More cloud PLM from Oracle and Aras. Are we in cloud rush?

Cloud PLM is a trending topic among software vendors these days. As I mentioned earlier in my post, the question these days is not why should we do cloud PLM, but “how” to make it happen. PLM vendors are choosing different strategies and technologies for their cloud PLM solutions.

My attention was caught by two updates that came almost at the same time from Oracle and Aras. Both are related to cloud technologies and offerings.

Oracle blog article – How Oracle’s New PLM Cloud Solutions Help you Compete More Effectively speaks about Oracle PVC (product value chain) cloud, which contains there main cloud offering – product innovation cloud, product development cloud and oracle product hub cloud. The following passage explains it in details:

Start with one idea – or thousands. Select the best ideas that match product requirements using Oracle Innovation Management Cloud. Next, use the Oracle Product Development Cloud to classify and manage all the product’s components and manage costs and supply risk. The Oracle Social Network is included, so you can start conversations, find solutions, and make decisions fast. You’ll also have access to live infotiles, which provide the analytics you need to see when your product is ready for launch.When your product is ready to go, the Oracle Product Hub Cloud provides a single, protected view of your distribution, supplier, and channel partners. You can synchronize your commercialization network and launch new products on target.

The picture above gives you a visual impression. It interesting how magic word “cloud” added to every activity type that previously was just “management”. At the same time, we can see how Oracle product offering transformed. Navigate here to get more information about product service cost.

TenLinks article Aras Releases Microsoft Azure Certified Cloud PLM Suite is a second news in the domain of cloud PLM. Aras Corp was following their enterprise open source concept since 2007 is expanding and became available as cloud offering too.

The following passage highlight the advantage of cloud offering for global companies with the need to get fast ROI from PLM implementation.

Certified version of the Aras Innovator enterprise PLM solution in the Azure virtual machine gallery of cloud applications in the Azure Marketplace. The new Aras offering is ideal for global companies with an Azure account that need to quickly deploy a full PLM suite for the supply chain, joint ventures, fast moving product lines and other applications.

What is really interesting is to get more information about how many manufacturing global companies have Azure account. I wasn’t able to find this information. My hunch, Microsoft is actively focusing on large enterprises with cloud offerings.

Azure page with Aras offering is proposing to create virtual machine with Aras Innovator PLM suite 10. However, the information about pricing is somewhat confusing. Instead of almost traditional /per user /per month cost, it provides “computing cost” information. However, link “free trial” hints me that customers can do it for free at the beginning. More information is here.

What is my conclusion? It is fascinating to see how software vendors are shifting gears to leverage cloud technologies and change business models. Efficiency, competition, cost. These are things that absolutely important to manufacturing companies these days. Cloud PLM can be a technology and tool that will help customer to make it happen. PLM vendors are trying to turn cloud into their advantage. The technologies both Aras and Oracle are using are clearly different, but the underlining trend is clear. Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg