Enterprise software giant SAP(s sap) is buying Ariba in a $4.3 billion move that will give it control of what is probably the world's largest online-marketplace for goods and services.
Businesses around the world use Ariba's e-commerce and procurement services to buy and sell all sorts of products and services. The Sunnyvale, Calif. company has partnered with all the big enterprise software companies including SAP and its arch-rival Oracle(s orcl) so that businesses using Oracle or SAP supply chain or ERP software for their own production also use Ariba to connect with prospective buyers.
