VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 3 • AUGUST 2007 NO BARRIER TO GROWTH AUSTRALIAN FINANCE GROUP MAKES A DARING TECHNOLOGY DECISION THAT PaYS OFF APPLICATIONS UNLIMITED ORACLE EXECUTIVES ON THE LaTEST APPLICATIONS PRODUCTS AND NEWS: Oracle Application Integration Architecture, Oracle E-Business Suite, Siebel CRM On Demand, and more LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT CANDID INSIGHT FROM ORACLE CHAIRMAN JEFF HENLEY ORACLE DATABASE 11g ACCELERate Australian Finance Group Cofounder and Executive Director Malcolm Watkins YOUR BUSINESS IDENTITY MANAGEMENT StaYING SECURE AND COMPLIANT AUGUST 2007 VOLUME 12 NUMBER 3 FEATURE STORY 26 REDEFINING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Thinking strategically has always been a strength of Malcolm Watkins, cofounder and executive director of Australian Finance Group. Find out how AFG is managing IT more effec- tively and better understanding its customers. —By David A. Kelly Cover: Robert Edwards EDITOR’S NOTE HYPERION AND ORACLE 10 ALL TOGETHER NOW 43 BI AT ITS BEST —By Margaret Terry Lindquist Find out why the combination of Hyperion and Oracle make sense for both sets of customers. VIEWPOINT 12 BUILDING BLOCKS —By Katheryn Potterf Get insight into the connection points for Oracle SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS Applications—and the path to 47 BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER Oracle Fusion. —By John Matelski Small companies compete with the bigger fish—with the help of IT systems 15 FORWARD THINKING that can charge their efforts. APPLICATIONS UNLIMITED —By Alan Joch 19 SIMPLE, POWERFUL SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNICATIONS BUSINEss sYSTEMS 51 RESPONDING AROUND THE CLOCK Get insight into Oracle’s unique applications strategy ViaSat’s use of Oracle Priority Service has dramatically from the Oracle executives who are driving the future cut system issue resolution time—and powered its of business applications. customer service. —By Monica Mehta 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPOTLIGHT ON CONSULTING 31 A SOLID FOUNDATION 55 SINGLE SYSTEM SUCCESS Get the inside perspective on Oracle’s success from Jeff Getting the right help for a huge IT project was critical Henley and Judith Sim. —By Margaret Terry Lindquist to Avago—and it found that Oracle Consulting was the best choice. —By Karen Bannan IDENTITY MANAGEMENT 37 IDENTITY CRISIS SPOTLIGHT ON EMERGENCY SERVICES Businesses depend on how companies handle a basic 59 THE DRIVE TO SAVE LIVES IT function—making sure that the right people have the EMRI leads the way in creating a system for emergency right access at all times. Find out how two companies services—with a goal of saving more than 1 million are meeting this challenge. —By David Baum lives a year. —By Molly Rose Teuke PRODUCT ANALYSIS 41 ORACLE DATABASE 11g 63 ORACLE CERTIFIED AdvantaGE PaRTNERS TUSC CEO Rich Niemiec provides LEADERSHIP a real insider’s view on the newest 64 THE RIGHT DIRECTION release of Oracle Database. Find out about the characteristics that every leader —By Jeff Erickson must have to reach the top. —By Kate Pavao PROFIT : THE EXECUTIVE ’ S GUIDE TO ORACLE APPLICATIONS 5 oracle.com/profit The Executive’s Guide to Oracle Applications expands coverage of the technologies that will change the way you do business. With dozens of new acquisitions, new versions of all application product lines, and the advent of the next-generation enterprise- computing platform, there is a lot to say about Oracle’s applications business. Profit is pleased to announce the redesign and relaunch of the online version of the magazine: Profit Online. Visit oracle.com/profit to see a full digital version of the print magazine along with exclusive content developed for Profit Online, including Ten Steps to Fusion What you need to do today to prepare for tomorrow’s enterprise computing platform Getting to Know Applications Unlimited: A Q&A with John Wookey Oracle’s senior vice president of applications development talks about enhancing existing product lines while preparing for Fusion applications. Spotlight on SMB Special focus on how IT is changing the way small and medium businesses operate and compete Profit Opinion Get diverse perspectives on the role of IT in today’s business with columns and commentary from Oracle executives, Profit editorial staff, partners, and customers. 6 august 2 0 0 7 EDITORIAL editor in chief Margaret Lindquist [email protected] senior managing editor Caroline Kvitka features editor Aaron Lazenby contributing editor Blair Campbell contributing writers Marta Bright, Bobbie Hartman, Jeff Erickson, Leeann Myers, Katheryn Potterf, Fred Sandsmark design director Richard Merchán contributing designer Ron Sellers oracLe press Lisa McClain [email protected] PUBLISHING pubLisher Jeff Spicer [email protected] ADVERTISING SALES associate pubLisher Kyle Walkenhorst [email protected], tel +1.323.340.8585 Northwest & CentraL u.S.—technoLogY Tom Cometa [email protected], tel +1.510.339.2403 southwest U.S. technoLogY and Consumer Shaun Mehr [email protected], tel +1.323.658.6250, ext. 205 midatLantic u.S.—technoLogY and consumer Dawn Becker and Lisa Rinaldo [email protected], tel +1.732.772.0160 northeast u.S./canada—technoLogY and consumer David and Ann Schissler [email protected], tel +1.508.394.4026 europe/middLe east/africa/asia pacific—technoLogY Mark Makinney [email protected], tel +44 (0) 1273.774.341 PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS SALes and production director Jennifer Hamilton [email protected], tel +1.650.506.3794 SUBSCRIPTIONS ORACLE PRODUCTS Subscriptions are complimentary for qualified individuals who complete the form found in each issue or at oracle.com/profitmagazine. For change 1.800.633.0675 (U.S./Canada). International: of address, mail in label with old and new address to Profit: The Executive’s Guide to Oracle Applications, P.O. Box 1247, Skokie, IL 60076, USA. See the OracleDirect box for the phone number in your region. PROFIT MAGAZINE CUSTOMER SERVICE [email protected], tel +1.847.763.9635, fax +1.847.763.9638 ORACLE SERVICES 1.888.283.0591 (U.S./Canada) PRIVACY Oracle Publishing allows sharing of our mailing list with selected third parties. If you prefer that your mailing address MAILING LIST RENTALS or e-mail address not be included in this program, please contact customer service at +1.847.763.9635, fax +1.847.763.9638, or Edith Roman Associates [email protected]. 1.800.223.2194, ext. 684 The content contained in this publication is for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into a contract or agreement. PRInteD IN THE usa BY broWN PRIntIng CO. Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without permission from the editors. Oracle does not provide any warranty as to the accuracy of any information provided through Profit: The Executive’s Guide to Oracle Applications. PROFIT: THE EXECUtiVE’S GUIDE to oraCLE appLICatioNS IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. ORACLE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. IN NO EVENT SHALL ORACLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF OR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN. The preceding is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decision. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle’s products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other product and service names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners. 8 august 2 0 0 7 EDITOR’S NOTE ALL TOGETHER NOW Most CIOs will tell you that software integration is one of the most pressing challenges they face. Connecting disparate systems, legacy applications, and the cutting-edge, best-of-breed applications that businesses today demand is a task that will test even the most agile, innovative IT department. When Oracle first started acquiring other business application providers, conventional wisdom was that the company was digging its way into a deep, dark hole. Either customers would be forced to migrate from the software they were using into the Oracle application suite, or they would continue to use whatever software they had installed—past the point where they were getting good return on their investment and past the point where the software was providing up-to-date functionality. The result, some feared, was that companies with established IT systems would be quickly outclassed by newer, more-agile companies that could hit the ground running with the latest customer- and partner-friendly systems. But the latest big announcement from Oracle intends to solve that problem for our customers. Oracle Application Integration Architecture is designed to allow customers to tie Oracle applications, legacy applications, and industry-specific software from numerous best-of-breed partners into an integrated system that will meet the needs of businesses now and in the future. This comes in addition to our other big announcement of the year, the introduction of Oracle Database 11g, the newest edition of a database that has set the standard for innovation since its first release. This issue is full of insight into both new product offerings. We round things out with continued coverage of Oracle’s 30th anniversary, including a candid interview with Oracle’s chairman, Jeff Henley, who speaks about the challenges and successes in Oracle’s history. It’s a nice look ADLER back at where we’ve been, even as we plot a course for the future. BOB Margaret Terry Lindquist [email protected] 1 0 AUGUST 2 0 0 7 USER GROUP BY JOHN MATELSKI BUILDING BLOCKS ORACLE CONNECTS CURRENT APPLICATIONS AND PROVIDES A PATH TO ORACLE FUSION. Oracle’s dual commitment to Oracle current systems and make decisions around the timing of Applications Unlimited and Oracle Fusion moving to Oracle Fusion.