Innovation in Database Management: Computer Science vs. Engineering Kenneth R. Jacobs Vice President Product Strategy Oracle8 Program Manager Server Technologies Division [email protected] Oracle Corporation 400 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA 94065 tivities surrounding the release of Oracle’s next gen- eration database product, Oracles. Mr. Jacobs is a Abstract frequent speaker at industry symposiums and confer- ences. Vendors of commercial database management Previous to his current role, Mr. Jacobs was vice system face many challenges in incorporating president of Product Management for the Server Tech- into their products innovative technologies de- nologies Division, where he managed a team respon- veloped in academia. Pragmatic considera- sible for product management and marketing for the t,ions and operational requirements can limit Oracle7 database server and related technologies. Mr. the viability of applying promising research. Jacobs joined Oracle in July 1981 and has held a va- Technology leadership in commercial products riety of positions with technical, managerial and mar- is often the result of taking unconventional ap- keting responsibilities in field and corporate roles. proaches rather than following “conventional Mr. Jacobs has contributed to several industry- wisdom”, as illustrated with several examples wide activities including the development of the SQL of technologies in Oracle8 and its predecessors. database language. For many years. he served as Or- The challenge shared by researchers and prac- acle’s representative on the American National Stan- titioners alike: “making what we do matter.” dards Institute (ANSI) SQL Committee, the techni- cal committee on databases (X3H2). He also initi- 1 Short Biography ated and led efforts to enhance the security features of the Oracle database server, working with the National Ken Jacobs is vice president of Product Strategy for Computer Security Center and other key government Oracle’s Server Technologies Division. He is responsi- agencies. Mr. Jacobs has also represented Oracle at ble for a number of technology planning activities for the Transaction Processing Performance Council. the Oracle database product family, including parallel Prior to joining Oracle, Mr. Jacobs was with Inslaw processing, object technology and high performance Inc.. where he managed a team providing computing systems. He has most recently acted as the senior support to social science survey data research. Prior to manager responsible for coordinating all company ac- this, he worked as a programmer and systems analyst for several companies including: ADP Network Ser- vices, The Urban Institute, Oberlin College and The Brookings Institution. Mr. Jacobs received a bachelor’s degree from Ober- lin College and performed graduate work in computer science at George Washington University. 2 .