With IBM capitulating with its latest RT releases (see page two), the tide running for Unix in commercial environments is becoming well-nigh irresistible, and yesterday Convergent Technologies Inc, San Jose, moved to strengthen its pitch in the commercial Unix market. The company has formed two new Unix divisions – a Unix Systems Division, which merges the company’s two existing Unix products groups, the Network Systems Division and the Server Products Division; and a new Telecom Systems Division to focus on integrating and optimising Convergent products for the telecommunications market – including Unix computers which are well accepted in this market. The company says it expects its revenues from Unix products to grow 275% to $120m next year. The new Unix Systems Division will develop a high-end multi-processor server for use with all the company’s product lines, and a customer-oriented application-tool development and portation centre extension of the company’s Passport to Unix programme. Eric Carlson, previously head of the Cluster Systems Division becomes senior vice president and general manager of the new Unix division – but the Cluster unit is also receiving attention. It is responsible for an installed base of over 500,000 CTOS processors, and Convergent is looking to extend the Intel iAPX 86-based line with highly integrated ASICs, snap-together packaging, and new software to enable CTOS to access other application environments. On the telecommunications front, Convergent says it already has strong alliances with two firms, BellSouth and Bell Canada.
