ShadowRAM: October 9, 2006

Last week it was IBM again saying it has spent billions and billions (insert audio of Carl Sagan's "beellions and beellions" sound bite here) on service-oriented architecture stuff. Yes, this is the same company that keeps touting the billions ("beellions") it has spent on Linux. And the $10 billion wagered on OnDemand. Yeah, yeah, yeah. When you think about it, a company as big and boring as IBM probably earmarks billions for coffee every year, but what does that get us?

The Oracle/IBM rivalry has spawned a new competition: who can hold the most content-free "news" event. Both companies recently dragged out the heavy hittersOracle co-prez Charles Phillips and IBM Software Group head Steve Millsto headline press gatherings. Oracle's tightly controlled, invitation-only event, at Manhattan's swank Cipriani, included two hours of presentations by Phillips and Fusion Middleware chief Thomas Kurian. The news? That Oracle really cares about securing its software. No new products, no breakthroughs. Nada. Er, guys, after famously calling your databases "unbreakable," are you seriously trying to sell Oracle's fervor about security as a new development?

Meanwhile, Mills rounded up the usual pack of journalists to talk about IBM's "commitment" to SOA transformation. The press conference revelations: A billion-dollar investment proclamation (that's what Mills said IBM will spend on "SOA-specific investments" this year), and the introduction of four "new" products that IBM had previously unveiled. Sure, SOA projects are key, and no one doubts that IBM has a significant investment, but SOA has achieved major buzzword status and the contention that IBM's committing resources to this lucrative IT opportunity may be something, but it ain't news.

The big news to come out of Oracle Open World next week is that the entertainment will be Elton John. Make that Sir Elton John.

Green Beacon, an Onyx, Microsoft Axapta (correction: Dynamics AX) and Microsoft CRM partner, just celebrated its 5th birthday.

Co-founder Ben Holtz and cohorts, who knew each other from their days at Breakaway Solutions, hosted a soiree in Boston two weeks ago to celebrate what their hard work has wrought.

He and three co-founders each ponied up $3,000 and started the company at his dining room table. The employee count rose to 10 the first year. Nine of those 10 are still aboarda pretty nice testimonial.

In other CRMy news, Salesforce.com continues to hire Siebel sortsit recently brought aboard Gary Hanna, former Siebel head of sales. Sources suggest a top Siebel On Demand sales rep and three enterprise sales consultants have left Oracle to join Salesforce.com, right up the 101.

Of course, Oracle's brain trust has populated many a Valley company. Siebel itself was famously founded by Oracle refugees. (Any word on Tom Siebel's political ambitions in Montana, please let us know.)

You can't keep track of Salesforce.com's Marc Benioff these days. Now he's written a book about "integrated philanthropy" called "The Business Of Changing The World."

Featured are such industry pooh-bahs as Michael Dell, Craig Barrett, Steve Chase and such non-industry luminaries as Peter Gabriel. A snarky aside from one channel advocate: Maybe someone should tell Dell, given recent events back at the Round Rock Ranch, that charity begins at home.

Also coming soon to print, former HP honcho Carly Fiorina's tome. Contrary to smart-asses around Palo Alto, the title will be "Tough Choices" not "Ha, I Beat The Rap!"

Insight Investments, the soCal solution provider and leasing company, likes to play the name game. Folks there include Joe Healy, VP of financial services, Matt Neally, VP of investment systems, and Steve Ferguson (aka Feely to his buds), sales rep. The triad is also known as Healy, Neally and Feely. "We sound like a law firm, more of the disreputable type," says Healy.

This smacks of Dewey Cheatem and Howe, the (in)famous attorneys of "Car Talk" (dis)repute.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been bought by RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie. He reportedly snarfed up the team from a group led by former NHL star Mario Lemieux for $175M (U.S.).

Balsillie denied that he wants to move the franchise closer to home in Ontario.

Logicalis, the $500 million solution provider, appears to have pulled the plug on plans to recruit other solution providers to resell managed services relating to OS, networking and storage. Insiders say that VARs were skeptical about bringing Logicalis into accounts for fear it would compete against them on product sales.

Logicalis will apparently continue its managed services play but sell and deliver the services on its own rather than relying on VAR partners.