Oracle customers are hungry for more information about how the company's cloud products can improve business operations, reduce expenses and co-exist with on-premise technology, according to a recent Oracle Applications User Group survey.
The findings could spell opportunity for Oracle's channel partners, many of which are certifying their application to run on the company's IaaS and PaaS platforms.
Eighty-four percent of respondents, all members of the OAUG, wanted to learn more about how Oracle Software-as-a-Service (Saas) can co-exist with on-premise technology, while 79 percent said they’re interested in how Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) can extend on-premise functionality and deliver innovation faster.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents – 74 percent – wanted more information about how Infrastructure-as-a-Service (Iaas) could reduce operational expenses.
OAUG is an independent, global, member-led organization of Oracle customers with the goal of maximizing user investments in Oracle products and partner solutions.
“The results of the survey indicate the majority of our community has a very strong interest in learning about cloud solutions, and therefore the OAUG will continue to develop and provide educational resources related to cloud, co-existence and on-premises environments to help our members on their individual journeys,” Alyssa Johnson, president of the OAUG, said in a prepared statement.
What Information Are Customers Seeking?
The survey revealed that customers who are planning a move to Oracle cloud products will do so in the not-so-distant future. Seventy percent of respondents planning a move to the cloud said they will make the transition in the next three years.
More than one-third of respondents – 35 percent – said they will implement SaaS in the next 12 months to run with their existing on-premise technology, while 29 percent planned to implement PaaS in the next 12 months to accelerate their development and testing efforts.
The survey also highlighted the type of information users are seeking from vendors and partners, and the importance of independent user groups in educating and advocating for customers. Respondents overwhelming cited fellow user experience stories as the most helpful information, followed by information on the path to the cloud, hybrid co-existence, and end-user networking.
The majority of those surveyed – 81 percent – said learning more about cloud technology will maintain or enhance their career development.
The survey was based on 454 responses from OAUG members, including technology managers, business analysts, finance and accounting personnel, and database administration employees.
Selling the Cloud Through Channel Partners
Oracle opened its enterprise cloud products to channel partners less than three years ago as part of a plan to rapidly grow its cloud services. The software giant, which entered the cloud computing space later than some competitors, has said channel partners will be critical to increasing adoption of its cloud products and services.
Last year, Oracle announced a new program to drive cloud business into "hyper-growth" by helping partners deliver cloud software, platform and infrastructure services to customers across the globe. The Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Cloud Program offers new and existing partners demonstrations, Oracle expertise and joint marketing to help speed its cloud products to the market.
The Oracle PartnerNetwork is led by Penny Philpot, group vice president of Worldwide Alliances & Channels. Kimberly Lasseter is responsible for management of the OPN Program and Portal globally, reporting to Philpot.
Oracle's cloud business is rapidly growing, but the company still has a long way to go to keep up with competitors like Amazon Web Services (AWS). Oracle's cloud business reached $1.2 billion in the fiscal third quarter of 2017, which ended Feb. 28 – a 62 percent increase over the same period last year, compared to Amazon cloud sales of $3.6 billion during that company's most recent quarter.
