From: Kristin Hollins [kristin.hollins@oracle.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 8:24 PM
To: bill.coulam@ngt.com
Subject: Response to Oracle questions

Bill:
I believe you are writing for the Oracle Rocky Mountain User Group
newsletter.
I am the head of Oracle's technology PR, and the Oracle directory team
provided me with the following responses to your questions:

---------

Where directories are concerned, Oracle is committed to simplifying the
number of disparate user repositories needed to deploy Oracle, and we
are making a big stride by centralizing and standardizing on Oracle
Internet Directory.

We have built extensive functionality and capabilities into the new
Oracle9i Application Server's Data and Application Server components --
single sign-on, automated provisioning integration, delegated
administration, for example, that reduce the data fragmentation issue
for the Oracle environment tremendously.  The fact that we have
implemented all of this using an LDAP-based technology is "icing on the
cake" (since you can also choose to run non-Oracle LDAP-enabled
applications with OID as well).

To achieve the above, we have now marshaled all of our development teams
across Oracle to build and leverage whatever shared application data
they need directory storage for into OID, which will ship as a free,
integral and mandatory part of the Oracle enterprise stack.  Thus
customers do not need to do "one-off" application-to-directory
certifications before deploying Oracle components against their many
enterprise repositories.  Instead, OID provides the needed bridges for
leveraging the third-party directory investments such as packaged ERP
and CRM Apps, RDBMS tables, LDAP directories, metadirectories, etc. for
use by Oracle components.

To this end, Oracle9i Application Server Release 2 will ship with an LDAP
connector for our Directory Integration Platform, (DIP) for synchronizing iPlanet 
Directory Server instances with OID.  This is the first of our interoperability
deliverables which you have quoted from our literature above.  An Active
Directory connector for the DIP is scheduled for shortly thereafter. 
An Oracle HR connector has already gone production with the DIP, shortly
after Oracle8i Release 3 went production.

On licensing: Oracle Internet Directory comes as part of Oracle9i
Application Server, Enterprise Edition.  The Oracle Internet Directory
server itself continues to be license/purchasable as the scalable,
standalone LDAP server component of
Oracle9i Application Server.
Today, all Oracle technology products are purchased as part of either
Oracle9i Database or Oracle9i Application Server.  Deploying Oracle9i
Application Server does not require additional revenue for OID since OID
is already part of the package.  Same goes with Oracle9i Database --
it's part of that package too, for all database components that need it
to store user or metadata.

In summary:
DO expect the number of disparate user silos in the Oracle stack to drop
drastically starting with Oracle9i.
DO expect all Oracle's LDAP-enabled product components to be supported
by OID, now and in the future, as an included part of the package.
DO expect OID to leverage whatever non-Oracle directory data for the
Oracle components that need it, through the Directory Integration
Platform.
DO NOT expect individual component-by-component cross-certifications
against other LDAP directories.
DO expect OID to support and further the LDAP v3 standard so that
third-party apps can take maximal advantage of it, once deployed.
###

Thanks,
Kristin K. Hollins
Senior Director, Oracle Internet Platform PR
650-506-6338
kristin.hollins@oracle.com