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000948. SSG announces Air Force-wide enterprise license for Oracle

by 1st Lt. Alycia Vrosh
Standard Systems Group Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, GUNTER ANNEX, Ala. (AFPN) -- Standard Systems Group has announced an agreement for a $45 million, enterprise-wide software license for Oracle database and Advanced Security Option products to license the Air Force and unified commands hosted on Air Force bases.

"The Air Force will realize a tremendous cost savings through this license,"
said Robert Frye, SSG executive director. "The breadth of Oracle products and support in this license will enable the Air Force to develop, deploy and transition existing information technology systems to the latest technologies being offered."

"In addition to securing the database and security product licenses for the
entire active-duty and Reserve Air Force components, Oracle, with their partner Logicon, include a number of products and support that could help the Air Force transition existing IT (information technology) systems to a leaner, web-enabled business environment," said Matt Mleziva, director of Defense Infrastructure Initiatives at SSG's parent organization, Electronic Systems Center.

The Air Force's Commercial Information Technology Product Area Directorate, or CIT-PAD, located here negotiated the agreement. In addition to product licenses for Air Force users, the deal includes full licensing for headquarters, commanders in chief staffs hosted on Air Force bases such as U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt AFB, Neb., U.S. Space Command at Peterson AFB, Colo., and U.S. Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill.

The agreement also covers the incidental use of Air Force computer applications by non-Air Force users, and provides a means to cover some Air Force-led applications used in a joint environment. It also provides the Air Force unlimited surge capability available during wartime; several development products to assist training at Keesler AFB, Miss.; and software operations here.

For the past five years, the Air Force, Logicon and Oracle have successfully partnered to provide the Air Force community with large enterprise-wide licenses. This recent agreement consolidates these prior acquisitions and consolidates Oracle licenses in other commands under a single agreement.

"By combining existing licenses with new ones, the Air Force will receive
full enterprise coverage, plus attractive yearly support with no escalation through 2009," said James Harbison, Oracle software product manager at the CIT-PAD. "This will help ensure proper management and a successful deployment of the license."

The CIT-PAD worked with the Army's small computer program at Fort Monmouth, N.J., to ink the final deal, according to Lt. Col. Glenn Taylor, CIT-PAD director. "The Army support -- from Pentagon staff to the folks at Communications and Electronics Command -- was outstanding," he said.

The Army is the assigned lead under the Office of the Secretary of Defense Enterprise Software Initiative for databases for all Defense Department agencies.
Col. William Nelson, director, chief information officer support at the Pentagon, explained that this is just one example of how the Air Force intends to use the Defense Department's ESI program. This approach to enterprise licensing will come under broader use to achieve additional savings and hold down Air Force costs, he said.

For information on the Air Force enterprise licensing agreements, visit the CIT-PAD Web site at http://www.itsuperstore.af.mil. (Courtesy of Air Force Received on Thu Jun 22 2000 - 14:41:08 CDT