SAP ultimately admitted liability for TomorrowNow's actions and a jury awarded it $1.3 billion last year. SAP is hoping to get that judgment reduced significantly, and has not ruled out an appeal of the case.
In 2009, Oracle also sued Rimini Street, which is led by TomorrowNow co-founder Seth Ravin, saying it had essentially duplicated TomorrowNow's business model. Rimini Street has denied any wrongdoing and countersued Oracle, charging it with anticompetitive practices.
While Ravin previously told IDG News Service that due to the lawsuit "probably a dozen deals went sideways," the privately held company has reported steady growth and is reportedly eyeing an eventual IPO (initial public offering).
Observers believe the Oracle case's outcome could set some clear ground rules for the overall third-party maintenance market, which remains quite small. Other players besides Rimini Street include Cedar Crestone and netCustomer.
Rimini Street did not address the litigation during the webcast Tuesday. A spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris's email address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com
