Larry Ellison's 2019 keynote - Daring
Watching Keynote session is always inspiring. Be it Steve Jobs, Sundar Pichai or our own Larry Ellison. Larry has a reputation for being a showman, and his presentations are often filled with bold claims and direct shots at competitors. That was certainly the case with the memorable Larry Ellison keynote highlight from 2019.
The presentation was a landmark moment for Oracle, packed with big ideas that got lost in jargon for many viewers. But what did it all really mean for businesses and the future of the cloud? Lets break it all down.
Oracle's Big Claim: The World's First Autonomous Database
The centerpiece of Ellison's talk was the Oracle Autonomous Database. He called it the world's first and only of its kind. So, what exactly does "autonomous" mean in this context?
Think of it like the shift from regular cars to self-driving cars. Ellison argued that for decades, databases needed constant human supervision. People had to manage, secure, and repair them, which left a lot of room for human error.
The autonomous database aims to change all that. It's built to be self-driving, self-securing, and self-repairing. This concept attempts to automate the routine database administration tasks that occupy so much time for IT departments.
Self-Driving Features
The "self-driving" part handles database management for you. This includes provisioning, securing, monitoring, backing up, and troubleshooting. The system uses advanced machine learning algorithms to learn and adapt to your specific workloads.
This means it automatically tunes itself for the best possible performance without human intervention. The database can create its own indexes, manage resources, and optimize query plans on the fly. This frees up database administrators to focus on more strategic work.
They can spend their time on things like data modeling, application design, and helping programmers with data analytics. According to Oracle's own studies, this automation can significantly cut down on administration time. This lets valuable tech talent work on projects that directly generate revenue instead of just keeping the lights on.
A Focus on Self-Securing
Maybe the most compelling part of the pitch was the "self-securing" capability. The database automatically encrypts all its data, both at rest and in transit. But the real game-changer is its ability to patch itself while it is running.
You might remember the massive Equifax data breach in 2017. That disaster, which exposed the personal information of millions, happened because the company failed to apply a critical security patch in time. Ellison uses this example to show why manual patching is a dangerous and outdated model for data security.
The Oracle Autonomous Database uses automated patching against new threats without any downtime. This removes the risk of a human forgetting or delaying a critical update, which is a major source of vulnerabilities. As the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency often reports, unpatched systems are a leading cause of security breaches.
The Promise of Self-Repairing
Finally, "self-repairing" means the database can automatically detect and fix problems. It offers protection from all types of failures. This includes system failures and even local data center outages.
This automation is designed to deliver very high availability. Oracle's service level agreement, or SLA, promises 99.995% uptime. That translates to less than two and a half minutes of total downtime a year, planned or unplanned.
This resilience is achieved through technologies like Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC), which allows a single database to run across a cluster of servers. If one server fails, the system instantly fails over to a healthy one with no interruption. For any business that depends on its data, minimizing downtime is crucial, as it can damage a company's reputation and lead to serious financial losses.
A Deep Dive into Oracle's Gen 2 Cloud Infrastructure
Behind the autonomous database is another big idea Ellison presented: the Oracle Gen 2 Cloud Infrastructure. He positioned it as fundamentally different from first-generation clouds like Amazon Web Services. But what makes its cloud infrastructure "Gen 2"?
The primary difference lies in the architecture. It was designed from the ground up with a major focus on security. Ellison explained that Gen 1 clouds were built on an architecture where user code and cloud control code share the same computer, separated only by a software hypervisor.
He argues this creates a major security vulnerability. If an attacker gets into one customer's part of the cloud, they could potentially move through the network to attack other customers or even the cloud provider's core systems. This type of threat is known as lateral movement within a network.
Isolating for Security
Oracle's Gen 2 Cloud takes a different approach. It uses a design that puts an impassable barrier between your code and the cloud provider's code. This is called off-box network virtualization.
In simple terms, the computers that run your applications are completely separate from the computers that run Oracle's cloud management software. This physical separation is designed to stop attackers in their tracks. They cannot move from a customer's compromised application into Oracle's own cloud infrastructure.
This structure also protects customers from each other. An attack on one company's server cannot spread to another's. It's like having your own isolated computer within the cloud, creating a much more secure environment for your data and applications.
Bare Metal and Performance
Another point Ellison highlighted was the availability of bare metal servers. A bare metal server is a physical computer dedicated entirely to a single customer. You get full control over the hardware without any virtualization software layer.
This gives you a few key advantages. You don't have a "noisy neighbor," which is another customer's application that is using too many resources and slowing you down. This also eliminates the "hypervisor tax," which is the performance overhead that comes with running virtualization software.
You also get better and more consistent performance for demanding jobs. Workloads that require intense computing power, like high-performance computing, large-scale databases, or AI model training, run much better on bare metal. This setup, combined with the secure architecture, formed the foundation of Oracle's performance and security claims against competitors.
Analyzing the Oracle vs. AWS Showdown in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO_KZZRSFvU
The keynote wasn't just about explaining Oracle's technology. It was also a direct and aggressive AWS comparison against the cloud market leader. Ellison presented a series of benchmarks and arguments to make his case.
He was not shy about naming AWS and claiming Oracle's superiority in several key areas. The main battlegrounds were performance, cost, and security. It was a classic challenger speech aimed at getting people to question the status quo.
Performance and Cost Claims
A significant part of the talk focused on showing performance charts. Ellison claimed that the Oracle Autonomous Database running on its Gen 2 Cloud was drastically faster and cheaper than similar services on AWS. The benchmarks covered common database tasks.
He highlighted comparisons for online transaction processing workloads. These are the quick, everyday transactions that power things like e-commerce and banking. The slides he showed claimed Oracle's database could handle these tasks at a fraction of the cost of Amazon's Aurora, Redshift, and Athena services, impacting overall cloud costs for customers.
Here is a simplified look at the type of claims he made:
| Database Service | Claimed Oracle Advantage | Key Ellison Point |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Aurora | Much lower cost for the same performance. | "Their database costs more and is not autonomous." |
| AWS Redshift | Significantly faster for data warehousing. | "We run analytic queries much, much faster." |
| AWS Athena | Dramatically cheaper for running queries. | "The bills on AWS get very high, very fast." |
It's important to note that benchmarks released by any tech company should be viewed with healthy skepticism. Companies often design tests that highlight the strengths of their own products. But the claims were certainly designed to get the attention of any CFO or CTO watching.
The Security Argument Revisited
Ellison's security argument was simple and powerful. He said that Gen 1 clouds were vulnerable by design. He stated that the most important data in the world runs on Oracle databases and must be protected.
He leveraged the shared responsibility model used by most cloud providers. This model defines which security tasks are handled by the cloud provider and which are handled by the customer. According to Amazon's own documentation on the model, the customer is responsible for security "in" the cloud, like patching their operating systems.
Oracle's argument is that its autonomous technology handles much of the customer's security burden automatically. By automating patching for both the database and the operating system, Oracle reduces the chance of human error. Ellison capped this argument with a bold statement: no one has ever broken in and stolen data from an Oracle Autonomous Database.
Autonomous Linux: What's the Big Deal?
Toward the end, Ellison announced Autonomous Linux. This extended the "autonomous" concept from the database all the way down to the operating system. It was a logical next step in his security narrative.
Just like the database, Oracle Autonomous Linux patches and tunes itself while it's running. There is no downtime and no human labor required to keep it secure. An insecure operating system can easily undermine even the most secure database, so protecting the full stack is critical.
This capability is made possible by a technology called Oracle Ksplice. Ksplice lets administrators apply critical security updates to the Linux kernel without needing to reboot the system. For companies that need their systems running 24/7, this is a massive advantage.
The Broader Context: Why Does This 2019 Keynote Still Matter?
Watching a keynote from several years ago might seem like a history lesson. But the themes from this talk are more relevant now than ever before. It laid out a strategy that Oracle has been executing on ever since.
The relentless focus on automation and security has become a central talking point in the entire cloud industry. As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, the idea of a system that can defend itself is incredibly appealing. Data privacy regulations have also made data security a top priority for boards of directors everywhere.
This keynote also marked a turning point in Oracle's competitive tone. The company moved from defending its legacy business to aggressively attacking the cloud leaders. It was a declaration that Oracle planned to compete on its own terms, focusing on enterprise workloads where it has always been strong.
Since 2019, the cloud market has continued to evolve. While Oracle hasn't overtaken the top players, it has seen steady growth. Recent reports from firms like Synergy Research Group show that Oracle is holding its own and growing its cloud market share, particularly in the enterprise space. The vision Ellison laid out is a key part of that story.
Conclusion
Larry Ellison's 2019 keynote was a masterclass in technology marketing. It was bold, competitive, and centered on a few easy-to-understand ideas: self-driving automation, ironclad security, and better performance at a lower cost. He presented a clear vision of a smarter, more secure cloud built for the most important business applications.
The claims made in his presentation were designed to make every CIO and IT manager reconsider their cloud strategy. He effectively used direct comparisons and strong statements to command attention in a crowded market. It was a defining moment for Oracle's push into the cloud.
Whether you agree with all his points or not, the keynote perfectly framed the battle for the future of enterprise computing. The core principles of security, automation, and performance he discussed continue to shape how businesses evaluate and adopt cloud technology today.
Nothing is too late ...
At age 23, Tina Fey was working at a YMCA.
At age 23, Oprah was fired from her first reporting job.
At age 24, Stephen King was working as a janitor and living in a trailer.
At age 27, Vincent Van Gogh failed as a missionary and decided to go to art school.
At age 28, J.K. Rowling was a suicidal single parent living on welfare.
At age 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter.
At age 37, Ang Lee was a stay-at-home-dad working odd jobs.
Julia Child released her first cookbook at age 39, and got her own cooking show at age 51.
Vera Wang failed to make the Olympic figure skating team, didn’t get the Editor-in-Chief position at Vogue, and designed her first dress at age 40.
Stan Lee didn’t release his first big comic book until he was 40.
Alan Rickman gave up his graphic design career and landed his first movie role at age 42.
Samuel L. Jackson didn’t get his first major movie role until he was 46.
Morgan Freeman landed his first major movie role at age 52.
Whatever your dream is, it is not too late to achieve it.
Never tell yourself you’re too old to make it.
Never tell yourself you missed your chance.
Never tell yourself that you aren’t good enough.
You can do it. Whatever it is.
Why he sold his house to educate youth in rural India ?
Pranjal Dubey, a 40-year-old techie gave up his job at SAP SE (German MNC) and sold his house to teach the youth of his ancestral village.He dreamt of providing better job opportunities and improving the life of rural youth of Sandalpur village (Dewas district). To fulfill his dream, he literally gave up everything he had. Today, more than 100 students of his college are currently working with IT giants like SAP, Cognizant and many others."Leaving my job was not an easy decision and selling your only house in city was a difficult decision to take. But I feel all of us have to take some decisions which are at times difficult ," he said.Bootstrapping Sant Singaji Institute of Science and Management (SSISM) in Sandalpur for education of rural youth changed the life of this technocrat."It took almost two years for me and my family to understand what I was doing and what I wanted to do after leaving a life in Bengaluru that most guys often dreams of," he added.After starting their first batch in 2010, Pranjal took the whole team of 50 students to Bengaluru and many other cities across the country so that the students would dream of something big in their life. "It wasn't an easy thing for me to connect with the rural youth. My background, upbringing was completely different from what these kids had seen. To ignite their dreams I took them to multinationals like Infosys, Biocon, SAP and many other firms where they could see what all happens and see the bigger picture," added Pranjal.He further added even today, girl education is one of the biggest challenges that he is facing. "To convince parents of girls in villages and assure the security of their daughters is still a constant struggle for me," he said.Six years after his struggle, many students of this institute are placed at multinationals and are earning good."Today when I see these kids and their achievements, it makes me realize that I have done something for them. Each member of a family who is doing well is a role model for his family and that brings the difference," he said.Covering almost 200 villages across various districts and with strength of 1,000 students in the institute, this young techie feels that degree selling institutes are one of the biggest challenges for them."Villagers get attracted when they hear about degrees. But they often forget that in the current scenario being a degree holder is no big deal. Even today majority of youths in this area still lack in communication, presentation and many other aspects,"He further said that all this can be improved only if we provide good exposure and practical opportunities to students.With support of his mother Kalpana Dubey, 61 and wife Amita Dubey, 37 this young techie has been able to achieve his dreams. "This wasn't an easy journey for both of us and even for the family. The first decision was that we had to change our lifestyle from leading a comfortable life in Bengaluru to a life which was not really so easy," said Amita. She further said that it was only because of his happiness that family supported him. "I just told him that if you are happy then I am with you and come what may we will be together," she added.
Sikh religion...
क्या आप जानते हैं विश्व की सबसे मंहंगी जगह ( ज़मीन ) 'सरहिंद' (पंजाब), जिला फतेहगढ़ साहब में है - जो मात्र 4 स्क्वेयर मीटर है।
क्यों हुई ये छोटी सी ज़मीन सबसे महंगी जरूर जानिये - रोंगटे खड़े कर देनें वाली ऐतिहासिक घटना।
यहां पर श्री गुरुगोबिंद सिंह जी के छोटे साहिबजादों का अंतिम संस्कार किया गया था।
सेठ दीवान टोंडर मल ने यह जगह 78000 सोने की मोहरे (सिक्के)
जमीन पर फैला कर मुस्लिम बादशाह से ज़मीन खरीदी थी।
सोने की कीमत के मुताबिक इस 4 स्कवेयर मीटर जमीन
की कीमत 2500000000 (दो अरब पचास करोड़) बनती है।
दुनिया की सबसे मंहंगी जगह खरीदने का रिकॉर्ड आज सिख धर्म के इतिहास में दर्ज करवाया गया है। आजतक दुनिया के
इतिहास में इतनी मंहंगी जगह कही नही खरीदी गयी।
दुनिया के इतिहास में ऐसा युद्ध ना कभी किसी ने पढ़ा होगा ना ही सोचा होगा, जिसमे 10 लाख
की फ़ौज का सामना महज 42 लोगों के साथ हुआ था
और जीत किसकी होती है..??
उन 42 सूरमो की !
यह युद्ध 'चमकौर युद्ध' (Battle of Chamkaur) के नाम से भी जाना जाता है जो कि मुग़ल योद्धा वज़ीर खान
की अगवाई में 10 लाख की फ़ौज का सामना सिर्फ 42 सिखों के सामने 6 दिसम्बर 1704 को हुआ जो की गुरु
गोबिंद सिंह जी की अगवाई में तैयार हुए थे ! नतीजा यह निकलता है की उन 42 शूरवीर की जीत होती है
जो की मुग़ल हुकूमत की नीव जो की बाबर ने रखी थी , उसे जड़ से उखाड़ दिया और भारत को आज़ाद भारत का दर्ज़ा दिया।
औरंगज़ेब ने भी उस वक़्त गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी के आगे घुटने टेके और मुग़ल राज का अंत हुआ हिन्दुस्तान से ।
तभी औरंगजेब ने एक प्रश्न किया गुरुगोबिंद सिंह जी के सामने। कि यह कैसी फ़ौज तैयार की आपने जिसने 10 लाख की फ़ौज को उखाड़ फेंका।
गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी ने जवाब दिया
"चिड़ियों से मैं बाज लडाऊं , गीदड़ों को मैं शेर बनाऊ।"
"सवा लाख से एक लडाऊं तभी गोबिंद सिंह नाम कहाउँ !!"
गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी ने जो कहा वो किया, जिन्हे आज हर कोई
शीश झुकता है , यह है हमारे भारत की अनमोल विरासत जिसे हमने कभी पढ़ा ही नहीं !
***कुछ आगे ***चमकौर साहिब की जमीन आगे चलकर एक सिख परिवार ने खरीदी उनको इसके इतिहास का कुछ पता नहीं था ।
इस परिवार में आगे चलकर जब उनको पता चला के यहाँ गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी के दो बेटे शहीद हुए है तो उन्हों ने यह जमीन गुरु जी के बेटो की यादगार ( गुरुद्वारा साहिब) के लिए देने का मन बनाया ....
जब अरदास करने के समय उस सिख से पूछा गया के अरदास में उनके लिए गुरु साहिब से क्या बेनती करनी है ....तो उस सिख ने कहा के गुरु जी से बेनती करनी है के मेरे घर कोई औलाद ना हो ताकि मेरे वंश में कोई भी यह कहने वाला ना हो के यह जमीन मेरे बाप दादा ने दी है।
वाहेगुरु....और यही अरदास हुई और बिलकुल ऐसा ही हुआ उन सिख के घर कोई औलाद नहीं हुई......अब हम अपने बारे में सोचे 50....100 रु. दे कर क्या माँगते है ।
वाहे गुरु....
वाहेगुरु जी का खालसा,
वाहेगुरु जी की फतेह जी
क्यों हुई ये छोटी सी ज़मीन सबसे महंगी जरूर जानिये - रोंगटे खड़े कर देनें वाली ऐतिहासिक घटना।
यहां पर श्री गुरुगोबिंद सिंह जी के छोटे साहिबजादों का अंतिम संस्कार किया गया था।
सेठ दीवान टोंडर मल ने यह जगह 78000 सोने की मोहरे (सिक्के)
जमीन पर फैला कर मुस्लिम बादशाह से ज़मीन खरीदी थी।
सोने की कीमत के मुताबिक इस 4 स्कवेयर मीटर जमीन
की कीमत 2500000000 (दो अरब पचास करोड़) बनती है।
दुनिया की सबसे मंहंगी जगह खरीदने का रिकॉर्ड आज सिख धर्म के इतिहास में दर्ज करवाया गया है। आजतक दुनिया के
इतिहास में इतनी मंहंगी जगह कही नही खरीदी गयी।
दुनिया के इतिहास में ऐसा युद्ध ना कभी किसी ने पढ़ा होगा ना ही सोचा होगा, जिसमे 10 लाख
की फ़ौज का सामना महज 42 लोगों के साथ हुआ था
और जीत किसकी होती है..??
उन 42 सूरमो की !
यह युद्ध 'चमकौर युद्ध' (Battle of Chamkaur) के नाम से भी जाना जाता है जो कि मुग़ल योद्धा वज़ीर खान
की अगवाई में 10 लाख की फ़ौज का सामना सिर्फ 42 सिखों के सामने 6 दिसम्बर 1704 को हुआ जो की गुरु
गोबिंद सिंह जी की अगवाई में तैयार हुए थे ! नतीजा यह निकलता है की उन 42 शूरवीर की जीत होती है
जो की मुग़ल हुकूमत की नीव जो की बाबर ने रखी थी , उसे जड़ से उखाड़ दिया और भारत को आज़ाद भारत का दर्ज़ा दिया।
औरंगज़ेब ने भी उस वक़्त गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी के आगे घुटने टेके और मुग़ल राज का अंत हुआ हिन्दुस्तान से ।
तभी औरंगजेब ने एक प्रश्न किया गुरुगोबिंद सिंह जी के सामने। कि यह कैसी फ़ौज तैयार की आपने जिसने 10 लाख की फ़ौज को उखाड़ फेंका।
गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी ने जवाब दिया
"चिड़ियों से मैं बाज लडाऊं , गीदड़ों को मैं शेर बनाऊ।"
"सवा लाख से एक लडाऊं तभी गोबिंद सिंह नाम कहाउँ !!"
गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी ने जो कहा वो किया, जिन्हे आज हर कोई
शीश झुकता है , यह है हमारे भारत की अनमोल विरासत जिसे हमने कभी पढ़ा ही नहीं !
***कुछ आगे ***चमकौर साहिब की जमीन आगे चलकर एक सिख परिवार ने खरीदी उनको इसके इतिहास का कुछ पता नहीं था ।
इस परिवार में आगे चलकर जब उनको पता चला के यहाँ गुरु गोबिंद सिंह जी के दो बेटे शहीद हुए है तो उन्हों ने यह जमीन गुरु जी के बेटो की यादगार ( गुरुद्वारा साहिब) के लिए देने का मन बनाया ....
जब अरदास करने के समय उस सिख से पूछा गया के अरदास में उनके लिए गुरु साहिब से क्या बेनती करनी है ....तो उस सिख ने कहा के गुरु जी से बेनती करनी है के मेरे घर कोई औलाद ना हो ताकि मेरे वंश में कोई भी यह कहने वाला ना हो के यह जमीन मेरे बाप दादा ने दी है।
वाहेगुरु....और यही अरदास हुई और बिलकुल ऐसा ही हुआ उन सिख के घर कोई औलाद नहीं हुई......अब हम अपने बारे में सोचे 50....100 रु. दे कर क्या माँगते है ।
वाहे गुरु....
वाहेगुरु जी का खालसा,
वाहेगुरु जी की फतेह जी
Sunaa hai .... by Ahmad Faraz...
Just found some beautiful lines of Janab Ahmad Faraz ....
sunaa hai log use aankh bhar ke dekhte hain
so us ke shah’r mein kuchh din Thahar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai rabt(closeness) hai us ko Kharaab haalon se
so apne aap ko barbaad kar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai bole to baaton se phuul jhhaRte hain
ye baat hai to chalo baat kar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai us ke badan ke taraash aise hain
ke phuul apanii qabaayeN(tunic) katar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai log use aankh bhar ke dekhte hain
so us ke shah’r mein kuchh din Thahar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai rabt(closeness) hai us ko Kharaab haalon se
so apne aap ko barbaad kar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai bole to baaton se phuul jhhaRte hain
ye baat hai to chalo baat kar ke dekhte hain
sunaa hai us ke badan ke taraash aise hain
ke phuul apanii qabaayeN(tunic) katar ke dekhte hain
Outsourcing to India - Beware of pitfalls
Outsourcing is not the new word in IT anymore. Roughly $300bn was spent in 2015 on global IT sourcing services. Out of which total contract value was around $70bn so stats speak for itself. But size of industry has nothing to do with the individual success though it clearly emphasize the needs of dos and dont of outsourcing industry.
Post failure statements from Ole Aleksander Mortensen, TOMRA :
We were not comfortable with continuing the process with the Indians. We had lost confidence.
We have made further progress in five months with a small team here at home than we did during the two years of the Indian company,
"The mistake companies make is that they do not see differences in the work culture in other countries and the problems it causes" - Steinar Koffeld, Vivende(which helped Tamara)
Post failure, Tomra has following advice for others :
- Understand requirements for formality in the agreements in the current low-cost countries
- Use a lot of time on the agreement with the company you outsource to.
- Use extreme with time specification of the agreement.
- Important to have enough 'onsite' resources so that the communication flows between the company and the supplier. Have earmarked employees who work closely with the company you have outsourced to.
- Anchor solution internally, so that everyone who will work with the process understand why the outsourcer and that they support this.
My experience with Norway says that here the trend is to integrate one business service to another business service. In other words more B2B integration is being sought for. B2C is not the area where Norwegian companies are outsourcing but B2B.As norwegian companies are concerned about the long term commitments and lack of comprehensive development and maintenance expenditure so companies prefer to try outsourcing B2B model and select the IT service provider which has been tested and succeeded in nordic market.Norwegian companies does not believe in relinquishing control to IT outsourcing provider and so mainly keep their own key people and also invite key members of outsourcing team for onsite experience. Surely it helps in understanding as cultural gaps can be minimized.
Sometimes IT outsourcing works and sometimes it does not work.When it doesn't work then usual biggest reason is delayed project delivery(i.e lack of project mgmt) on vendor's side and cultural differences.Here is the example Tomra production ( https://www.tomra.com ) which failed in its outsourcing venture. Here is how it story :
Tomra offers food shop and customers advanced solutions for monitoring and operation of 75000 reverse vending machines around the world.Tomra outsourced development of a new computer system to an Indian IT company. For 2 years they kept the Indian company on the project, dozens of employees worked in both India and Norway.After two years of collaboration Tomra canceled the outsourcing agreement. While reflecting upon the failure, Tomra management gave following 4 prime reasons :
Failure-1: Tomra thought they would get access to unique IT expertise and increased capacity using outsourcing. Which they could not manage.
Failure-2: Tomra couldn't document the requirements in such a way that could manage the ambiguity and rework( and consequently delay in delivery)
Failure-3: Tomra believes that geographical distance in addition made cooperation difficult.
Failure-4: Outsourcing provider's staff had a different attitude to ask critical questions about bosses and customers. They said yes to suggestions and input from Tomra when they should have said no.
Post failure statements from Ole Aleksander Mortensen, TOMRA :
We were not comfortable with continuing the process with the Indians. We had lost confidence.
We have made further progress in five months with a small team here at home than we did during the two years of the Indian company,
Post failure, Tomra has following advice for others :
- Understand requirements for formality in the agreements in the current low-cost countries
- Use a lot of time on the agreement with the company you outsource to.
- Use extreme with time specification of the agreement.
- Important to have enough 'onsite' resources so that the communication flows between the company and the supplier. Have earmarked employees who work closely with the company you have outsourced to.
- Anchor solution internally, so that everyone who will work with the process understand why the outsourcer and that they support this.
So is it all about work culture or cultural gap ? No, it is not. And of course it is not about Indians too. It is ALL about project management.
Living a lost dream - Pottery
There are things that we wanted to do in life but somehow we never get the right opportunity and time to fulfil these small wishes and time flows like river. Ever since I was a kid I was fascinated by pottery to be specific 'Kullar' ( local indian handmade tea cup made of clay) . There were many potters living near to my grandfather's house so I watched them very closely. Never had the courage to let my feelings exposed to the world.
Few days back on FB, I got know about the workshop where a polish artist Izabela Baranska invited the enthusiasts to come and join the pottery workshop and somehow I could not stop myself but registered for it.
Few days back on FB, I got know about the workshop where a polish artist Izabela Baranska invited the enthusiasts to come and join the pottery workshop and somehow I could not stop myself but registered for it.
How to find jobs in Norway ?
Where to find available jobs ?
Research shows that as much as 60 % of all available jobs are never advertised through the regular channels. This number may be a bit too high, but the fact remains that many vacancies are never published.
How do you find jobs that are not advertised? Be creative and use as many different channels as possible. Take direct contact with employers and send open applications or presentations of your qualifications. If you already have contacts in Norway, use them to get information about job seeking.
Often there will be many applicants for jobs that have been advertised. You will find many of these advertisements in Norwegian newspapers, but it is becoming increasingly common to use the Internet as a channel for advertising. Many vacancies are now only published via company web sites, and some companies will only accept applications submitted through their own electronic application system.
Trade unions can also be good sources of information. Use Internet search engines and branch registers such as the Norwegian Yellow Pages (www.gulesider.no), to find relevant company web sites and contact information.
The largest Norwegian vacancy database is www.nav.no, but there are several others. You can also call the NAV Service Centre EURES on tel.: +47 800 33 166 to ask about vacancies.
Source: www.nav.no
- www.nav.no
- www.eures.no
- www.careerjet.no
- www.deltidsjobb.no
- www.finn.no/jobb/
- www.iktjobb.no
- www.ingeniørstillinger.no
- www.inkludi.no
- www.jobbdirekte.no
- www.jobbnorge.no
- www.jobbsafari.no
- www.jobbsøk.no
- www.jobb24.no
- www.journalisten.no
- www.karriereguiden.no
- www.karrierelink.no
- www.karrierestart.no
- www.lederjobb.no
- www.legejobber.no
- www.medrec.no
- www.monster.no
- www.norwaypost.no/jobs-in-norway.html （English)
- www.rubrikk.no/ledig-stilling-jobb/
- www.statsjobb.no
- www.stepstone.no
- www.stillinger.no
- www.traineeguiden.no
- www.tu.no/jobb/
- www.universitetstillinger.no/ledige-stillinger
- www.zett.no/vis/rubrikk/jobb.html
* www.academicwork.no
* www.adecco.no
* www.aktiv-personell.no
* www.backup-personell.no
* www.elanit.no
* www.personalhuset.no
* www.Pipeline.no
* www.proffice.no
* www.kellyservices.no
* www.manpower.no
* www.temp-team.no
* www.xtrapersonell.no
* www.adecco.no
* www.aktiv-personell.no
* www.backup-personell.no
* www.elanit.no
* www.personalhuset.no
* www.Pipeline.no
* www.proffice.no
* www.kellyservices.no
* www.manpower.no
* www.temp-team.no
* www.xtrapersonell.no
If you have a higher education, it is recommended that you apply for general recognition of your education before/when you apply for jobs in Norway. The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) provides general recognition (level and scope) of higher education from other countries. This means that NOKUT can grant you credits and, if applicable, provide general recognition of your education/degree as being equivalent to a university college degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or a PhD degree. See www.nokut.no for further information.
Source: www.nyinorge.no
Residence permits: If you intend to work in Norway for more than three months, you will need to registrate with the police.
Contact the local police office or a Service Centre for Foreign Workers , to apply. Bring a valid passport and/or ID-card and your working contract.
Special rules apply for nationals from the new EEA-member countries Bulgaria and Romania. You will need to apply for a residence permit, and may start working as soon as you have submitted an accurately completed application with all the necessary documents enclosed.
Check with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for more information about how to apply and for actual forms.
Tax card and national ID-number: When you work for a Norwegian employer you are required to pay tax here. Therefore you will also need to apply for a tax deduction card at the tax assessment office where you live. To do so you will need to present your passport, as well as complete an application form ("Skjema RF-1209"). Also bring a valid residence permit if you have one. Once you have been issued a tax deduction card, you should give this to your employer.
Together with your Tax card you will also apply for a national ID-number or D-number (for persons residing in Norway 6 months or less). The national ID-number or D-number is stated on your tax deduction card and is used to identify you to the authorities.
If you will be staying in Norway for more than 6 months, you will need to report a change of address at your local tax office.
If you are in Oslo, you might apply for both a tax card and the ID- or D-number as well as report the change of address to The National Population Registry at the Service Centre for Foreign Workers.
Bank: In order to receive your salary, you need to open a Norwegian bank account. Note that most banks will require an ID-number or D-number as well as your passport as identification. Also bring your working contract. It is a good idea to check with more than one bank to get the best terms.
National Insurance: As a rule all persons working in Norway are automatically insured under the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from their first day of work. This is administered by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service (NAV). You can obtain further information at your local NAV office.
As an employee you are obliged to pay a national insurance contribution. This amounts to 7.8 per cent of your wages, and is deducted together with tax withholdings. If you do not pay tax to Norway, the national insurance contribution is to be paid to your local NAV office. As a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme you will be entitled to benefits according to the Norwegian national insurance legislation. If, for example, you need to see a doctor, you are entitled to use the Norwegian health services in the same way as residents of Norway.
If you wish to apply for a Norwegian Health Insurance Card, or need information on health services, please contact the NAV Health Service Administration Service Centre.
If you are entitled to child benefits or cash benefit you will need to apply for this at your local NAV office.
Types of NRI accounts in India
1. Non-Resident (External) Rupee Accounts (NRE Accounts)
NRIs, PIOs, OCBs are eligible to open NRE Accounts. These are rupee denominated accounts. Accounts can be in the form of savings, current, recurring or fixed deposit accounts. Accounts can be opened by remittance of funds in free foreign exchange. Foreign exchange brought in legally, repatriable incomes
of the account holder, etc. can be credited to the account. Joint operation with other NRIs/PIOs is permitted. Power of attorney can be granted to residents for operation of accounts. The deposits can be used for all legitimate purposes. The balance in the account is freely reportable. Interest lying to the credit of NRE accounts is exempt from tax in the hands of the NRI. Funds held in NRE accounts may be freely transferred to FCNR accounts of the same account holder. Likewise, funds held in FCNR accounts may be transferred to NRE accounts of the same account holders.
2. Ordinary Non-Resident Rupee Accounts (NRO Accounts)
These are Rupee denominated non-reportable accounts and can be in the form of savings, current recurring or fixed deposits. These accounts can be opened jointly with residents in India. When an Indian National/PIO resident in India leaves for taking up employment, etc. outside the country, his bank account in India gets designated as NRO account. The deposits can be used to make all legitimate payments in rupees. Interest income, from NRO accounts is taxable. Interest income, net of taxes is reportable.
3. Non-resident (Non-reportable) Rupee Deposit Accounts (NRNR Accounts)
NRIs/PIOs/OCBs, other non-resident Individuals/entities are permitted to open these accounts. Accounts can be opened by transfer of freely convertible foreign currency funds from abroad, or from NRE/FCNR accounts. Deposits can be held jointly with a resident. Deposits can be for a period from 6 months to 3 years, and can be renewed further. Accounts may also be opened by transfer of funds from the existing NRE/FCNR accounts of the non-resident accounts holders.
The principal is non-reportable; interest can be repatriated. There is no income tax on the interest.
4. Non-Resident (Special) Rupee Accounts with banks in India
NRIs/PIOs presently have the facility of maintaining bank accounts and undertaking financial transactions in India subject to certain exchange control regulations.In order to simplify the procedures and to provide greater freedom to NRIs/PIOs for putting through financial transactions in India, NRIs and PIOs are now permitted to open bank accounts in India, which will be at par with rupee accounts, maintained by residents. They can now open Non-Resident (Special)
Rupee Accounts with banks in India which will have the same facilities and restrictions as are applicable to rupee accounts maintained in India by residents relating to repatriation of funds held in these accounts and/or income/interest earned on them. The scheme, which has become effective from April 15, 1999 provides that the procedure for opening such accounts is the same as that of domestic accounts of resident individuals. The existing facilities for NRIs/PIOs to maintain and operate Non-resident (Ordinary) i.e., NRO account, Non-Resident, i.e., FCNR account also continues. The repatriation facilities available under these accounts will continue as before.
5. Foreign Currency (Non –Resident) Accounts (Banks) (FCNR (B) Accounts)
NRIs/PIOs/OCBs are permitted to open such accounts in US Dollars, Sterling Pounds, Deutsche Marks,Japanese Yen and Euro. The account may be opened only in the form of term deposit for any of the three maturity periods viz; (a) one year and above but less than two years (ii) two years and above but leas than three years and (iii) three years only. Interest income is tax free in the hands of NRI until he maintains a non-resident status or a resident but not ordinarily resident status under the Indian tax laws. FCNR (B) accounts can also be utilised for local disbursements including payment for exports from India, repatriation of funds abroad and for making investments in India, as per foreign investment guidelines.
NRIs, PIOs, OCBs are eligible to open NRE Accounts. These are rupee denominated accounts. Accounts can be in the form of savings, current, recurring or fixed deposit accounts. Accounts can be opened by remittance of funds in free foreign exchange. Foreign exchange brought in legally, repatriable incomes
of the account holder, etc. can be credited to the account. Joint operation with other NRIs/PIOs is permitted. Power of attorney can be granted to residents for operation of accounts. The deposits can be used for all legitimate purposes. The balance in the account is freely reportable. Interest lying to the credit of NRE accounts is exempt from tax in the hands of the NRI. Funds held in NRE accounts may be freely transferred to FCNR accounts of the same account holder. Likewise, funds held in FCNR accounts may be transferred to NRE accounts of the same account holders.
2. Ordinary Non-Resident Rupee Accounts (NRO Accounts)
These are Rupee denominated non-reportable accounts and can be in the form of savings, current recurring or fixed deposits. These accounts can be opened jointly with residents in India. When an Indian National/PIO resident in India leaves for taking up employment, etc. outside the country, his bank account in India gets designated as NRO account. The deposits can be used to make all legitimate payments in rupees. Interest income, from NRO accounts is taxable. Interest income, net of taxes is reportable.
3. Non-resident (Non-reportable) Rupee Deposit Accounts (NRNR Accounts)
NRIs/PIOs/OCBs, other non-resident Individuals/entities are permitted to open these accounts. Accounts can be opened by transfer of freely convertible foreign currency funds from abroad, or from NRE/FCNR accounts. Deposits can be held jointly with a resident. Deposits can be for a period from 6 months to 3 years, and can be renewed further. Accounts may also be opened by transfer of funds from the existing NRE/FCNR accounts of the non-resident accounts holders.
The principal is non-reportable; interest can be repatriated. There is no income tax on the interest.
4. Non-Resident (Special) Rupee Accounts with banks in India
NRIs/PIOs presently have the facility of maintaining bank accounts and undertaking financial transactions in India subject to certain exchange control regulations.In order to simplify the procedures and to provide greater freedom to NRIs/PIOs for putting through financial transactions in India, NRIs and PIOs are now permitted to open bank accounts in India, which will be at par with rupee accounts, maintained by residents. They can now open Non-Resident (Special)
Rupee Accounts with banks in India which will have the same facilities and restrictions as are applicable to rupee accounts maintained in India by residents relating to repatriation of funds held in these accounts and/or income/interest earned on them. The scheme, which has become effective from April 15, 1999 provides that the procedure for opening such accounts is the same as that of domestic accounts of resident individuals. The existing facilities for NRIs/PIOs to maintain and operate Non-resident (Ordinary) i.e., NRO account, Non-Resident, i.e., FCNR account also continues. The repatriation facilities available under these accounts will continue as before.
5. Foreign Currency (Non –Resident) Accounts (Banks) (FCNR (B) Accounts)
NRIs/PIOs/OCBs are permitted to open such accounts in US Dollars, Sterling Pounds, Deutsche Marks,Japanese Yen and Euro. The account may be opened only in the form of term deposit for any of the three maturity periods viz; (a) one year and above but less than two years (ii) two years and above but leas than three years and (iii) three years only. Interest income is tax free in the hands of NRI until he maintains a non-resident status or a resident but not ordinarily resident status under the Indian tax laws. FCNR (B) accounts can also be utilised for local disbursements including payment for exports from India, repatriation of funds abroad and for making investments in India, as per foreign investment guidelines.
Whatsapp and friendship
Few days back , I joined whatsapp and here are some thoughts :
- Technically , It is light-weight and very fast for media files like pictures, videos etc.
- It is great way to connect with group of friends from the same domain. I am so fortunate that that I met lot of my class-12 friends via this group and it helped us in realizing that down under, we are still same kind of people as we were in 1992. As it happens in real-life, some of these friends were not my best friends then but this group converted them to best friends because best Friends are the ones who keep in touch with you when they go away from college no matter how busy they are...It also stamped again that heart never grows old...Our heart is as fresh and bubbly as it was and we are equally or even better sensible when it comes to 'non-sense' :). The fact is that we have grown over these years and developed a level of maturity and earned the titles like Dad,Sir,Damadji,Jijai... and don't get time to be ourselves again. The group has offered the opportunity still we all are not same so some of us are always sharing and active on this group and some of us are show up as and when need arise but what is important here is the 'feeling of togetherness' . No matter how busy are we , we read and listen to each-other and smile ( if not via emoticons ) and are always there for each-other.
- Yesterday a friend from this group sent the following song and I who always think that our bollywood songs capture emotions very well was positively surprised...
Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends - Jacques Delille
- Technically , It is light-weight and very fast for media files like pictures, videos etc.
- It is great way to connect with group of friends from the same domain. I am so fortunate that that I met lot of my class-12 friends via this group and it helped us in realizing that down under, we are still same kind of people as we were in 1992. As it happens in real-life, some of these friends were not my best friends then but this group converted them to best friends because best Friends are the ones who keep in touch with you when they go away from college no matter how busy they are...It also stamped again that heart never grows old...Our heart is as fresh and bubbly as it was and we are equally or even better sensible when it comes to 'non-sense' :). The fact is that we have grown over these years and developed a level of maturity and earned the titles like Dad,Sir,Damadji,Jijai... and don't get time to be ourselves again. The group has offered the opportunity still we all are not same so some of us are always sharing and active on this group and some of us are show up as and when need arise but what is important here is the 'feeling of togetherness' . No matter how busy are we , we read and listen to each-other and smile ( if not via emoticons ) and are always there for each-other.
- Yesterday a friend from this group sent the following song and I who always think that our bollywood songs capture emotions very well was positively surprised...
Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends - Jacques Delille
Pay it forward ....
Heartening Message...Even when nobody cares about you 'Be good' and you will be facilitated with smile if nothing else :)
Comparative property price around Oslo
I always think how about selling my house in Oslo and buying a house in nearby areas which are conveniently connected with Oslo and offers quality amenities/housing as well. Recently, I found one article which helped in my search. With little bit of effort, I manage to get all in one place for the sake of simplicity ....
I don't like you because 'WHAT' ?
Human behavior seems to be complicated, specially when it comes to liking and disliking others.We get along with some people and at times we don’t get along with some people because of one or the other reason.Fundamentally it is found that our behavior comprised of one or more DISC properties. Never analyzed DISC in so depth so cant comment much on it but still I wanted to categorize some very common situations between 2 people to understand it better:
eg.
A- Me
B- Other person(important to me)
C- third person
I experienced that A does not like B because :
Case 1- A has violated something universally accepted principle or philosophy. eg. A is abusive or swindler.
So I should not like a person who is 'universally' on wrong side... in this way, Am I helping him or society ?
Case 2- B is doing the things which A thinks 'B should/must NOT be doing'.
So in other word I want the world to behave the way 'I want'... am I narcissist ?
Case 3- C doesn't like B so over the time A starts disliking B.
So in other words,I am so weak that I can't have my own belief system... am I meek ?
Case 4- If B doesn't like A then it does not matter if A likes B or not.
So in other words,I am insignificant for other person and just have 1-directional relationship... am I wasting my time?
I guess before liking and disliking a person, we should always get an answer to following question :
"do I value the differences other person has and do I seek to understand it well ?" and if the answer to both is 'Yes' then most probably , we are on right side.
How many Indians are in Norway ?
"So how many Indians are in Norway?" has asked me today. This was the same question that was thrown at me few days back but I did not have the correct answer so I thought that I would get the exact figure today and now I have the number(at least for a year ) . As on 1-jan-2015, Norwegian govt's statistical department website(www.ssb.no) says that there are 18568 Indian immigrants in Norway and this includes following :
- Born in Norway to Norwegian-born parents
- Immigrants
- Norwegian-born to immigrant parents
- Foreign-born with one Norwegian-born parent
- Norwegian-born with one foreign-born parent
- Foreign-born to Norwegian-born parents
So it means it includes both NRIs+OCI/PIOs.
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