Salesforce's Oracle Database Dependence: Can It Open Source Its Way Out?

Summary: Salesforce is acquiring a laundry list of databases: NoSQL, PostgreSQL and Oracle. Oracle, however, is rumored to have landed a nine figure deal from Salesforce. Ouch.

Salesforce has been increasingly looking into PostgreSQL, an open source database, and hiring people who could provide some alternative to Oracle. The rationale is clear: Salesforce needs to diversify away from Oracle's databases and potentially rearchitect for the future.

In a research note, JMP Securities analyst Patrick Walravens floated two tidbits about Salesforce, which acquired ExactTarget for $2.5 billion on Tuesday. Walravens noted...