, that is the name of Scott cats) to join came in, tired of Miner and Oates some kind of contractual development work, they decided to develop common software, but they do not know what can be developed products. Oates saw the first of his famous Edgar Harcourt papers, together with several related articles and recommended Ellison and Miner also read. Ellison and Miner foreseen the great potential of database software (to go along with IBM, right), then, SDL can start planning a commercial building relational database management system (RDBMS).
Soon they will not get out a decent product, or specifically, more like a Demo. According to Ellison and Miner their previous company engaged in an investment project by the CIA code, they have the product name Oracle. Because they believe, Oracle (interpretation of the dictionary "oracle, prophecy," meaning) is the source of all wisdom. In 1979, SDL Software Co., Ltd. changed its name to relations (Relational Software, Inc., RSI), after all, "software development laboratory" does not look like a big company name. In 1983, in order to highlight the company's core product, RSI was renamed again Oracle.
RSI in the summer of 1979, released for DEC's PDP-11 computer commercial Oracle product, the database product integration a relatively complete SQL implementation, including sub-queries, connectivity and other features. But have to say, software is not very stable, and the lack of such an important transaction processing functions. For marketing strategy, the company claims this is the second edition of the product, but it is actually the first version. The reason is named version 2 instead of version 1, because Ellison that potential customers are more willing to buy the first two versions, not the original version. (Although some do not honest, or to admit this is a very clever technique. There are some companies now sell their own customer's version is called 1.0, 1979, Oracle learn it!) Years later and today, Oracle the company claims is the first to offer them the first SQL relational database management system.
Although the software is not very good, but customers still there. The CIA can not wait to buy a set of such software to meet their needs. However, after consulting with IBM, IBM is not found in commercially available products, they contact the RSI. With RSI was the first customer. At the time, the government and military institutions often have several computers at the same time, but then also there is no "portable software" that argument, of course, almost no ability to have such applications. That is, to the PDP-11 developed by Oracle Database can not be used in IBM mainframe and DEC's VAX on. Soon shown that users demand: Oracle can also run on different operating systems? This has brought new challenges to RSI (mainly Miner and Scott). The late '70s and early '80s in general, software is designed to run on a single operating system, the software has little capacity portable.
March 1983, RSI released the third edition of Oracle. Miner and Scott suffered badly in the re-written using C language on this version. You know, C language was introduced not long ago, use it to write Oracle software also has some risks, but otherwise no other way. Soon proved how correct this is: C compiler, cheap and effective, but also good portability. From now on, Oracle has been a key product features: [portability]. Oracle version 3 also introduced the SQL statement and transaction processing, "atomic" - SQL statements either all succeed or all fail, the transaction or submit all, or all rolled back. Oracle Version 3 also introduces non-blocking queries, use stored in the "Before Image File" in the data to check and roll back the transaction, thus avoiding the read lock (read lock) use (although through the use of table-level locking limit its throughput). Similarly, in 1983, IBM released late in the Database 2 (DB2), but can only be used on MVS. After all, Oracle has been allowed to crowd out opportunities.
In the development not the end of the third edition, Scott left the Oracle. Oracle using C language was rewritten a lot of pressure, endless software debugging Scott finally overwhelmed chosen just walk away. The rest of the burden to the Miner a person. % Of the sale of their shares after 4, Scott was created Gupta Corporation (now renamed as Centura Software) and PointBase, Inc. (to provide 100% pure Java embedded database), are development and database related products. Years later, he was asked to% 4 of Oracle stock, when, Scott, this was the first line of code to write to Oracle's technical expert, only with a smile of. If you can stick with it, that is a sum of hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth. But Scott was not so much thought, he was just tired.
Oracle first transplant of its software on DEC VAX VMS computer operating system. In 1979 the company had hired a technical expert DEC's VAX on Robot Brandt for Oracle development. The beginning of the limited funds, only to rub the University of California at Berkeley to develop the machine, then better, but the machine is borrowed. Despite the difficulties, Brandt is quite successful completion of the migration work. With the large VAX minicomputer sales as well as in short supply, Oracle software has become the most popular procedures VAX. This is thanks to Larry on the market foresight. If it is Oracle, IBM led the ship onto the database, then the DEC's VAX is sail with them. After a few short years, Oracle database is ported to all major platforms. Oracle products have been because of the portability of the key features of those potential customers were concerned.
Oates at this time because of marriage breakdown and the mood became depressed, had not the energy to put the company on all had to leave the company. A few years later, he returned the company to re-make a great contribution to Oracle, he promised more than 1 million people in the company when employees will once again leave. In 1999, he completed a wish. Now he is indulging in music, their own entertainment.
A long period of time, corporate R & D by the Miner alone. Miner money-nothing, and his low-key, and Ellison's edge will reveal in stark contrast. In the company, it was agreed that he is nice guy, and he were very well loved. Ellison is the company's brain, Miner was a well-deserved heart of the company. He was a silent hero, as Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak behind the same.
October 1984, Oracle released version 4 product. The stability of the product was finally received some enhancement, with the Miner's words, to the "industrial strength." But not enough satisfactory, users complained that the product seems to never end. This version increased the time consistency (Read Consistency), which is a key feature of the database, you can ensure that users see the same period in the query data. That is, when a session is modifying data, the other session will not see uncommitted changes to the session. Can see that the fourth edition of Oracle prior to the product is always unstable, but Oracle's group sales staff, mainly Ellison, Oracle publicity when he was always exaggerated, but he was able to sell software and, also sold well, had to admit, it does some magic. Let us look at the case of the software market in 1984, dominant in the database market is Asnton-Tale companies, their products being introduced not long ago in dBase III (precisely, dBase database software on a PC overlord), has just become the world's third-largest independent software companies (Microsoft, first and second respectively, Lotus, Oracle at the time still is not on the number row), this year is the year the birth of Apple's Macintosh, Steven Jobs used this competitive products challenges the old Big Brother IBM. Also in this year, Oracle's product developers had just ported to PC. This is the best of times, worst of years. Thousands of small companies in the software field of feuding, the new company sprung up, Oracle How can the undefeated?
In 1985, Oracle released version 5.0. A user said that this version claim to be a stable version of the Oracle database. This is the first in Client / Server mode of the RDBMS products, trends in technology, Oracle database, never backward. This means that running on the desktop PC (the client) on the business applications can access the database server through the network. 1986, released version 5.1 also supports distributed queries, allows a one-time queries to access data stored in multiple locations.
That was in 1985, was once the largest independent software company Cullinet (mainly sales network database) has been as meteoric as fallen. Oracle's main rival is the Ingres database. Ingres was born in the University of California at Berkeley, was the principal designer of the famous Professor Michael Stonebraker. Ingres database software can be said is technically the last century 80's the best database, Ingres market share to Oracle's rapid growth has become a lot of pressure early. Coincidentally, this time, IBM has once again extended "the hand of God."
Ingres using Stonebraker invention QUEL (Query Language)) query technology, and IBM's SQL different. QUEL in some places even better than SQL. IBM was concerned that Ingres QUEL into the standard will be to their disadvantage. After some measure, decided to own SQL Standards Committee be submitted to the database. The Professor Stonebraker QUEL not about to be submitted to the database, the Standards Committee, academic, he did actually kill that innovation. Dogs fight, play off. Oracle to see and seize this excellent opportunity to fully and vigorously announced Oracle SQL compatible with Oracle at the time Ingres PC version of the attack on the (weakening opponents strengths, to resolve their most vulnerable is their ability to good), then with Oracle's strong sales, Ingres and lost the constantly, until the introduction of support for SQL databases was a time when too late. Keep up with IBM to Oracle to grow, grow, embrace the standards, embracing an open, embracing change, so Oracle invincible.
March 12, 1986, Oracle Corporation 15 dollars per share public offering, closing the day to 20.75 U.S. dollars, the company market value of 270 million U.S. dollars. March 13, Microsoft to issue price of 21 dollars per share market to close 28 U.S. dollars, valuing the company at 700 million U.S. dollars. Far more than Oracle. The success of Microsoft and Bill Gates ring cover Oracle and Ellison lived for light, and perhaps this is the beginning of Ellison hostile to Microsoft.
Daunting
Oracle version 6, released in 1988. Since the last version of the performance of frequent criticism, Miner led the engineers to the core database was re-rewritten. Introduced row level locking (row-level locking) the important features, that is, implementation of the write transaction lock only the affected rows, rather than the entire table. This version introduces also not really good PL / SQL (Procedural Language extension to SQL) language. Version 6 also introduces online hot backup, the database can be created in the course of online backup, which greatly enhances the usability. At the same time in the past year, Oracle began the development of ERP software.
Development of the company look relatively smooth, but the nightmare has just begun.
In the past, the degree of emphasis on software testing is not enough - at that time small companies are basically free of charge to help customers test. In the sixth edition just released, many users can not wait to get started complaining. This is simply not a good test for release on the product (also strange Ellison, lying ahead always say, only from the bitter taste). Users began to severely criticized by Oracle, Oracle started adding insult to injury some rivals, Oracle products for a number of weaknesses to attack. Developers face angry customers to meet the one hand, working overtime to successive amendments to the procedure, and finally, finally get a stable version, temporarily quelled the anger of the user.
However, the real problem is not here, rapid growth in recent years the company also brought great risks, fiscal year 1990 third quarter report released blew everything. Financial officers found a 15 million U.S. dollars of bad debt, and corporate profits far cry from the expectations. The next time, big companies riddled with disease symptoms come one after another, to face charges of shareholders, the stock plummeted, the company prospects, and even bankruptcy. Once by loans to maintain their lavish life did not sell shares fast Ellison also support no longer. Companies make great efforts to rectify the financial (financial officer Jeff Walker rescued from the company to some extent). Announced cost-cutting, sacked a large number of sales, while employing a dedicated management personnel.
Nightmare continued into the seventh edition of the launch of Oracle end. The company has been empty for several years, the new version (once ridiculed, but it is Ellison's weight applied it), until finally in June 1992 debut, this time the company learned the lessons of the sixth edition of hastily listed, listen to the user's various proposals, and concentrated on the new version a lot and careful testing. This version adds many new performance features: Distributed transaction processing capabilities, enhanced management capabilities for new application development tools, and security methods. Oracle7 also contains some new features such as stored procedures, triggers, and declarative referential integrity and other processes, and make the database truly is programmability. Another point must be noted that this version of the original rule-based optimizer (RBO) to introduce a new addition to the optimizer: cost-based optimizer (Cost-Based Optimizer, CBO). CBO based on the object's own database to calculate the statistical statement of the implementation of overhead, so that specific statement execution plans. In later versions of several major, Oracle engineers are gradually to improve the optimizer, CBO has gradually replaced the RBO.
ORACLE Oracle seventh edition is a real good product, and achieved great success. The emergence of this version is really a good time, when the Sybase database, the company has occupied a lot of share, Oracle version with the success of a defeat of the aggressive Sybase. The operator's sales staff to deliver to the user when the empty promises. Governance of the company after two or three years, got rid of all the trouble to start and healthy development, sales, 92 years from 1.5 billion into the 4.2 billion four years later.
Movement in the peak
"Muddy the waters" is a stunt Ellison. Held in Paris in 1995, the European IT Forum meeting, Ellison described the impromptu speech network computers (Network Computer, NC) concept, the so-called NC refers to the allocation of network resources simple and able to make full use of low-cost computers, the most important, it does not require the operating system, or, more accurately, do not need Microsoft's operating system. Ellison would like to take to counter Microsoft's strength. Soon, Oracle joint IBM, Sun, Apple, and Netscape in 1996, developed a network computer standards from start to finish, but the fact that people do not see a real production out of NC. The speech caused an uproar in the industry, through this event, Oracle Corporation has attracted enough attention, but also allow people to see the Oracle, the huge confidence for the network.
June 1997, Oracle released the eighth edition. Oracle8 supports object-oriented development and new multimedia applications, this version also supports Internet, network computing foundation. This version also start with a large number of simultaneous users and the characteristics of mass data. This version can be considered a commendable.
September 1998, Oracle Corporation officially released Oracle 8i. "I" on behalf of Internet, this version adds a lot to support the Internet and design features. This version of the database users with a comprehensive Java support. Oracle 8i be the first fully integrated Java runtime environment for local database, use Java to write Oracle stored procedure.对, Java, as long as the weapons to fight against Microsoft, Oracle have come in handy. Added Oracle8i SQLJ (an open standard for the embedded SQL database statement, the client or server Java code) and Oracle interMedia (for the management of multimedia content), and XML and other characteristics. Meanwhile, Oracle 8i great extent, increased flexibility, scalability and availability to meet the needs of network applications. The next few years, Oracle 8i gradually released several versions, and gradually added some new features for Web applications. The face of the rapid development of the open source movement, Oracle natural outdone, in October 1998 Oracle released a Linux platform for Oracle 8 and Oracle Application Server 4.0, then soon, Oracle has released Oracle 8i for Linux. At. Com tide, Oracle is standing at the cusp of beach-goers.
In June 2001 the Oracle OpenWorld in the General Assembly, Oracle released Oracle 9i. In Oracle 9i the many new features, the most important thing is Real Application Clusters (RAC) of the. Speaking of Oracle Cluster Server, as early as the fifth edition of the time, Oracle has been developing Oracle Parallel Server (OracleE Parallel Server, OPS), and in later versions of gradually improving its function, but, strictly speaking, despite the OPS could that be a cluster environment, but did not reflect the clusters should have advantages. Completely absorbed Rdb (Oracle acquisition of Compaq in 1994, the company's Rdb database, the company had Rdb is DEC, DEC VAX realized in the first cluster can be commercial Rdb database), after some technical advantages, Oracle finally released real Application Clusters software. RAC allows multiple clusters on a single computer to share access to the database in order to achieve higher scalability, availability and economy. Oracle 9i RAC, in the TPC-C benchmark test, broke several records, a time of industry attention. This new database also includes integrated business intelligence (BI) capabilities. Oracle 9i Release 2 also made many important improvements, so that Oracle database into a local XML database; also includes automated management, Data Guard and other aspects of high availability features.
The greatest pleasure is to defeat the enemy
September 8, 2003, San Francisco Oracle World conference, Ellison announced that the next generation of database products for the "Oracle 10g". Oracle Application Server 10g (Oracle Application Server 10g) will also serve as the next generation of Oracle's integrated suite of application infrastructure software. "G" on behalf of "grid, grid." This version features the largest grid computing functionality is added. What is grid computing? Grid computing can be distributed all over the world connected to the computer, and computer resources will be all over the Internet via high-speed shared resources fully integrated form. Through the rational management, by utilization of different computing environments and share. Oracle 10g can be claimed as the basis for grid computing, directed at the greatest enemy of IBM's "on demand"! Seems, Oracle has this time "bets" on a large grid computing market. But the prospects? Let us wait and see.
If we say, IBM is the IT industry in a whales, then Oracle is definitely a big shark: aggressive, good at attack. In early June 2003, Oracle suddenly announced USD 5.1 billion acquisition of PeopleSoft (PeopleSoft), shocked the industry again. Oracle has always been good at this once again reveal the nature of the attack. You know, Oracle in the development process rarely enterprises to purchase, then acquisition of PeopleSoft for? First of all, Oracle enterprise applications market has been coveted for a long time, but suffer no further expand market share, particularly important is that, if successful, directly on to fight the greatest enemy of IBM, SAP, etc. You can also check the strength of giants. Today, Oracle continues to not to work until the situation and PeopleSoft fight in, the outcome, let us wait and see.
"The greatest pleasure is to defeat the enemy", Ellison must like this sentence.
October 9, 2007, Oracle BEA board of directors to submit offer, we hope to 17 U.S. dollars per share cash offer BEA, also the price is 6.7 billion acquisition of BEA, Oracle since the deal was in early 2006, six billion U.S. dollars Since the company's acquisition of Siebel Systems, the largest acquisition. BEA rejected Oracle's acquisition of the request, that BEA's value is much bigger.
While many people have criticized the Oracle acquisition of technology and products lack integration and digestion, but I still do not see the errors in the integration of Oracle and problems. Acquisition software to capture more market share, but also effectively weakened his opponent's strength. Although God is not that he is Larry Ellison. But Ellison has been an ideal bet for this.
History continues
2007 年 November 11 to 15 Oracle Corporation in San Francisco Moscone Convention Center 2007 global business and technology conference. A time when Oracle was founded 30 year anniversary, this year's conference is the biggest scale ever in a General Assembly, it was more than 42,000, a strong lineup of participating companies, including those from AMD, Dell, HP, Intel, Oracle and Sun industry leaders and other famous enterprises.
This year's theme is a series of seminars around the Oracle management plan how to enhance business applications, processes, products and services to help other companies expand the effective use of information. Oracle's key industry partners to highlight their co-operation with the results of Oracle Corporation, a joint solution to market strategy and developed new business trends.