Sun Focuses On The Data Center

Sun Microsystems yesterday introduced products, programs,and services for data centers. The products include upgradesto Sun's high-end and midrange servers. The Sun Enterprise10000 server, which already could be split into eightdomains or partitions to run multiple workloads, will nowcome with up to 64 400-MHz UltraSparc II processors andSun's 100-MHz Gigaplane-XB cross-bar interconnect forenhanced performance. Sun is also boosting the performanceof its midrange servers, from the Sun Enterprise 3500 to the6500 machines, all now running on the 400-MHz UltraSparc IIprocessor and the 100-MHz interconnect.

Programs and services available now include the MainframeAffinity Center, Server Consolidation, and Sun MicrosystemsFinance. The Center will let customers test and validateapplications that exist across OS/390, Solaris, and WindowsNT servers. Capitalizing on the sheer capacity of theE 10000, Sun experts will help customers assess, develop,and implement server-consolidation projects. Finance has Sunworking with GE Capital Vendor Financial Solutions to offercustomers flexible financing, including leasing.

"The existing data center is here to stay because of thebillions of dollars we have invested in legacyapplications," says Richard Mangogna, executive VP and CIOof Sun customer Chase Manhattan Corp. in New York. "However,value is measured in what I can do with the new computingenvironment where Sun is strong, and Sun does a good jobworking with our other computing environments."