In between all the SAP Business Objects pontifications, I just noticed this morning that Oracle has bought LogicalApps. This seems to be a rather delayed response to SAP’s acquisition of Virsa nearly 2 years ago, and another catch up attempt. In SAPspeak this would be a “tuck-in” but it is also an admission from Oracle that SAP is winning in the GRC space. It is a defensive play, and won’t really strengthen Oracle’s position beyond its core Oracle financials users. Nevetheless it makes sense.
LogicalApps plays in the SOX 404 and financial closing space, and from my understanding mainly sells to Oracle customers, and does well at it. Logicalapps has itself grown by acquistion, having bought Applimation earlier this year. Interesting also to see the focus on OMB A-123, a US public sector regulation. The customer base seems to be overwhelmingly US based. I’d not heard of them in a European context.
Over the last 4 years or so, there has been an explosion of GRC related vendors.Despite a rapidly growing market, more consolidation is likely. Perhaps I’m misreading this, but the venture funded 150 odd employee 300 customer, IPO unlikely for a while company is a tough place to be. Chasm jumping and all that.
I look forward to reading the Approva Audit Trail blog take on this. Perhaps Mark Crofton could take a pause from winning GRC deals and do a post too?
Vendorprisey 
A forrester report study says that GRC market is worth around $10 billion. So should be Oracle more agressive in this space. 2 years is too long time in enteprise software market.
Ask and you shall receive… here’s my thoughts on the LogicalApps purchase: http://www.approva.net/audittrail/2007/10/11/oracle-buys-logicalapps-approva-remains-the-land-of-freedom/