File this one under “Oracle takes another dig at HP” or “Oracle kicks Intel when it’s already down”.
In a statement overnight, the database company said it had decided to stop all software development for the Intel Itanium microprocessor, where HP is one of the few server makers still supporting the chip.
Oracle said it had taken its decision “after multiple conversations with Intel senior management”.
“Intel management made it clear that their strategic focus is on their x86 microprocessor and that Itanium was nearing the end of its life.”
Intel disputes that last part. In a statement, Paul Otellini, chief executive, said:
“Intel’s work on Intel Itanium processors and platforms continues unabated with multiple generations of chips currently in development and on schedule.”
“We remain firmly committed to delivering a competitive, multi-generational road map for HP-UX and other operating system customers that run the Itanium architecture.”
Apart from HP, Supermicro in the US, Bull in Europe, NEC and Hitachi in Japan and Inspur in China are the other manufacturers still making Itanium-based servers.
However, Itanium has seemed like a dead chip walking for many years, despite the semiconductor giant insisting it has a niche market in high-end computing.
Its own x86 microprocessor server chips and those of rivals have advanced enough to fill nearly all of the market segments that Itanium was originally aimed at when it began as a joint venture between Intel and HP in 1994 to create a new 64-bit chip architecture.
As Oracle pointed out, both Microsoft and RedHat have already stopped developing software for Itanium and, here comes the dig, “HP CEO Leo Apotheker made no mention of Itanium in his long and detailed presentation on the future strategic direction of HP.”
Oracle chief Larry Ellison has seized every opportunity to have a go at Mr Apotheker, who is the former chief executive of Oracle’s bitter rival SAP. They are rivals once again, with Oracle having bought Sun Microsystems, whose Sparc processors and servers compete with HP’s.
Oracle does say it will continue to provide customers with support for existing versions of Oracle software products that already run on Itanium.
So, on second thoughts, file this under “Move along now, nothing really to see here”.
UPDATE: Except for this statement from HP, hitting back at Oracle:
“Oracle continues to show a pattern of anti-customer behaviour as they move to shore up their failing Sun server business,” said Dave Donatelli, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Servers, Storage and Networking, HP.
“We are shocked that Oracle would put enterprises and governments at risk while costing them hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity in a shameless gambit to limit fair competition.”
UPDATE 2: The war of words continues with Oracle hitting back:
“Plans to replace Itanium with X86 are already in place. HP is knowingly withholding this information from our joint Itanium customers,” it says in another statement.
Although its target is HP, this is also tantamount to calling Intel’s chief executive a big fibber. Watch this space.
