If you were beginning to think Oracle couldn't possibly squeeze in another acquisition this year, you'd be wrong. The database giant has pulled off a double.

Oracle is expanding its presence in identity and access management with the acquisition of Thor Technologies and OctetString. Financial terms were not released.

Oracle said the acquisitions meant it was poised to deliver the "industry's strongest and most robust suite of standards-based identity management technologies."

Thor's Xellerate allows customers to manage user-access rights and privileges while OctetString's Virtual Directory Engine enables organizations to connect applications to multiple sources of users' identities and to consolidate directories. The products are to be re-branded Oracle Xellerate Identity Provisioning and Oracle Virtual Directory and will be made available by the end of this year as part of Oracle's Identity Management suite.

Excluding Thor and OctetString, Oracle has bought 11 companies since January when it kicked-off with business software rival PeopleSoft. Oracle made its first identity management deal in March with the purchase of Oblix. ®

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