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Oracle Corporation stands today as one of the world’s most influential enterprise software and cloud computing companies, but its journey began with a small team, an ambitious vision, and a project for the CIA.

Oracle is a major American technology company best known for its database software, cloud services, and enterprise applications.

Founded: 1977 (as Software Development Laboratories), renamed Oracle Systems Corporation in 1982, and later simply Oracle Corporation. Headquarters: Austin, Texas, USA (moved from Redwood Shores, California in 2020). CEO (2025): Safra Catz (Larry Ellison is Chairman & CTO). Ticker Symbol: ORCL (NASDAQ).

Oracle was founded by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates under the name Software Development Laboratories (SDL). The founders’ original mission was to create a relational database management system (RDBMS) based on Edgar F. Codd’s groundbreaking work at IBM.

Their first big opportunity came in 1977 when they worked on a project for the CIA codenamed “Oracle.” The name was inspired by the intelligence project’s goal — to serve as a system that could answer all questions, much like a wise oracle in ancient times. By 1979, they officially named their product Oracle Database and changed the company name to Relational Software Inc., before adopting Oracle Systems Corporation in 1982 and later Oracle Corporation in 1995.

Pre-Oracle Background (Mid-1970s)

Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates worked together at Ampex Corporation in the mid-1970s on a CIA database project codenamed "Oracle". Ellison came across an IBM research paper (1970) by Edgar F. Codd that introduced the relational database model. IBM didn’t aggressively commercialize the idea, but Ellison saw huge business potential.

1977 The three founders established Software Development Laboratories (SDL) in Santa Clara, California, with just $2,000 capital ($1,200 from Ellison). They aimed to build a commercial relational database based on SQL.

1979 Released Oracle V2 (there was no V1) — the first commercially available SQL-based RDBMS that could run on multiple platforms. 1980 Company renamed Relational Software, Inc. 1982 – Renamed again to Oracle Systems Corporation to align with their flagship product.

1983–1985 – Oracle 3 introduced portability (could run on IBM mainframes, minicomputers, and PCs). Sales grew rapidly. 1986 – Oracle went public (NASDAQ: ORCL) raising $31.5 million at $15/share. Revenue had grown from $2.5M in 1981 to $55M in 1986.

Oracle expanded internationally and aggressively pushed sales. 1989 – Accounting scandal: Oracle was accused of booking future sales early to boost numbers, causing a stock crash. Losses reached $12M. Ellison restructured the company, cut staff, and focused on technology upgrades.

1992 – 2000 Oracle 7 launched — added better performance, scalability, and enterprise features. Became a market leader in RDBMS. Mid-1990s – Expanded into ERP software to compete with SAP. Official company name changed to Oracle Corporation. 1997–1999 – Focus on internet-enabled products, positioning Oracle databases for the web era. Survived the dot-com crash by targeting large corporations and governments. 2004–2006 – Major acquisitions: PeopleSoft, Siebel Systems, Hyperion (analytics).

2010 – 2015 Oracle 11g introduced with improved data compression, performance, and security. Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems for $7.4B, gaining control of: Java programming language. Solaris operating system. MySQL database (open source). This cemented Oracle’s role in both hardware and software. Launched Oracle Cloud offerings (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS).

2016 – Acquired NetSuite for $9.3B to dominate mid-market cloud ERP. 2019 – Began major push into AI, autonomous databases, and machine learning integration. 2020 – Moved corporate headquarters from Redwood Shores, California to Austin, Texas. 2022 – Acquired Cerner Corporation (healthcare IT & EHR) for $28.3B, Oracle’s largest deal ever. 2023–2025 – Focus on AI-powered cloud services, expanding Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) as a competitor to AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

The Founders

Larry Ellison. Full Name: Lawrence Joseph Ellison. Born: August 17, 1944, New York City, USA. Role in Oracle: Co-Founder, CEO (1977–2014), now Chairman & CTO

Larry Ellison – Born to an unwed mother and raised by his aunt and uncle in Chicago. Dropped out of both the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago, never earning a degree turned visionary entrepreneur, Ellison served as Oracle’s CEO for 37 years, known for his aggressive business tactics and ability to foresee trends in enterprise computing. Moved to California in the late 1960s, drawn by the tech scene in Silicon Valley. Worked at Ampex Corporation as a programmer. At Ampex, he was involved in a CIA project codenamed Oracle, which inspired the company name. Later joined Precision Instruments, where he met Bob Miner and Ed Oates.

Visionary and driving force behind the company’s aggressive sales, bold marketing, and rapid product development. Known for a highly competitive nature — often taking on rivals like IBM, Microsoft, and SAP head-on. Oversaw Oracle’s transition from databases to cloud computing.

Notable Traits: Outspoken, confident, risk-taker. Passion for sailing and aviation. One of the wealthiest people in the world (net worth over $130B in 2025).

Bob Miner. Full Name: Robert Nimrod Miner. Born: December 23, 1941, Cicero, Illinois, USA. Died: November 11, 1994 (cancer). Role in Oracle: Co-Founder, Head of Engineering (1977–1992)

Bob Miner is The technical mastermind behind the Oracle database, Miner played a crucial role in designing the early product’s architecture. He was known for his belief in empowering employees and creating a humane work environment. Son of Assyrian immigrants from Iran. Studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Illinois. Moved to California to work in technology.

Worked as a programmer at Ampex, where he met Larry Ellison and Ed Oates. Known for his deep technical expertise and engineering skills. Chief architect of the first Oracle database versions. Credited with writing much of the original Oracle software code himself. Preferred a slower, more meticulous approach compared to Ellison’s aggressive expansion style. Left daily operations in 1992 but stayed on the board until his death.

Notable Traits: Quiet, thoughtful, technically brilliant. Respected for treating employees with care and avoiding burnout culture. Passion for skiing and mountain climbing.

Ed Oates. Full Name: Edward A. Oates. Born: 1946, California, USA. Role in Oracle: Co-Founder, Early Architect (1977–1980s)

Ed Oates – The strategist and operations expert, Oates brought structure and management expertise, helping scale the company from a small startup to an industry leader. Studied mathematics at San Jose State University. Fascinated by computing in the 1960s, when mainframes were emerging.

Worked at Memorex and then Ampex, where he became friends with Ellison and Miner. Skilled in system architecture and customer problem-solving. Helped design the original Oracle Database architecture. Focused on making the product portable and usable across platforms. Left Oracle in the 1980s after the IPO, preferring a more private life.

Notable Traits: Low-profile compared to Ellison. Later co-founded Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp and invested in music and entertainment ventures. Passionate about music, owns an extensive home theater and music collection.

The name "Oracle" came directly from the CIA database project that Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates worked on while at Ampex Corporation in the mid-1970s.

Here’s the backstory: The CIA hired Ampex to build a relational database system, and they codenamed the project "Oracle" because it was intended to act as a "source of truth" — a system where you could query any question and get the correct answer, like asking an ancient oracle in mythology. When the three founders later started their own company in 1977, they reused the "Oracle" code name for their database software. Even though their company was initially called Software Development Laboratories (SDL), their flagship product was branded Oracle from the start, and eventually, the company adopted that name in 1982.

So in short, Oracle was originally a code name for a government project meaning a source of authoritative knowledge, and it stuck because it fit the idea of a database perfectly.

Oracle’s Products

Oracle has a broad portfolio of products covering databases, cloud services, enterprise applications, middleware, hardware, and development tools. Oracle’s extensive portfolio covers:

Oracle Database Products  – Oracle Database, Autonomous Database, MySQL. Flagship relational database management system (RDBMS), known for performance, scalability, and security. Versions: Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Express Edition (XE). Latest features: Autonomous Database (self-patching, self-tuning), multi-model support (relational, JSON, spatial, graph data).

·       MySQL – Open-source database (acquired from Sun Microsystems).

·       Oracle NoSQL Database – For high-performance, low-latency applications.

·       Berkeley DB – Embedded database library.

·       TimesTen In-Memory Database – Ultra-fast in-memory data processing.

Cloud Services (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure – OCI) – Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Cloud Applications (SaaS), Analytics, AI Services

·       IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) – Compute, storage, networking.

·       PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) – Databases, analytics, integration tools.

·       SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) – Ready-to-use business applications.

·       Key Offerings: Oracle Autonomous Database. Oracle Cloud VMware Solution. Oracle AI & Machine Learning Services. Oracle Analytics Cloud. Oracle Cloud at Customer (on-premises cloud solution)

Enterprise Applications – Oracle ERP, HCM, SCM, CX solutions

·       ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) - Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP. NetSuite ERP (for small/mid-sized businesses)

·       HCM (Human Capital Management) - Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM

·       SCM (Supply Chain Management) - Oracle Fusion Cloud SCM

·       CX (Customer Experience) - Oracle Sales Cloud. Oracle Marketing Cloud. Oracle Service Cloud

·       Industry-Specific Apps – Retail, banking, utilities, healthcare (including Cerner for electronic health records).

Middleware

·       Oracle WebLogic Server – Java EE application server.

·       Oracle SOA Suite – Integration of enterprise services.

·       Oracle GoldenGate – Real-time replication and data integration.

·       Oracle Data Integrator (ODI) – ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tool.

·       Oracle Business Intelligence (OBIEE) – Analytics and reporting.

Development Tools Developer Tools – Java, Oracle Application Express (APEX)

·       Oracle APEX (Application Express) – Low-code web app development.

·       Java SE & Java EE – After acquiring Sun Microsystems.

·       Oracle JDeveloper – Integrated development environment (IDE).

·       Oracle SQL Developer – Free IDE for database development.

Hardware & Engineered Systems – Exadata, SPARC Servers, Oracle Linux

·       Oracle Exadata – Optimized database appliance.

·       Oracle Exalogic – Middleware machine.

·       Oracle SPARC Servers – High-performance computing (from Sun Microsystems).

·       Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance – High-throughput storage.

·       Oracle Private Cloud Appliance – On-premises cloud hardware.

Analytics & AI

·       Oracle Analytics Cloud (OAC) – Data visualization, analytics.

·       Oracle Machine Learning – Integrated with databases.

·       Oracle Data Science Platform – For AI/ML model training and deployment.

Industry Solutions

·       Cerner Health IT – Healthcare software and EHR.

·       Oracle Hospitality – Property management and point-of-sale systems for hotels and restaurants.

·       Oracle Retail – Merchandise planning, inventory management.

·       Oracle Utilities – Billing, asset management for utilities.

Oracle gained global recognition for: Revolutionizing enterprise databases – It was among the first to commercialize relational databases. Scalable enterprise solutions – Trusted by governments, Fortune 500 firms, and major institutions. Aggressive acquisitions – Buying Sun Microsystems, PeopleSoft, NetSuite, Cerner, and others expanded its market presence. Cloud transformation – Pivoting to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure allowed it to compete with AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Oracle became famous globally because it managed to dominate a critical piece of enterprise technology — the database — and then built an entire ecosystem around it, while aggressively expanding into cloud and business applications.

Here’s what made Oracle stand out worldwide:

Pioneering the Commercial SQL Database. In 1979, Oracle released Oracle V2, the first commercially available SQL-based RDBMS that could run on multiple platforms. This gave businesses a standard, portable, and scalable way to store and manage data — a huge leap from the proprietary systems of the time. By the late 1980s and 1990s, Oracle was the go-to database for banks, telecom companies, and governments.

Aggressive Global Expansion. Oracle was one of the fastest software companies to reach $1 billion in annual revenue (1991). They opened offices in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America early on, targeting global corporations and public sector clients. Larry Ellison’s bold sales strategy often undercut IBM and Microsoft in competitive bids.

Enterprise Integration. Oracle didn’t stop at databases — it expanded into ERP, CRM, SCM, and HCM software through development and acquisitions (PeopleSoft, Siebel, NetSuite). This gave companies a full suite of integrated business solutions under one brand.

Big Acquisitions for Influence. Sun Microsystems (2010) brought Java and MySQL into Oracle’s portfolio, giving it a presence in both enterprise and open-source developer communities. Cerner (2022) made Oracle a major player in healthcare IT globally.

Early Move to the Cloud. Oracle launched Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to compete with AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Its Autonomous Database — self-managing, self-securing, self-repairing — positioned Oracle as a leader in AI-powered data management.

Brand Reputation & High-Profile Clients. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies, governments, defense agencies, and financial institutions worldwide. Known for high performance, reliability, and security in mission-critical environments.

Marketing & Visibility. Larry Ellison’s outspoken personality kept Oracle in the media spotlight. Sponsorships of America’s Cup sailing, Formula 1 (Red Bull Racing), and other global sports events boosted brand recognition.

Major Global Clients - Top Countries with Oracle's Most Valuable Clients

Oracle serves thousands of high-value clients across multiple sectors, with particularly strong markets in:

United States United States – Federal government, financial institutions, and large corporations. It accounts for around 45% of Oracle’s total revenue, and approximately 55% of Oracle’s revenue comes from the Americas overall. The U.S. also represents the largest share of Oracle Cloud customers, making up around 45.11% of global users. The United States remains Oracle’s powerhouse market—both in terms of corporate reliance on Oracle technology and revenue generation.

United Kingdom United Kingdom – National health and finance sectors. The U.K. contributes approximately 6% of Oracle's revenue, making it one of the next-highest individual country contributors. Germany, France, and Switzerland – Automotive, banking, and industrial giants. Japan and Singapore – Advanced manufacturing, telecom, and financial services. Canada - Contributes roughly 3%, while France is also in a similar range globally. Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia) – Oil & gas, government, and infrastructure sectors

India, Brazil, and Australia all host significant Oracle customer bases though their per-country revenue share is smaller. For instance, India has over 52,000 Oracle customers, Australia about 27,000, and Germany more than 100,000. Oracle is investing heavily in Southeast Asia—e.g., a new cloud region in Malaysia to serve local government, banking, airline, and hospitality sectors. 

Europe and Asia-Pacific are significant, mature markets, with the U.K., Germany, Japan, Canada, and France among the largest contributors. Developing regions like Southeast Asia are emerging as key areas for expansion, especially due to Oracle’s regional cloud infrastructure investments.

Major Global Enterprises Using Oracle

From Oracle Applications (suite for ERP, SCM, CRM, etc.):
 According to verified data as of July 2025, over 4,200 companies worldwide use Oracle Applications, including high-profile names like Amazon, Walmart, Apple, Microsoft, CVS Health, Huawei, Samsung, Google, Cargill, and McKesson. 

Some of Oracle’s notable clients include:

·       AT&T (Telecommunications)

·       HSBC (Banking)

·       Siemens (Engineering & Manufacturing)

·       PepsiCo (Consumer Goods)

·       NASA (Aerospace)

·       Uber (Technology & Transport)

·       PayPal (Fintech)

·       National Health Service (NHS) – UK healthcare system

Prominent Oracle Cloud Customers

As listed by Infocleanse, among the best-known companies leveraging Oracle Cloud services are:

PwC (Professional Services). Eaton Corporation (Power Management). Exxon Mobil (Oil & Gas). CVS Health (Healthcare). Airbnb (Hospitality). Adidas (Sportswear). Bank of America (Financial Services). Labcorp (Clinical Laboratory). 

Additionally, Apollo.io identifies other major Oracle Cloud users such as Unimed, Volvo Trucks, PETRONAS, Mercedes-Benz USA, ICICI Bank, FedEx, Koch Industries, and FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). 

Key Customers of Oracle ERP

Top organizations deploying Oracle ERP include: Facebook, Zoom, LinkedIn, Cisco, Snap Inc., GE Aviation, and 10x Genomics. General Electric, Arrow Electronics, AT&T, eBay, Intuit, CVS Health, ExxonMobil, and Zoom (again). 

Oracle’s Cloud ERP is also adopted by well-known corporations and institutions like: Bank of America, Thomson Reuters, Qantas, Blue Shield of California, Office for National Statistics (UK), Hearst, Caesars Entertainment, Carbon, HM Treasury (UK).  Universities utilizing Oracle Cloud include Vanderbilt University, University of Kansas, Shawnee State University, Boise State University, among others.

Oracle features numerous regional success stories on its site. Here are a few selections: 

Europe/ASEAN Region: DHL Supply Chain 

(Germany): Consolidated five ERP systems into one using Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP. Pestana Hotel Group (Portugal): Enhanced guest services with Oracle OPERA Cloud. Virgin Media (UK): Deployed Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM to streamline HR. 

Asia & APAC: BSI (Indonesia): Modernized with Oracle Autonomous Database. Raychem RPG (India): Achieved triple sales growth using Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications.

Americas: Caesars Entertainment, FedEx, and Vanderbilt University have leveraged Oracle Cloud for operational transformation, supply chains, and grants management respectively.  

Special Mentions: Red Bull Racing (Formula 1): A technology partnership since 2020, now a title sponsor, using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to power real-time race simulations and AI-driven analytics. Panasonic Info Systems: Selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to modernize internal systems. Skydance Media / Paramount: In talks for a $100 million-per-year cloud services deal from Oracle, covering Paramount and its subsidiaries. Zeller (Australia): A payments startup integrating Oracle’s Simphony point-of-sale with its terminals, serving over 60,000 local businesses. 

With more than 400,000 customers in over 175 countries, Oracle is a central player in global technology infrastructure. Its solutions power critical systems in finance, telecommunications, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and e-commerce. Oracle’s continuing investments in AI, machine learning, and autonomous database technology signal its ambition to remain a dominant force for decades to come.