Certified configurations are not new. Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Veritas Software got together last May and pledged unified support. And Microsoft has decided to release Windows 2000 Datacenter Server only on pre-tested, certified hardware, and it will certify applications. But the latest trend is to go further by testing several major components, from several major providers, at the same time. And therein lies the problem.
Complications increase each time a new company is invited to the party.
While Oracle may be happy to certify its database on a Sun Microsystems server, because the two firms do not compete directly with each other, history suggests suppliers will be more reluctant when certifying competitors. Microsoft and Oracle have also fallen out over Windows 2000 Datacenter Server. Oracle has refused to submit its software for certification on Datacenter. E-business applications are the most complicated of all, involving pieces from several major, and often squabbling, providers. It remains to be seen whether the providers can put aside their differences and deliver real benefits to their customers.