If you're an Oracle enterprise, and considering a system revamp or infrastructure replacement, there is one huge question you have to ask before making any decision: What version of Oracle software will that new machine run?

Right now Oracle-Sun's Exadata v2, for example, only runs the latest version of Oracle database software, v. 11GR2.

Now maybe your enterprise is one of the five percent or so that has upgraded to this latest version. But more than likely it hasn't and for good reason.

Most IT leaders shy from grabbing any brand-new enhanced application to avoid bugs and potential security issues and many don't have the manpower required to get acquainted with the new software.

And, when it comes to database systems, there is the important aspect of having customer applications certified to run on Oracle version 11GR2.

Changing up versions can be a major upgrade effort, and in that sense, the plug-and-play pitch of systems like Exadata clearly isn't so plug-and-play.

In comparison, IBM's database systems work well within a customer's environment and allow enterprises to run older versions of Oracle, such as 9g and 10g.

That means much less capital expense, better protection of data environments and a lot less migration issues.