Sun Microsystems Inc in the UK is so confident about the recent additions to its SolarNet personal computer networking software, Solstice systems management and SunLink wide area networking communications, that it’s touting fully integrated hardware and so ftware packages to Enterprise PC LAN users, as an alternative to NetWare 4 and Microsoft’s NT (CI No 2,730). Sun UK, which said that up to 65% of sales to new accounts are now in the commercial server arena rather than workstations, groups the packages into three types: application server, local area network server and communications server, and lumps in the two existing Netra packages, which are aimed at systems management and Internet server applications, for good measure. There is nothing really new about the packages, other than the marketing and training that Sun is giving its salesforce and channels, and they don’t approach the ease of use achieved by the Netras themselves. The hardware base depends on the power required for individual installations. But Sun thinks it is in for a big share of a fast-expanding business, and has geared up four of its major UK resellers to help with the push: Business Systems Group and Computacenter Ltd, both of London, Simmons Magee of Richmond, Surrey, and Technology Plc of Manchester. The list will be expanded. Sun worldwide is said to be watching closely. The company claims that NetWare 4 still has no support for applications serving (and won’t have until UnixWare is integrated), while Windows NT is hamstrung by its lack of a Global Naming Service. Hot tips for future Netra plug and go packages are dedicated servers for Oracle and Notes.
