Oracle buys Swedish communications software maker

SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Corp. has bought communications software maker HotSip AB, marking the company's second acquisition in two days as it seeks to expand its business software in new directions.

The messaging technology from Sweden's HotSip could potentially make it easier for Oracle business software customers to take advantage of telephone or computer instant messaging features from within Oracle's existing applications.

Terms of the HotSip acquisition were not disclosed.

In the past two years, Oracle has spent some $19 billion buying up rivals to grab a bigger share of the market for software aimed at big businesses that helps automate everything from human resources to accounting to inventory management.

The aggressive acquisition strategy is in marked contrast with that of market leader SAP of Germany, which has focused on winning new business rather than buying its competitors.

The latest deal comes one day after Redwood Shores, California-based Oracle said it would buy open-source database company Sleepycat for an undisclosed amount.

Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison has said recently the company would embrace the trend toward open-source software, in which customers receive software applications for free but are charged for custom features, maintenance and support.

As part of that strategy, Oracle is also setting its sights on two other open-source companies, Atlanta-based JBoss and Cupertino, California-based Zend, according to reports.

JBoss, which could not immediately be reached for comment, makes so-called application server software used to run other business applications.

Zend is the company behind PHP, a popular open-source software that has been embraced by an estimated 2.5 million programmers to quickly build Web applications. Twenty-two million Web sites, including many of the most popular blog publishing sites, run PHP.

Mark de Visser, Zend Technologies's chief marketing officer, declined to comment on reports his company was in talks with Oracle.

De Visser noted his Cupertino, California-based company already has a significant marketing partnership with Oracle Corp., along with other major companies such as IBM and Google Inc.

"Today we are very committed to the idea of being a broadly active company that is building alliances across the industry," he said.