The Fusion Applications User Interface = Oracle WebCenter

WebCenter is a combination of JavaServer Faces development, the best features from various portal products, and a collection of horizontal web services. However, one needs to dig a bit deeper to really obtain a feel for the power of WebCenter.

According to Oracle, the WebCenter Suite architecture looks something like the following:

Keep in mind that this could change before the product release, which is scheduled for late 2006. Nevertheless, this should be fairly close to the delivered product.

So...why should we care about WebCenter? First, it is a progressive step in fulfilling the promise of using a single user interface to access business applications, enterprise content, business intelligence, web-centric applications, and your digital pictures of Uncle Fredo's dog. Second, because WebCenter will be the default user environment for Fusion Applications; we now have an idea of how Oracle expects users to interface with the next generation of apps...and it's very different from what any of us are doing today. In fact, if you've seen John Wookey's keynote address from OpenWorld 2006, you have some flavor of WebCenter and the change it will mean to the way we use applications.

You can learn more about the Oracle WebCenter Suite here.