Oracle continues to push back distribution decision

Another deadline missed today as distributors' anxious wait is prolonged

Clock is ticking: Distributors have now been waiting more than two weeks for Sun to come to a decision

Distributors expecting to hear today if they were to be awarded a sought-after Oracle contract have been left on tenterhooks again, ChannelWeb understands.

Firms in the running are thought to include Arrow ECS, Avnet, Computer 2000 and Interface Solutions, with Oracle expected to appoint at least two to serve the UK market. After distributors completed a request for information process last month, a verdict was originally expected more than two weeks ago.

Sources have indicated that Oracle conducted another review on Friday, with distributors told to expect a decision today. Such a decision has not materialised.

Last week, Oracle unveiled lofty plans for the Sun Microsystems portfolio, six months after closing its acquisition of the hardware vendor. Onlookers have told ChannelWeb that the continual delays speak to the gravity with which Oracle is treating the distribution decision.

"If they were going to do something easy, the assumption is they would have done it by now," said one onlooker.