SAP搅动数据库市场烽烟四起

    在某种程度上，SAP公司试图变得更灵活、更具创新性的努力似乎奏效了。被称为“HANA”的基于内存的数据库技术，以及从最近并购的SuccessFactors公司那里获得的基于云计算的软件这类新产品的销售收入正在增长。但在公司的总销售额中，新产品所占的收入比例仍然很小。另外，对联合首席执行官们制定的一些雄心勃勃的阶段性目标而言，SAP还远未达标。

    周三，这家全球最大的商业软件制造商公布了季度财报，称其已连续第九个财季在软件及软件相关业务收入上取得了两位数的增长。HANA的销售额为2800万欧元，云服务及支持服务的销售额为2900万欧元（公司的总销售额为33.5亿欧元）。但SAP表示，它已下定决心要成为首屈一指的云计算企业，并且有信心在2012年将HANA的收入翻一番，达到至少3.2亿欧元的水平。

    在本周三上午《财富》杂志（Fortune）的电话采访中，SAP联合首席执行官比尔·麦克德莫特表示：“我们要成为全球成长最快的数据库公司。”为了加快HANA的应用推广，SAP近期设立一笔资金，专门帮助客户从现有数据库迁移到HANA上。公司表示，它已开始为有意实现这种转换的客户拨付了一些资金。

    麦克德莫特称：“这些客户大多对现有的数据库供应商不满。”

    数据库供应商中的头牌就是甲骨文公司（Oracle），而它是绝不会轻易认输的。在其近期与投资者举行的电话会议上，甲骨文有意淡化了来自HANA的威胁（本周五甲骨文将通过网络直播向投资者和媒体演示其旗下与HANA抗衡的新产品Exalytics。）。

    实际上，在数据库技术、云软件、移动应用和分析软件等企业级市场中发展迅猛的领域，SAP想要证明它能脱胎换骨转型成为主要厂商，还有很长的路要走。不过，它已经让合适的人才各就各位了——近期被收购的SuccessFactors公司的首席执行官拉斯•达尔加德已进入SAP的董事会，负责所有云业务的运营。与云相关的业务收入暂时规模不大，但与传统软件销售相比增速更快：SAP称，相比2011年第一财季，SuccessFactors业务的销售额已增长69%。与此同时，在HANA和移动应用这类创新开拓中，SAP也投入了大量营销骨干和人力资源。

    在下个月将于佛罗里达举行的会议上，SAP将披露其云战略的更多细节。它肯定还会探讨HANA、移动应用及分析软件。但其核心业务——企业资源规划软件到底情况如何？这一核心产品不那么激动人心，但却占据目前收入的大头。公司很早以前就对它开展了认真的彻底整改，但迟迟未能及时交付。当然，对复杂的软件系统进行重新设计实非易事，也耗费时日。但SAP要真正成为企业市场的创新领导者，这却是不可或缺的一步。

    译者：清远

    SAP's efforts to become more nimble and innovative appear to be working—to some extent. Revenue from new products like an in-memory database technology called HANA and cloud-based software from recently-acquired SuccessFactors is growing, but it still makes up a small fraction of the company's overall sales. And SAP is still far from reaching some of the ambitious milestones its co-CEOs have set.

    The world's largest business software maker announced quarterly results on Wednesday, reporting its ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in software and software-related revenue. HANA brought in 28 million euros, while cloud subscription and support sales came in at 29 million euros (the company's overall revenue, meanwhile, came in at 3.35 billion euros). But SAP says it's serious about becoming a major cloud player. And the company is confident that it's on track to double last year's HANA sales to at least 320 million euros in 2012.

    "We intend to be the fastest-growing database company in the world," Bill McDermott, SAP co-CEO, said in a call with Fortune Wednesday morning. To accelerate the adoption of HANA, SAP recently launched a fund to help customers migrate from their existing databases to HANA. The company says it has already started doling out some of the money it has put aside for customers interested in making the switch.

    "Most of them are not that happy with their incumbent [database provider]," McDermott said.

    Oracle (ORCL), of course, is the number one database provider. And it's not going down without a fight. On a recent call with investors, the company downplayed the threat from HANA. (On Friday Oracle is planning a webcast presentation to investors and press on Exalytics, its HANA competitor).

    In reality, SAP (SAP) does have a long way to go to prove it can transform itself into major player in database technology, cloud-based software, mobility and analytics--all fast-growing sectors of the enterprise market. But it has put some of the right pieces in place—the CEO of recently-acquired SuccessFactors, Lars Dalgaard, has joined the company's executive board and is now tasked with running all of its cloud efforts. Cloud revenue is small but growing at a much faster rate than traditional software sales: SAP reported that the SuccessFactors business grew bookings by 69% compared to the first quarter of 2011. And the company is pouring marketing muscle and manpower into HANA and other innovative efforts like mobile apps.

    Next month, at a conference in Florida, SAP is expected to unveil more details on its cloud strategy. It's sure to talk up HANA, mobile and analytics as well. But what about its core business, enterprise resource planning software? It's long-overdue for a serious overhaul on its less-exciting core product, which accounts for the bulk of current revenue. Of course, redesigning complex software isn't easy and takes time. But it's a necessary step for SAP to truly become the innovation leader in the enterprise.