Oracle launches computer hardware

Enterprise software firm Oracle is to sell computer hardware for the first time in partnership with Hewlett Packard (HP). The firm has launched an HP-designed, co-branded database system, as well as a smaller storage system, both of which go on sale this week.

The hardware is designed to speed up data retrieval via Oracle's software products and marks the firm's efforts to offer more comprehensive business software solutions, reports Associated Press. The move expands on a long-standing engineering agreement between Oracle and HP.

The HP Oracle Database Machine is configured for data warehousing, uses 64 Intel processor cores and can store 168 Terabytes of data. It will retail for USD650,000, but excludes the cost of Oracle software, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, the HP Oracle Extradata Storage Servers is aimed at enterprise customers with existing data warehouses. This hardware is designed to enhance data processing and offers 12 Terabytes of storage.

The launch was unveiled by company CEO Larry Ellison during a keynote speech at the Oracle Open World event in San Francisco. The move follows Oracle's USD8.5bn buyout of software rival, BEA Systems, last April.