During Oracle’s recent Cloud launch, Larry Ellison claimed he started talking about ideas like cloud and the network computer almost 20 years ago.  Captured by Eric Savitz in his column in Forbes.com, Ellison said that he believed “Now the Internet has become…enormously complex on one side, but simple on the consumer side. Phones, tablets, browsers on a PC. That’s been recast as cloud computing. I am no longer resisting the name.”

Before anyone makes a joke about who really invented the Internet, I would rather focus on the idea that Oracle will now try to brand Cloud.  When large companies jump in with both feet into an emerging market, it usually means that the market may not be so emerging any more.  As such, this event spoke volumes about the progression and maturity of cloud computing as a market today.  And specifically for Oracle, it represents a move that extends beyond a land grab –it’s a brand grab.

Salesforce.com has been developing a rich story around cloud for more than a year.  I think that stage now has a very large and loud competitor trying to dominate what cloud means.

So the cloud computing wars have begun. Will we be dominated by one player? Will a group of experts emerge? Regardless, I for one will help remind people Oracle did not invent the Internet, nor did they invent cloud. Cloud computing was legitimate before Oracle introduced their cloud products.  Having them jump into the cloud fight however just adds more ideas and resources to foster adoption.  Thumbs up to Oracle joining the discussion.