Conference orarep::nomahs::dbintegrator_public_public

1040.0. "Official DEC Q & A about deal" by BROKE::SERRA (You got it, we JOIN it....DBI) Tue Apr 02 1996 18:25

From:	OOYES::RIO "Paulette Rio, ObjectBroker Marketing, DTN 381-1650  02-Apr-1996 1659 -0400"  2-APR-1996 17:05:44.01
To:	@[.DBI_ACCESS]DBI_TEAM,A1VAX::IM_PARTNERS,@OBB_INT
CC:	RIO
Subj:	Purchase of DBI Software Family by Oracle

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PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY
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To All Digital Internal Audiences:

On March 25, 1996, Digital and Oracle signed an agreement which arranged for
the purchase of the ACCESSWORKS software family (aka. DBI software family) by
Oracle Corporation.  Although the press announcement about this transaction has
not, as of this date, been officially released by Oracle, we feel it important
to inform the Digital audience of the transaction and to provide a list of
frequently asked questions. (attached)

Those needing further clarification can direct their questions to the following
Digital employees:

Bill Hill          Transition Prod Mgmt 	dtn 223-3164
Larry Goelz        MCS Services         	dtn 381-0294
Bob May	      	   Ext'l Programs	   	dtn 223-3428	
Paulette Rio       Marketing            	dtn 381-1650



							April 2, 1996


                         Frequently Asked Questions
                         ---------------------------
                   "Sale of DBI Software Family to Oracle"


1.  What is the DB Integrator (DBI) Software Family

The DBI products are the key components of Digital's ACCESSWORKS software
family for providing managed access to more than 60 databases. These products
are client/server middleware tools, written to standards, which  run on Digital
platforms, work with Oracle7 and Rdb7 database products, and which access and
integrate a number of third-party databases. DB Integrator, the multi-database 
manager,  optimizes query/update, performance, transparency, integrity and 
security when accessing or updating data stored in multiple databases.  DBI
helps companies meet the challenges of enterprise-wide data access by 
providing the technology to help manage the complexity.

2. What will Oracle be announcing?

Oracle will be announcing its purchase of the data access and integration
software family, which includes DB Integrator, the DB Integrator Gateways,
and Data Distributor.

3. Why is Oracle buying the DBI software family?

This question is best answered by Oracle, but we understand that DB Integrator, 
the DBI Gateways and Data Distributor are database products that originated in 
Digital's Rdb organization and which share the Rdb common components.�Over the
past year, since the Rdb division joined Oracle, many customers and  business
partners have requested that Digital and Oracle consider reuniting  these
groups. Thus it makes sense from an engineering and marketing point of  view
for these products to rejoin the Oracle Rdb organization.  

Synergy has always existed between Rdb and the DBI family, and a working 
relationship has continued to exist between the two engineering groups, even 
after the sale of Rdb to Oracle.  Putting the two engineering groups back 
together again is a logical decision and is the best course of action for the 
products and our customers.

4. Why is Digital selling this product to Oracle?

If you recall, Digital sold the Rdb product family to Oracle 15 months ago. 
Selling the DBI software products to Oracle now reunites this whole product
set.  Customers and business partners have requested that Digital and Oracle 
consider reuniting these groups. Thus it makes sense from an engineering and 
marketing point of view for these products to rejoin the Oracle Rdb
organization.  

5. What are the terms of the agreement?

Oracle will acquire the products, the engineering personnel and support 
personnel and resources associated with the DBI business. Both companies have
asked that the sale price be confidential.

6.  Are any Digital employees moving to Oracle?

All engineers presently developing DB Integrator, the Gateways and Data 
Distributor will become employees of Oracle and will continue to engineer these 
products, and a number of DBI support personnel will also join Oracle's US 
support organization. This total team will become part of Oracle's New England
Development Center in Nashua, NH, where they currently  reside.  Also, many of
the current Oracle Rdb support personnel who came from  Digital are trained to
support the DBI products.

7. What will happen to the existing engineering commitments for DB Integrator,
the Gateways and Data Distributor?

Our understanding is that in the same way that Oracle worked with customers and 
partners to ensure that the Rdb product family has a long-term strategy and 
direction that addresses customer and market needs, Oracle will continue to 
enhance and support the DBI products according to our customers'�requirements 
for a minimum of three years.  Oracle will deliver new features, new 
enhancements and new releases of the these products based on current
engineering plans and customer and partner direction through their Customer
Advisory Councils, partner forums and other customer input.

8. What role will the DBI software family play in Digital's corporate 
marketing programs?

We expect that these products will be encouraged to play an important role in 
Digital's Corporate Initiatives and other marketing programs, such as the 
Installed Base Initiative.  Digital and Oracle currently work closely on these
and other marketing initiatives and we expect they will continue to do so.

9.  What happens to pending quotes and certified orders in the Digital 
backlog for the DBI products when the transaction occurs?

Digital sales channels will be allowed to quote these products at current
Digital  pricing until March 30, 1996, and Digital will continue to cert and
ship these  products under the current Digital pricing, terms, and conditions
until June 29, 1996.  No new Digital quotes will be generated after March 30,
1996. Backlog orders will be credited as certed to the Digital sales rep or
other authorized Digital sales channel through June 29, 1996.  Shipment of all
Digital certified DBI orders must be completed by June 29, 1996.

10. Will the DBI software family continue in Digital's software loan program?

No. Effective immediately, no DBI software products may be loaned through 
Digital's software loan program.  Digital's  software loan telesales reps are 
currently working with customers to convert all outstanding loans of DBI
products  to quoted products by March 30, 1996.

11. How does this transition affect DBI software license transfers or upgrades?

All license hardware transfers or upgrades that occur before April 30,1996 will 
do so under Digital's pricing, terms, and conditions.  All transfers or
upgrades after April 30 will be subject to Oracle's pricing, terms, and
conditions.

12.  After June 29, 1996, will Digital sales channels continue to sell the DBI 
products?

Oracle plans to integrate the DBI technologies into their overall set of
products.  As was enabled by the 30-November-1994 agreement between Digital and
Oracle, Digital has the ability to offer any products which are on Oracle's
price list.  Which products Digital offers, and the method by which it chooses
to offer them, is determined by business need and market demand.  As such,
while no current plans exist to specifically offer the DBI technologies once
Oracle begins selling them, the rights exist for Digital to make them available
as need dictates.


13.  Will Digital SI continue to support this product after June 29, 1996?

Yes. Digital's Systems Integration group will continue to offer consulting and 
systems integration services for this product set as part of its Information 
Management practice offerings.  Digital and Oracle will work cooperatively to 
address customer needs with this product set as both companies go forward.

14. What will happen to existing DBI third party partners?

Oracle will encourage all DB Integrator software family partners to join
Oracle's Business Alliance Partner Program.  Many already participate in this
program today.

15. What will happen to existing software service contracts for these products?

Existing service contracts will be honored by Digital until they expire, or
until end of service life, the date of which to be supplied to service
customers by letter. Digital and Oracle will work together to ensure a smooth
service transition for all customers.

16. What will be the service escalation procedure for the DBI products once the
contract is signed?

Digital and Oracle are proud of the smooth transition that occurred with Rdb
over  the past year.  As with the Rdb support transition, customers will not
see initial  changes.  Customers will continue to call the Digital service
numbers that they  are accustomed to and escalation procedures now in effect
will continue.  Changes to these procedures will be managed carefully to
ensure no disruption to the high levels of support currently being delivered 
and new procedures will be communicated in advance of the change.

17. Has Oracle indicated any plans to raise the price of these products?

DB Integrator software is competitively priced. Our understanding is  that here
may be different pricing and packaging models that will be introduced, to
conform with standard Oracle practices.  Oracle/DBI pricing and business
practices will be announced in the near future. 

18.  What does the sale of this software family mean to the rest of the 
remaining Digital software products?

As you know,  Digital announced its new connectivity software strategy in the
fall of 1995, and Digital's remaining software products are in support of 
this strategy.  However, the DBI products are fundamentally database software,
and bringing these software products back together with the other Oracle Rdb 
software products makes this transaction a logical and isolated incident.

19.  How does the sale of the DBI family affect ACMS?

The acquisition of DBI by Oracle should not have any impact on ACMS.  
Engineering of ACMS is supported by Digital and with Digital's corporate 
software announcement last September, ACMS became part of Digital's  "Platform
Business Model."  Its role is to support or differentiate Digital's 
hardware-based systems business. Digital's investment in ACMS is fully covered 
as part of Digital's platform business model and ACMS is playing a key role in 
supporting this business paradigm.  Over the past year, Oracle and Digital have 
continued to work closely in testing and supporting common ACMS and Rdb 
integration and will continue to do so.

20. Will training on DB Integrator, the Gateways and Data Distributor be 
continued for Digital customers and partners?

Yes. Oracle will be obtaining all training materials as part of the transaction
and will attempt to maintain continuity in customer and partner training
schedules for these products after the transaction, and will add DBI product
courses to its standard training offering.

21. What will happen to DECCampus programs?

All world-wide DECCampus programs for the DBI software products will be 
discontinued as of March 30, 1996 and similar campus programs will be arranged
through Oracle.