Oracle released version 9 of its PeopleSoft Enterprise application suite on Monday, an upgrade the company said will prepare customers to move toward a service-oriented architecture (SOA).Oracle, which secured a US$10.3 billion buyout of PeopleSoft in January 2005, has told its customers it would continue to support the products from its former competitor. The new release is integrated with Oracle’s Fusion Middleware, a portfolio of server software that allows applications from different vendors to interoperate. The integration allows better use of other Oracle technologies including XML Publisher, Business Activity Monitoring and Customer Data Hub, the company said.Oracle said the version 9 release adds features related to corporate governance and compliance, CRM improvements for customer service agents and enterprise-level planning. The company also expanded capabilities for areas such as the public sector, health care, financial services, communications and higher education. Oracle appointed a new general manager, Doris Wong, to run its PeopleSoft Enterprise wing, a move it said would centralize leadership and development of the product. Wong spent 11 years at PeopleSoft, Oracle said.PeopleSoft was one Oracle’s highest-profile acquisitions intended to help it compete better with business applications market leader SAP. It also gobbled up Siebel Systems and J.D. Edwards, sparking concerns over the fate of those vendors’ product lines. But Oracle officials have pledged to move forward with new product releases, including Siebel’s version 8 line and version 12 of Oracle’s own CRM software. Oracle executives recently offered some details of how its various application suites will be merged into the forthcoming Fusion family. Siebel’s software, seen as one of the strongest CRM offerings in the industry, will be used as the core, to be merged with the best functions and design elements donated from Oracle’s E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft CRM and JD Edwards CRM.Oracle has stressed that Fusion will be developed with an eye toward the SOA model, working with standards such as business process execution language and XML.The Fusion applications are expected in 2008. — Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service (London Bureau)Related Links: Oracle: Open Source Brings New Customers Oracle’s Q4 Results to Top ExpectationsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content opinion The Importance of Identity Management in Security By Charles Pelton Nov 28, 2023 5 mins Cybercrime Artificial Intelligence Data Management brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software Why data virtualization is critical for business success Data is your most valuable resource—but only if you can access it fast enough to address present challenges. Data virtualization is the key. By Milan Shetti, CEO of Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software The hybrid approach: Get the best of both mainframe and cloud Cloud computing and modernization often go hand in hand, but that doesn’t mean the mainframe should be left behind. A hybrid approach offers the most value, enabling businesses to get the best of both worlds. By Milan Shetti, CEO Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rimini Street Dear Oracle Cloud…I need my own space Access results from a recent Rimini Street survey about why enterprises are rethinking their Oracle relationship and cloud strategy. By Tanya O'Hara Nov 28, 2023 5 mins Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe