Oracle Corporation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oracle Corporation

Type	Public
Traded as	NYSE: ORCL S&P 100 component S&P 500 component
ISIN	ISIN: [https://isin.toolforge.org/?language=en&isin=US68389X1054 US68389X1054]
Industry	Enterprise software Business software Cloud computing Computer hardware Consulting
Founded	June 16, 1977; 48 years ago (1977-06-16), in Santa Clara, California
Founders	Larry Ellison Bob Miner Ed Oates
Headquarters	Austin, Texas , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Larry Ellison (executive chairman & CTO) Jeff Henley (vice chairman) Safra Catz (CEO)
Products	Oracle Applications Oracle Database Oracle ERP Oracle Cloud Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware (Full List)
Revenue	US$49.95 billion (2023)
Operating income	US$13.09 billion (2023)
Net income	US$8.503 billion (2023)
Total assets	US$134.4 billion (2023)
Total equity	US$1.556 billion (2023)
Owner	Larry Ellison (42.7%)
Number of employees	c. 164,000 (2023)
Subsidiaries	List of Oracle subsidiaries
Footnotes / references Financials as of May 31,  2023 (2023 -05-31)[update].

Larry Ellison, executive chairman and co-founder of Oracle

Oracle Corporation is a huge American company that focuses on computer technology. Its main office is in Austin, Texas, in the United States. In 2020, Oracle was one of the biggest software companies in the world.

Oracle sells special software called database software, especially its own Oracle Database. They also offer cloud computing services. Think of cloud computing as storing and using computer programs and data over the internet instead of on your own computer. Oracle's main software helps businesses manage things like their money, employees, and customer information.

History of Oracle

Oracle Corporation's former headquarters in Redwood Shores, California.

Larry Ellison started Oracle Corporation in 1977 with Bob Miner and Ed Oates. At first, it was called Software Development Laboratories (SDL). Larry Ellison got the idea from a paper about how to manage large databases, which are like organized collections of information.

The company changed its name to Relational Software, Inc. (RSI) in 1979. Then, in 1983, it became Oracle Systems Corporation. This new name matched its main product, the Oracle Database. The company also got its name from a secret project for the CIA, which was Oracle's first customer.

On March 12, 1986, Oracle first offered its shares to the public, which is called an initial public offering. This means people could buy parts of the company.

In 1989, Oracle moved its main office to Redwood Shores, California. The campus there was fully finished by 1995. In that same year, 1995, the company officially shortened its name to Oracle Corporation.

Over the years, Oracle bought many other technology companies to grow bigger. Some of the important ones include:

• PeopleSoft (2005), which made software for businesses.
• Siebel (2006), a company focused on managing customer relationships.
• Sun Microsystems (2010), a company known for computer hardware and the Java programming language.

In 2013, Oracle moved its stock listing from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This was a very big move for a U.S. company at the time.

In 2019, Oracle teamed up with Microsoft to compete with other big cloud companies like Amazon Web Services. This partnership allowed their cloud services, Oracle Cloud and Microsoft Azure, to work together. This meant customers could store data and run software on both platforms.

On December 11, 2020, Oracle announced that it was moving its world headquarters from Redwood Shores, California, to Austin, Texas.

Oracle continued to buy other companies, like Cerner in 2021, which is a company that works with health information technology. They also bought Federos, a company that uses AI for network performance.

In February 2023, Oracle announced it would invest $1.5 billion in Saudi Arabia. This investment includes opening a new data center in the capital city, Riyadh.

Products and Services

Oracle creates and sells both software and hardware. They also offer services like training, advice, and hosting. Many of their products came from companies they bought.

Software

Oracle provides many types of software. You can download much of it from their online service called Oracle Software Delivery Cloud.

Databases

A database is an organized collection of information. Oracle is famous for its Oracle Database.

• Release 10g (2004): This version was designed for "grid computing," which means using many computers together to solve a problem. It also worked well with Java applications.
• Release 11g (2007): This version came out in different editions, some free and some paid, with different rules for how they could be used.
• Release 12c (2013): The "c" stands for "cloud," showing its focus on cloud computing.

Oracle has also bought and developed other database technologies, including:

• Berkeley DB: Used for databases that are built into other software.
• MySQL: A very popular free database system.
• Oracle NoSQL Database: A newer type of database for very large and fast-changing data.

Middleware

Oracle Fusion Middleware is a group of software products that help different computer programs work together. It includes tools for things like managing business processes, handling user interactions, and keeping information secure.

Applications

Oracle offers many business applications, especially after buying several companies since 2003. These applications help businesses with different tasks. Some of their main application families include:

• Oracle E-Business Suite
• PeopleSoft Enterprise
• Siebel
• JD Edwards

These applications are often built using Java or Oracle's own programming language, PL/SQL. Oracle also makes tools that help people who aren't programmers create simple applications.

Enterprise Management

Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) helps businesses keep an eye on and manage their Oracle products, including databases, applications, and cloud services.

Development Software

Oracle provides many tools for people who create software. Some of these tools are:

• Oracle JDeveloper: A free tool for writing Java programs.
• NetBeans: Another Java-based software development tool.
• Oracle SQL Developer: A tool for working with databases that use SQL (Structured Query Language).

Operating Systems

Oracle also develops and supports two operating systems, which are the main software that runs a computer: Oracle Solaris and Oracle Linux.

Hardware

Oracle Exadata and Exalogic

After buying Sun Microsystems, Oracle started selling computer hardware. This includes:

• Servers from the Sun hardware range.
• Special "engineered systems" which are pre-built combinations of hardware and software designed for specific business tasks. Examples include Oracle Exadata for databases and Oracle Exalogic for applications.

Services

Oracle Cloud

Oracle Cloud is Oracle's service that provides computing resources over the internet. It's like renting computers, storage, and software from Oracle's data centers around the world. You can use these services whenever you need them.

Oracle Cloud offers different types of services:

• Software as a Service (SaaS): This means you use software over the internet without installing it on your computer. Oracle offers SaaS for business applications like managing supply chains, finances, and customer experiences. They also bought NetSuite, which was one of the first companies to offer cloud-based business software.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): This provides tools and services for developers to build and run their own applications in the cloud.
• Data as a Service (DaaS): This provides access to large amounts of data that businesses can use.
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This provides basic computing resources like virtual servers, storage, and networks in the cloud.

Other Services

Oracle also offers other services:

• Oracle Consulting: Experts who help businesses use Oracle products.
• Oracle University: Provides training and certification programs for people who want to learn about Oracle products.
• Product Support: Helps customers with any problems they have with Oracle software.

In 2020, Oracle made a deal with the social video platform TikTok to become its technology partner in the U.S. This was to help TikTok meet U.S. government requirements.

Marketing and Competition

Sales Practices

In the past, Oracle faced some challenges with its sales methods. In 1990, the company had to let go of many employees because of problems with how they recorded sales. This happened because sales people were encouraged to sell a lot of software at once and count future sales as current income. Larry Ellison, the co-founder, called it "an incredible business mistake."

Competition

Oracle competes with many other companies in the technology world. In the database market, Oracle's main rivals are IBM Db2 and Microsoft SQL Server. There are also popular free databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL.

In the market for business software applications, Oracle's biggest competitor is SAP. For many years, Oracle and SAP worked together, with many SAP customers using Oracle databases. However, over time, they became direct competitors in selling business applications.

There was a big legal case between Oracle and SAP. Oracle accused a company owned by SAP, TomorrowNow, of improperly downloading files from Oracle's support website. SAP admitted that some employees had made "inappropriate downloads." After a long legal battle, they eventually agreed on a payment amount to settle the case.

Slogans

Oracle has used several slogans over the years to describe itself:

• "Information driven"
• For the Oracle Database: "Can't break it, can't break in" and "Unbreakable"
• "Hardware and Software, Engineered to Work Together"
• "Integrated Cloud Applications and Platform Services"

Finances

Oracle is a very large company in terms of its money. In 2018, it was ranked No. 82 on the Fortune 500 list, which ranks the biggest companies in the United States by their total income.

Carbon Footprint

Oracle keeps track of its carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions, which are gases that contribute to climate change. In 2020, their total emissions were 428 kilotonnes. Oracle plans to reduce its emissions by 26% by the year 2025, compared to its 2015 levels.

Important Events

Acquisition of Sun Microsystems

In January 2010, Oracle bought Sun Microsystems for over $7 billion. This was a big deal because it changed Oracle from just a software company to a company that also makes computer hardware. The purchase was delayed for a few months by the European Commission, which was worried about how it would affect the MySQL database. However, the deal was eventually approved.

After buying Sun, Oracle gained ownership of the Java programming language.

Lawsuit Against Google

Oracle sued Google because of how Google used the Java programming language in its Android operating system for mobile phones.

Background of the Case

Oracle got the Java programming language when it bought Sun Microsystems. Java has pre-made pieces of code, called "packages" and "classes," that help programmers do common tasks. Developers liked using these parts of Java.

Oracle and Google tried to make a deal for Google to use Java in Android, but they couldn't agree. So, Google made its own programming platform that was based on Java. It copied 37 Java packages and also created new ones.

The Trials and Appeals

In 2010, Oracle sued Google, saying Google had copied parts of Java that were protected by copyright. Google admitted to copying the packages. The first judge in the case decided that the Java parts Google copied were not covered by copyright, so Google didn't do anything wrong.

Oracle appealed this decision. In 2014, a higher court said that Java APIs (Application Programming Interfaces, which help different programs talk to each other) *can* be copyrighted. However, the court also said that Google might have a "fair use" defense, meaning they used it in a way that is allowed by law.

Google tried to appeal to the highest court, the U.S. Supreme Court, but they refused to hear the case.

So, the case went back to a lower court for another trial about Google's fair use defense. In 2016, the jury decided that Google's use of Java's APIs was indeed "fair use."

Oracle appealed again in 2017, asking for a new trial. They argued that the court had made mistakes that led the jury to the wrong decision. This long legal battle showed how important intellectual property and software rights are in the tech world.

Mark Hurd as President

In September 2010, Oracle announced that Mark Hurd, who used to be the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, would become a co-president at Oracle. Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder, said that Mark Hurd was very experienced and would do a great job.

OpenOffice.org Issue

Oracle also had some issues with the OpenOffice.org software, which is a free office suite. Many developers who worked on OpenOffice.org left to start a new project called LibreOffice. Oracle later gave OpenOffice.org to the Apache Software Foundation.

HP and Oracle Lawsuit

In 2011, HP sued Oracle. HP claimed that Oracle broke an agreement to support a special computer chip called Itanium, which HP used in its powerful servers. Oracle said that if they had known who HP was hiring as their new CEO, they wouldn't have agreed to support Itanium.

In 2012, a judge said that Oracle must continue to support HP's Itanium servers as long as HP sold them. In 2016, HP was awarded $3 billion in damages because Oracle's decision to stop support had harmed HP's Itanium server business. Oracle tried to appeal, but the decision stood.

U.S. TikTok's Operations

In September 2020, Oracle was chosen to be a "trusted tech partner" for TikTok's operations in the United States. This came after the U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, put pressure on TikTok to either be sold to a U.S. company or be shut down. The deal meant Oracle would help manage TikTok's U.S. user data.

Later, under President Joe Biden, the U.S. government reviewed the situation. In February 2023, President Biden echoed concerns about TikTok and ordered federal agencies to remove the app from government devices. In March 2024, Biden said he would sign a bill to ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, did not sell it.

People at Oracle

• Larry Ellison: He is the executive chairman and chief technology officer (CTO) since 2014. He co-founded the company and was its CEO for many years (1977–2014). He owns a large part of the company.
• Safra Catz: She is the CEO of Oracle since 2014. She was ranked as one of the most powerful women in business.
• Jeff Henley: He is the vice chairman since 2014.
• Mark Hurd: He was a former CEO (2014–2019) and co-president. He passed away in 2019.
• Bob Miner: He co-founded Oracle and helped design the Oracle Database. He passed away in 1994.
• Ed Oates: He also co-founded the company and retired from Oracle in 1996.
• Marc Benioff: He used to work for Larry Ellison and later left to start his own successful company, Salesforce.

Oracle Offices

Since December 2020, Oracle's main world headquarters is in Austin, Texas. Oracle also plans to build a very large office hub in Nashville, Tennessee, which could create 8,500 jobs.

Oracle has a big office complex in Redwood Shores, California. This was its world headquarters from 1989 to 2020. The buildings there are very distinctive and have even been used as sets in movies like Bicentennial Man and Terminator Genisys.

Oracle offices in Redwood Shores, California

Corporate Structure

Oracle Corporation works in many different markets and has bought several companies. Some of these acquired companies became the basis for Oracle's "global business units" (GBUs) that focus on specific industries. These GBUs include:

• Communications
• Construction and engineering
• Financial services
• Food and Beverages
• Health sciences
• Hospitality
• Retail
• Energy and Water

Sponsorships

BMW Oracle Racing USA-71, at the German Sailing Grand Prix Kiel 2006.

Oracle sponsors various sports teams and events.

• From 2006 to 2019, the basketball arena for the Golden State Warriors was known as the Oracle Arena.
• Larry Ellison's sailing team, Oracle Team USA, has won the America's Cup twice, in 2010 and 2013.
• Oracle sponsors Sean D. Tucker's "Challenger II" stunt biplane, which performs at air shows.
• In 2019, the baseball stadium for the San Francisco Giants was renamed Oracle Park.
• Since 2022, Oracle has been the main sponsor for the Red Bull Racing team in Formula One. They were also a sponsor in 2021.

Images for kids

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  300 Oracle Parkway in Redwood Shores

• 

  Oracle Offices in Redwood Shores, with Oracle Plaza building in left foreground

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  Oracle Conference Center in Redwood Shores

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  Fountain in the Oracle lake, Redwood Shores

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  Oracle has a major business campus at Thames Valley Park in Reading in England

• 

  Oracle Aoyama Center Building, with Lexus International Gallery Aoyama

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  Oracle in Markham, Ontario

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  Oracle office in Melbourne, Australia

See also

In Spanish: Oracle Corporation para niños

• List of acquisitions by Oracle
• Oracle Applications
• Oracle Certification Program
• Oracle Database
• Oracle Linux
• Oracle User Group