Oracle and Google Cloud Unite in Multicloud Alliance

Oracle and Google Cloud have announced the general availability of Oracle Database@Google Cloud in a move aimed at helping customers simplify cloud migration and innovate faster with services like Vertex AI and Oracle Database 23ai.

The collaboration enables customers to run Oracle Database services, including Oracle Exadata Database Service, Oracle Autonomous Database and Oracle Database Zero Data Loss Autonomous Recovery Service, directly within Google Cloud data centres. Initially available in four regions across the United States and Europe – US East (Ashburn), US West (Salt Lake City), UK South (London), and Germany Central (Frankfurt) – the service is slated for rapid expansion to additional regions worldwide.

For Chief Information Officers (CIOs) grappling with complex digital transformation initiatives, this partnership addresses several critical challenges. The integration of Oracle’s robust database technologies with Google Cloud’s advanced analytics and AI capabilities offers a compelling solution for organisations seeking to modernise their data infrastructure while leveraging cutting-edge cloud services.

“This new service combines all of the benefits of OCI database services with Google Cloud services for a seamless multicloud experience, which was unthinkable in the cloud space just a few years ago,” says Karan Batta, SVP of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).

The rise of multicloud strategies

The multicloud strategy underpinning this alliance reflects a growing trend in enterprise IT, where organisations increasingly seek to avoid vendor lock-in and optimise their cloud investments. By enabling direct access to Oracle Database services within Google Cloud, the partnership allows businesses to maintain their existing Oracle database investments while taking advantage of Google Cloud’s innovative offerings, such as Vertex AI and Gemini foundation models.

This integration is particularly significant in the context of today’s AI landscape. As enterprises rush to incorporate generative AI (Gen AI) capabilities into their operations, the ability to seamlessly combine Oracle’s data management prowess with Google’s AI tools could prove to be a game-changer. According to Andi Gutmans, vice president and general manager of databases at Google Cloud: “This enables enterprises to more rapidly migrate to the cloud and accelerate their transformative Gen AI journeys with services such as Vertex AI.”

Simplifying cloud migration

The partnership also addresses a common pain point for technology leaders: cloud migration complexity. By simplifying the process of moving Oracle databases and applications to OCI running in Google Cloud, the alliance promises to reduce the time, cost and risk associated with large-scale cloud migrations. This is further enhanced by the ability to use existing Google Cloud commitments for Oracle Database services purchases, potentially leading to significant cost savings.

From a licensing perspective, the partnership offers flexibility that many CIOs will find attractive. Customers can leverage their existing Oracle license benefits, including Bring Your Own License (BYOL) and Oracle Support Rewards, potentially reducing the overall cost of cloud adoption. The availability of Oracle Autonomous Database with usage-based pricing adds another layer of financial flexibility, allowing organisations to scale their database resources in line with actual demand.

By combining Oracle Database 23ai's AI and converged database capabilities with Google Cloud's analytics tools, the alliance also opens up new possibilities for data-driven innovation. Enterprises can now develop and run a new generation of cloud-native applications that leverage the strengths of both platforms, potentially accelerating time-to-market for new products and services.

For industries heavily reliant on Oracle databases, such as financial services, retail and manufacturing, the partnership offers a path to modernisation without the need for wholesale re-architecture. This is particularly relevant for organisations with mission-critical applications in areas like transaction processing, data warehousing, and supply chain management.

The alliance also addresses the growing demand for high-performance, low-latency database services. By deploying Oracle Database services directly within Google Cloud data centres, customers can expect improved performance and reduced latency compared to traditional multi-cloud architectures that rely on inter-cloud networking.

For CIOs, the Oracle and Google Cloud partnership represents a significant opportunity to reassess and optimise their cloud strategies. It offers a way to balance the need for robust, enterprise-grade database services with the desire to leverage cutting-edge cloud and AI capabilities. As organisations continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, multicloud strategies like this may become increasingly crucial in maintaining competitive advantage.

As Carl Olofson, Research VP of Data Management Software at IDC, explains: “Oracle and Google Cloud's mutual customers are the ultimate winners in this multicloud strategy, as they benefit from the simplicity, security and low latency of a unified operating environment.”

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