Some analysts expect Oracle to spin off Sun's hardware business to a company such as Fujitsu, but Ellison didn't offer much insight into his plans during a conference call Monday. He said that software, in particular Solaris and the Java programming language, were "instrumental in Oracle's decision to acquire Sun," but also noted that the acquisition could help Oracle to deliver integrated systems for datacenters -- including the database, middleware, storage and servers.

Oracle has said it intends to make Sun's server business more profitable. If it decides to invest in hardware and become a real systems vendor, that could mean trouble for its partners, who would have to compete with a revitalized Sun product line, according to Stuart Williams, an analyst with Technology Business Research.

"If Oracle retains the complete Sun hardware business, they're no longer a software company; they're a systems company that puts pressure on companies like Dell," Williams said.