Oracle, IBM sued over database patents

Giant computer corporations IBM and Oracle have been dragged into a Texas district court over an allegation that their database software breaches existing patents.

Vasudevan Software Inc (VSI) started the case against Oracle and IBM and is seeking a jury trial and damages over two patents.

The first, US patent 6,877,006 B1 describes an invention called “Multimedia Inspection Database System (MIDaS) for Dynamic Run Time Evaluation.” That patent was granted on the 5th of April 2005.

The other patent, US 7,167,864 B1 covers a similar invention. VSI claims that IBM uses these patents in its Websphere Information Integrator and other products. Oracle is alleged to have infringed these patents in its Oracle Data Service Integrator and other products.

Author: Mike Magee @ www.tgdaily.com

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Potential Acquirers for Sun: Oracle or Cisco?

Could Oracle (ORCL) or Cisco (CSCO) be potential acquirers for Sun Microsystems (JAVA), as talks between it and IBM are fading?

CSCO recently got involved into the computer server business, while ORCL has long been a close partner with Sun-- which specializes in making the kind of servers large companies use to run Oracle database software. With a huge cash pile of $29.5 billion, CSCO is a favorite among pundits looking for alternatives to IBM. Cisco could jumpstart its way into new computer hardware and storage businesses with Sun. Dell (DELL) or HPQ are very unlikely to express an interest in JAVA, since they're both committed to selling so-called industry-standard servers that run on microprocessors made by Intel (INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

IBM originally was talking to Sun about paying $10-$11 per share to buy Sun, but reportedly cut its offer to between $9.10 and $9.40 after due diligence, leading Sun to walk away. Currently at 6.50/share, JAVA must be feeling the pressure of having backed away from a lucrative deal with IBM. Moreover, JAVA's executive board members owe shareholders an explanation as to how their company is worth north of 10/share.
Depending on your level of patience tolerance, purchasing the shares at the current level of 6.50 and writing the May strike 5,6, or 7 may be very rewarding. If you're ultra-conservative, the "deep in the money" May strike 5 calls at 1.97/contract still offer an intrinsic value of .35/share, according to last Friday's close. That isn't an anemic return coupled with nearly 1.95/share downside protection!?

Let's examine May strike 6 and 7 for those who desire to earn more premiums on their contracts while having less downside protection to their underlying shares. At 6.50 /share, the May strike 6 calls are offered at 1.30 /contract for an intrinsic value of .90/contract. If the underlying shares get "called away" by option expiration (the third week of May), the investor would pocket .90/contract. If the shares remain below the strike price of 6, then the investor will keep the entire 1.30 /contract plus the shares. However, holding JAVA below 6/share provides the perfect bargain opportunity to accumulate additional shares and dollar cost-averaging. If IBM liked the Java at 9.33, wouldn't they be salivating to resume talks at 6 or below.
Similarly, the "out of the money" May strike 7 at nearly .80/contract provides the holder a juicy premium of .80/share as well as an .80 pullback.

Author: Jack Haddad @ http://seekingalpha.com

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Oracle Financial introduces new enterprise application

The new application helps centralize exposure management across the entire spectrum of offerings. Oracle Financial Services Software has introduced Oracle Flexcube Enterprise Limits and Collateral Management, an enterprise application that enables banks to achieve a holistic view of their exposure by helping them to centralize collateral management, limits definition, and tracking and measurement of exposure across the institution.

Customers using Oracle Flexcube Enterprise Limits and Collateral Management can centralize exposure management across the entire spectrum of offerings including loans, trade finance, treasury and overdrafts, said Oracle Financial.

The application is process-driven and designed to deliver capability that helps banks to deploy it centrally. It leverages the Oracle Industry Reference Model for Banking to help standardize business processes and replicate best practices across the enterprise.

Oracle Flexcube Enterprise Limits and Collateral Management enables efficient limits monitoring across the institution with centralized online tracking and monitoring of multi-currency limits for all transactions across all branches or entities - in countries as well as regions.

The system helps banks make informed credit decisions with accurate credit information, by customer and segment, while also helping to improve exposure management with collateral pooling and contribution controls, added Oracle Financial.

NRK Raman, managing director and CEO of Oracle Financial Services Software, said: "Oracle Flexcube Enterprise Limits and Collateral Management is a comprehensive, standards-based solution that enables banks to centralize their processes as well as monitor, control and report their exposure to key stakeholders and regulators. To meet the needs of customers, the application is designed to co-exist with a bank's current application environment to minimize the resources and costs associated with getting these processes streamlined."

Source: http://enterpriseapplications.cbronline.com

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