HP warns Oracle of legal action over Itanium issue

HP warns Oracle of legal action over Itanium issueHewlett-Packard has sent a letter to Oracle on Wednesday threatening legal action if it does not go back on its decision to stop software development for Itanium hardware.

HP said that it did not make the letter public because of some of the confidential information it contained but affirmed that it will make Oracle honor its commitment to HP and customers.

HP spokesman Bill Wohl said in a statement that Oracle's decision "violates legally binding commitments Oracle has made to HP and the more than 140,000 shared HP-Oracle customers." HP said that tehletter does not have a deadline for Oracle to respond but it is only to let Oracle take notice that HP has legal rights.

The largest Itanium user group has released statements urging Oracle to include Itanium in its list of platforms for development of future database and application products.

Oracle had defended it move saying it has know from through background conversations with Intel engineers that Intel is going to drop the technology. Intel has repeatedly denied these claims and said that it is fully committed to the platform.