HP partners and customers slam Oracle over Itanium decision

Firms from an HP user group that use Oracle software on HP servers running Itanium processors have voiced their anger at Oracle's decision to end software development for the ageing technology.

The statements, made by members of Connect, a 52,000-strong HP user group, echo similar statements made by HP, with many arguing that the decision could have a negative impact on their business.

Carol Skarlat, chief technology officer with a jewellery firm called Stuller, who previously worked at Motorola, said that Oracle's decision risked undermining purchasing decisions the company had made.

"We made significant investments in an HP infrastructure that best supports our mission-critical computing needs with Oracle software on Integrity servers. Forcing customers into changing platforms impacts our business strategy and partnerships," she said.

"We rely on both HP and Oracle as significant business partners in running our business. Having one partner dictate platform strategy is unthinkable. We urge Oracle to reconsider."

Meanwhile, Hayden Stewart, vice president of IT for an unnamed software-as-a-service vendor, suggested that the move clearly represented an attempt by Oracle to try to improve the performance of its Sun server division.

"We see this as perhaps the poorest example in a number of less than stellar decisions made by Oracle over the years. [It is] clearly an attempt to shore up a hardware platform that cannot stand on its own merits," he said.

Martin Fink, general manager of business critical systems at HP, argued that the comments proved that businesses are well aware of Oracle's motives.

"By speaking out the industry is voicing its concerns about the dubious business practices Oracle is conducting as a way to revive its failing hardware business," he said.