You cannot compare the two adequately. Oracle Fusion Middleware is not a product -- it is an entire branch of products. Oracle Middleware includes, but is not limited to the following:
- WebLogic Suite (incl 11giAS)
- SOA Suite
- Developer Suite
- Identity and Access Management Suite
- Enterprise 2.0 (Web Center Suite)
- Business Intelligence (OBIEE)
- Business Process Architect (BPA) Suite
- Business Process Management (BPM) Suite
- Enterprisee Single Sign On Suite
- Oracle Coherent
- Oracle Business Rules
- Oracle Web Services Manager
- Oracle Data Integrator
- lots more...
You can read more on this at:
http://www.oracle.com/partners/en/knowledge-zone/middleware/030141.htm
Personally, I'm an Oracle guy...so let me tell you why I'd opt for Oracle:
If there is a product stack, Oracle will have one of the contenders for market share (or will be in the market for the number 1..2..3 product).
The mix and match days are over-rated. Whilst Oracle too expounds the virtues of their s/w as being hot pluggable with non oracle products, it is the integration of Oracle stacks which is a huge benefit. (e.g. if you have IDM and SOA, and are having trouble getting integrated, ORacle will help you).
The training is great. If you're looking at enterprise level product stack, your company should be an oracle partner (or is throwing money away on licences). With this comes Oracle.com/prtners -- the Oracle partner Network. You also get free Oracle Knowledge Center (which gives you access to Oracle 3000+ online courses free.
Oracle Support. Once you learn how to configure, log configuration, and report your issues properly, Oracle support is terrific. (But you MUST follow Oracle support protocol or you risk having your issues sit untouched).
Supportability - the s/w itself will be maintained for clearly defined period. You always know where you are and when you'll need to upgrade (or if you can risk not upgrading)
Integration - Yes -0 I said this...but I need to say it again. With each acquisition, Oracle re-delivers the last version of the given product stack integrated with many of its existing stack. The best example is the whole host of SOA, IDM, ECM, and BPM/BPA products.
performance - Remember, this stuff all integrates with the number one enterprise class database - Oracle. Performance benchmarks are consistently amongst the best in the world.
Scalability - for enterprise / commercial applications, few databases even compare with the scalability of Oracle
Virtualization - Admittedly, Oracle has lagged a bit behind here, and coupled with its pricing strategy for licenses, virtualiztion has been under-utilized. However, as I understand it, Oracle is/has recently released its own virtualization capabilities, which are more in line with its own product stack. Something a bit overdue IMHO.
Community - there are a whole host of oracle communities out there. OPN, OTN, OUG, ODTUG, etc. which discuss, promote, educate and support the implementation and usage of oracle products.
Oracle PTS Groups - if you are an oracle partner and implement the latest toolsets, You might be able to get on the Oracle PTS list and get free training (I got loads of training for my staff at my previous employer).
Oracle Insight - Oracle will come to your enterprise, listen to your woes and tell you which products will solve which problems. (Yes - an overblown sales call...but if you're in strategic positioning, this is still very useful and gets people talking about what is wrong and where your business really wants to go...instead of simply coping with day to day mundane production issues).
I could go on. Yes, I am an Oracle Evangelist. Yes, I am biased. But I am sure that any product that an opposing vendor has, Oracle has its counterpart. My view is, if you're going Oracle for database, go Oracle all the way.
