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Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

cnbc.com

131–140 of 247 posts

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#131

Some useful context: Zoom also runs 17 of their own data centers in addition to using AWS and Azure[0]. This deal is to run their "expansion" on OCI. Hard to say what that means exactly, but it doesn't sound to me like Zoom is making a big bet on OCI. [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/zoom-cfo-explains-how-the-co...

This just doesn't pass the smell test. Running your own data center is a huge capital and operational investment. While there are hundreds of companies world wide that do this, they tend to be core telecommunication companies (infrastructure), dedicated data center operations, dedicate hosting companies or companies with billions in revenue.

A google search confirms that they colocate, apparently with Equinix. This is as far as running a data center as living in an apartment is to building and managing apartment buildings.

(Fun Fact, while Amazon does own and run its own data centers in most places, they're also colocating with Equinix in some regions (though I assume their level of colocation goes beyond traditional colocation)).

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#133

Why? Is it because of cost? Perhaps nepotism? I don' see a reason why Amazon or Azure would be passed over in favour of Oracle. Why wasn't GCP a contender either? Something seems fishy... someone from Zoom care to chime in? Maybe they are afraid that Amazon or Microsoft with their tradition of copying competition would pose a threat? Even then, Microsoft is already competing using Microsoft Teams and if Amazon wanted…

Worth noting (from the article): > Zoom already uses Amazon and Microsoft’s cloud services, but went with Oracle for its latest expansion. Remember that Oracle’s Capex spending on cloud is very small compared to AWS, Azure and GCP. Given Zoom’s growth it’s not likely they’ll choose an also-ran in the public cloud market as their sole supplier. Increasing optionality and maybe some access to Oracle marketing is likely…

> Increasing optionality and maybe some access to Oracle marketing is likely a bigger reason.

Yup, Larry Ellison himself recently endorsed Zoom, most likely as means to close the deal: https://youtu.be/u96GRtxBUUQ

Now they are in the news with this story ... that's valuable.

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is simply, they don't want to fund their own competitors. Microsoft is a direct competitor already (so is Google,) and who knows what Amazon will do. That really only leaves IBM and Oracle. I've always been baffled when someone hosts on their competitors' platform. Like Netflix hosting on AWS, and Grocery Stores hosting on AWS. Microsoft & Google rarely have that problem (except on this one.)

> I've always been baffled when someone hosts on their competitors' platform. Like Netflix hosting on AWS Netflix had a 5-day outage caused by issues with their private DC back in the day. IT mgmt. decided their expertise wasn't in operating DC's, SV real estate was too expensive, and doing multi-region themselves was too expensive. AWS was picked as it was the only viable cloud offering at the time, and the decision…

aws was used for storage and encoding initially. source: worked at aws

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#135
post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have lots of mini projects, so I am game to try it. Any cool things I might want to play with on there?

Try serveless function, how about moving your personal blog and website to always free tier?

I doubt you can do anything about it, but Oracle Cloud simply refuse to work with any of Russian credit cards. Registration simply fails at the end no matter what card is used and support send you to bank / payment provider and payment provider sent you back to Oracle.

I never had such problems with any other hosting company. I'm live between different countries so I registered it anyway, but still...

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is simply, they don't want to fund their own competitors. Microsoft is a direct competitor already (so is Google,) and who knows what Amazon will do. That really only leaves IBM and Oracle. I've always been baffled when someone hosts on their competitors' platform. Like Netflix hosting on AWS, and Grocery Stores hosting on AWS. Microsoft & Google rarely have that problem (except on this one.)

I’ve been impressed by what I’ve heard about Walmart. They apparently won’t even use a SaaS tool if it’s hosted on Amazon.

You can’t use AWS if you sell large amounts of stuff through Walmart either. One of my former clients demanded that we use Azure because of this.

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#137
post #131

Some useful context: Zoom also runs 17 of their own data centers in addition to using AWS and Azure[0]. This deal is to run their "expansion" on OCI. Hard to say what that means exactly, but it doesn't sound to me like Zoom is making a big bet on OCI. [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/zoom-cfo-explains-how-the-co...

This just doesn't pass the smell test. Running your own data center is a huge capital and operational investment. While there are hundreds of companies world wide that do this, they tend to be core telecommunication companies (infrastructure), dedicated data center operations, dedicate hosting companies or companies with billions in revenue. A google search confirms that they colocate, apparently with Equinix. This i…

I would imagine most of that AWS colo is for hybrid cloud products (Direct Connect/Outposts/etc.). It’s obviously possible but seems unlikely they would run an availability zone in a space unless they had complete and exclusive control over the physical plant.

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#138

I worked in a startup that was eventually acquired by cisco. We had the same dilemma back then. AWS and GCP were great, but also fairly expensive until you get locked in. Oracles bare metal cloud sweetened the deal soo much, that it was a no brainer to go with them. We were very heavy on using all open source tech stuff, but didnt rely on any cloud service like S3 etc. So the transition was no brainer. If your tech s…

Most cloud providers, Oracle included, have an S3 compatible object storage API - https://docs.cloud.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/Object/Task...

Even the few that don't, you can use something like Minio.

I wouldn't consider S3 something that requires lock in.

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe someone who actually works on Oracle cloud can jump in here and clarify. I'd love to, and I'm sure others would as well, but I'm not sure what can be said that wouldn't run afoul of legal.

The fact that you're afraid of what legal might think of your response says volumes in and of itself.

Which company employees aren't afraid of what legal might think?

Re: Zoom taps Oracle for cloud deal, passing over Amazon, Microsoft

#140
post #131

Some useful context: Zoom also runs 17 of their own data centers in addition to using AWS and Azure[0]. This deal is to run their "expansion" on OCI. Hard to say what that means exactly, but it doesn't sound to me like Zoom is making a big bet on OCI. [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/zoom-cfo-explains-how-the-co...

This just doesn't pass the smell test. Running your own data center is a huge capital and operational investment. While there are hundreds of companies world wide that do this, they tend to be core telecommunication companies (infrastructure), dedicated data center operations, dedicate hosting companies or companies with billions in revenue. A google search confirms that they colocate, apparently with Equinix. This i…

There was some leaked corp doc from Amazon (Wikileaks maybe?) that showed significant chunk of their DC space had a recognizable name attached to it, it looked a lot like they often just buy this stuff in too.
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