Version 9 is integrated with Oracle's Fusion Middleware, a portfolio of server software that allows applications from different vendors to interoperate. The integration allows better use of other Oracle technologies, including XML Publisher, Business Activity Monitoring and Customer Data Hub, the company said.

According to Oracle, the Version 9 release adds features related to corporate governance and compliance, CRM improvements for customer service agents, and enterprise-level planning. Through Version 9 the company has also expanded capabilities for areas such as the public sector, health care, financial services, communications and higher education.

Oracle completed a $10.3 billion buyout of PeopleSoft in January 2005 and has told its customers that it will continue to support the products from its former competitor. Along with PeopleSoft, Oracle also gobbled up Siebel Systems and J.D. Edwards, sparking concerns over the fate of those vendors' product lines. But Oracle officials have pledged to move forward with new product releases, including Siebel's Version 8 line and Version 12 of Oracle's own CRM software.

Oracle has recently offered some insight as to how its various application suites will be merged into the forthcoming Fusion family. According to Oracle officials, Siebel's software, considered to be one of the strongest CRM offerings in the industry, will be used as the core and merged with the best functions and design elements donated from Oracle's E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft CRM and J.D. Edwards CRM.

Oracle has stressed that Fusion will be developed with an eye toward the SOA model, working with standards such as Business Process Execution Language and XML. The Fusion applications are expected in 2008.