What will become of Amdahl Corp’s UTS mainframe Unix operating system is unclear. The firm has signed to add certain UTS features, those specifically tailored for high-end architectures, to Solaris, and to develop other facilities in conjunction with SunSoft Inc, Sun Microsystems Inc’s software arm. The features include security, enterprise systems, on-line information management and systems management applications, some of which will be offered in Solaris, others as separately-charged items. Amdahl is to take a future, integrated version of Solaris on an OEM basis – it would have been employed on its now-defunct Sparc servers – but which will also appear on its Unix mainframes. Meanwhile, despite bullish claims to the contrary from executives of both firms, messages communicated by Amdahl sources last week indicated that UTS will eventually go away completely, its place being taken by Solaris. The continuation of an independent Unix development effort was in any case regarded by many as an economically unviable task for a company in Amdahl’s position. Strengthening the argument that a complete transition to Solaris is around the corner, Amdahl will later this month announce a Solaris version of its Huron mainframe application development environment. Amdahl firmly insists its Solaris-with-UTS bells and whistles collaboration with SunSoft is quite separate from the tripartite agreement between itself, sibling ICL Plc and dominant shareholder Fujitsu Ltd, to develop a common Unix application development environment for their respective Sparc architectures. However, it admits the trio, plus Sun, are now looking at ways of pooling their efforts.
