Oracle has announced the availability of Oracle Application Server Standard Edition One. The company said with the special packaging, customers can have a complete platform to build corporate portals, J2EE-based Internet applications and Web sites for as little as $745 in license fees.

At $4,995 per processor (for up to two processors), the Oracle Application Server Standard Edition One package is half the price of Oracle Application Server Standard Edition and is comprised of the Oracle Application Server middleware platform which includes Oracle's Web server and portal technology. Along with per-processor pricing, the package is also available with Named User Plus licensing at $149 per user with a minimum of five users.

Oracle Application Server Standard Edition One features quick installation and an out-of-the-box portal making it easier for companies with limited IT resources to get up and running quickly. The pre-built portal solution combines basic content management and publishing capabilities with a simplified editing and administration experience.

The J2EE Application Server has built in transaction management, messaging, systems management and clustering facilities. Oracle Application Server Standard Edition One provides connectivity to Oracle and non-Oracle databases.

"This new offering signals Oracle's commitment to serving small and medium-sized customers," said Tom Maloney, director of software sales at CDW Corporation, a Fortune 500 provider of technology products and services to businesses, government and education. "The good news for SMBs is that they can now take advantage of benefits that used to be limited to large organizations."