Oracle chases bigger chunk of mid-market

By ADAM GIFFORD

Oracle Financials for 10 users, running within an hour on a single-processor Intel server running Linux, for $68,000.

That is the starting point for Oracle's latest strategy to capture a bigger chunk of the mid-market for business management software - companies with turnover of $10 million to $300 million.

It is a segment the large enterprise software companies such as SAP are aggressively pursuing this year, as they see many former specialists struggle and Microsoft trying to build a presence there.

SAP sells a stripped down version of its core software through resellers Realtech and Intelligroup, and this month will launch Business One, an Israeli-developed package it is aiming at mid-market firms.

In New Zealand, JD Edwards has won many of the mid-market deals in the manufacturing and distribution sectors, with Intentia also picking up speed.

Software from Great Plains and Navision, now sold under the Microsoft Business Solutions umbrella, is also a feature of bids.

The Oracle E-Business Suite Special Edition, which will be sold by Mi Services and Asparona, can be loaded in an hour, but because some configuration is always needed to match it to the business the package comes with 10 to 40 days of consulting.

As well as Financials, Special Edition can include Purchasing, Order Management and Discrete Manufacturing modules, bringing the price up to $115,000. The deal includes the hardware and a year of support.