Sun reduced prices without compromising performance in the Ultra 60 and Ultra 2
workstations and in the Sun Enterprise servers. As the UNIX market leader, the
large volumes and the commonality of components across the product lines, results
in an economies of scale savings which Sun is able to pass on to its customers.
All of the systems take advantage of the robust Solaris Operating EnvironmentTM
software and Sun's UltraSPARCTM processor technology. As always, Sun's products
are 100 percent binary compatible, eliminating the hassles of recompiling code traditionally
associated with upgrading hardware or software.
"Having invigorated the entry-level market with the Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 workstations,
Sun is now focusing on driving down prices for mid- to high-end systems to offer
workstation customers more bang-for-their-buck," said Ken Okin, vice president
and general manager of Workstation Products, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "With
these price cuts, companies can now afford to increase compute power on individual
desks, boosting company productivity and employee satisfaction."
Affordable Multiprocessor Computing
Compared with the SGI Octane 250, Sun's Ultra 60 Model 1360 features a higher
speed processor, four times the cache and 151 percent better CDRS performance for
a 60 percent lower cost(1). Living up to its legacy of offering innovative technology
and superior performance at competitive prices, Sun's most successful high-end workstation,
the Ultra 60 workstation, is now available for under $10,000(2). The multiprocessor-capable
Ultra 60 workstation, used in technically demanding markets such as medical imaging,
3D mechanical design, simulation and analysis, delivers superior price/performance
when compared with other leading UNIX workstations in its class.
When comparing the dual-processor Ultra 60 workstation to a similarly configured
SGI Octane 250, Sun comes out on top with significantly higher performance at a
70 percent lower cost(3). Dropping by 35 percent to $13,595(4), the dual-360MHz
processor Ultra 60 system is an excellent, reliable solution for compute-intensive
markets such as computer-aided engineering and design automation, where raw multiprocessing
performance and system flexibility are a must.
Delivering More Computing Power for Less
Sun has upgraded the base-level graphics and doubled the hard drive capacity
on its entry Ultra 2 configuration(5). These enhancements come at a 30 percent
lower base price. This popular system now offers the latest generation of Sun's
Creator3D graphics technology in its base configuration.
Graphics on the Ultra 2, like all of Sun's workstations, are designed as an integral
part of the system - not as an afterthought. Because Sun's graphics are closely
integrated with the Ultra 2 workstation's UltraSPARC processor and memory subsystem
through the system's high bandwidth UPA interconnect, these workstations take full
advantage of floating-point processor speed, with visual instruction set (VIS)TM(6)
support and the memory capacity to deliver a truly powerful graphics system. Creator3D
technology features high performance accelerated imaging, high resolution 2D and
24-bit double and Z-buffered 3D rendering, making the Ultra 2 workstation an ideal
graphics workstation for high-end imaging, modeling and visualization.
Lower Prices on Workgroup Servers
Sun's aggressive price cuts across its industry-leading workgroup server line
once again prove the company's commitment to delivering robust, yet affordable solutions
for small businesses and workgroups. Multiprocessor-capable servers, now available
for just $7,995, help Sun maintain its competitive advantage with proven enterprise-class
technologies. The servers deliver superior scalability and availability over competitive
systems based on PC technologies for business critical applications such as database,
Internet/intranet, ERP and collaborative computing.
Priced competitively for the workgroup space, the rack-ready Sun Enterprise 250
server was reduced by 20 percent to just $7,995 (7). The Sun Enterprise 2 server
prices were cut by up to 35 percent, dropping the system to $16,975.(8) Sun also
dropped prices on its Sun Enterprise 450 server by as much as 13 percent(9).
"Sun is enjoying tremendous success with its Sun Enterprise workgroup server
line," said Mark Canepa, vice president and general manager of workgroup servers,
Sun Microsystems, Inc. "The volumes for Sun's workgroup servers and its workstations
provide great economies of scale. We're thrilled to be able to pass these savings
along to the customer."
Availability and Support
All of the new prices are available immediately. All systems are available
worldwide through Sun's direct sales force, including Sun telesales, and its indirect
channels, including Sun authorized resellers and systems integrators. Complete
pricing information is available through a Sun sales representative, Sun telesales
or Sun's indirect channel. Sun provides comprehensive services through hardware
and software support, flexible training, and expert integration, consulting and
management services designed to meet customer needs. Worldwide availability of
services will vary by country. All prices listed are US list price and subject
to change.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The ComputerTM,"
has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW), to its position as a leading
provider of high quality hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide
intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $10 billion in
annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide
Web at http://sun.com. @Macarlo, Inc. @Macarlo's Shareware & Web OS/2 Java Lobby Member
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