MIDDLEWARE

Demonstrating its continued strength in the application server market, Oracle now counts more than 20,000 Oracle Application Server customers. Launched in December 2003, Oracle Application Server 10g enables organizations to develop and manage applications in Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and grid computing environments. Oracle's middleware platform attracts customers seeking a single product for the development, deployment, management and integration of Java, Web services and service-oriented applications. The optimization for the Oracle database further attracts long-time Oracle customers and enables faster development, increased cost savings and enhanced performance. Customers from a variety of industries -- from retail and technology, to manufacturing and telecommunications -- benefit from Oracle's middleware platform. Customers who recently bought Oracle Application Server include some of the world's most recognized brands: AVA, a subsidiary of EDEKA AG; Ann Taylor; BMC Software; British Telecom; Deutsche Post World Net/ DHL; Kelly-Moore Paint; Liberty Travel; Motorola; Scania; United States General Services Administration; Vanguard Car Rental (Alamo/National); Volvo, IT Services; and Yankee Candle Company, Inc. Ann Taylor, one of the country's leading women's specialty retailers, uses Oracle Application Server to run its J2EE-based Human Resource Self Service application. "Oracle's technology has demonstrated significant business value and is being used in all Ann Taylor stores," said Victor Horsa, Director of Financial Administrative Systems, Ann Taylor. "In fact, the product has proven so performant, reliable and easy to use and administer, that we recently extended our use of the product for other business functions." In October 2003, Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc. began operating the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, which together make up one of the world's largest car rental companies (217,000 automobiles at 3,200 locations in 83 countries). "We looked for a technology platform that would allow us to achieve significant operational efficiencies while consolidating the separate IT systems used to support both brands," said Tyler Best, CIO and Senior Vice President, Vanguard. "The Oracle Application Server platform suite was selected as part of the project based on cost performance, versatile integration capabilities to legacy systems, unique features such as WebCache and optimization for the robust Oracle Database. We are excited about the projected savings this middleware modernization will bring us."