The conference, sponsored by HP and AMD, takes place at Sun City from September 25 27. Its theme is: 'Equilibrium Get the balance right'.

PeopleSoft, Siebel, Retek and JD Edwards, now part of Oracle, were significant vendors with a strong presence in the SA market. With the consolidation in the enterprise applications market led by Oracle, our user base has grown substantially, while new business challenges are presented in terms of the integration of technology subsets to create optimum business value, Child says.
 
Child says that conference organisers have worked to produce an agenda which will provide insight and guidance to users of the various technology platforms and the opportunities that the acquisitions hold for them.
 
He notes that with the industry in a state of dynamic flux owing to Oracles aggressive acquisition strategy, the vendor has a lot to communicate about its vision for Fusion. Oracle now has a comprehensive and diverse suite of enterprise products. In this process towards fusion, the voice of the User Community is critical in raising concerns, issues and also providing guidance, he says.
 
Nicky Sheridan, Oracle vice-president, and MD of Oracle SA, adds: "All [Oracles] acquisitions have been made in consultation with customers which have provided input for upgrades and new releases. Their needs are paramount. South African customers are vocal and involved, and we encourage them to attend the conference and understand the considerable benefit that can be derived from being part of this community.
 
Child says Oracles speakers include Dr. Andrew Sutherland vice-president: technology solutions, Oracle EMEA, and Sergio Giacoletto executive vice-president of Oracle EMEA. Furthermore, the agenda includes presentations and papers from prominent Oracle users covering technology, applications and industry specific solutions. Regular features such as developer and tech days and mini labs will deliver practical content with a focused take home value, he concludes.