New Sun Fire System from
Rave Speaks SPARC Solaris and Windows
Sterling Heights,
Michigan - August 31, 2004 - Rave Computer Association Inc. introduces
a fully-integrated Sun Fire B1600+ capable of running Windows XP or 2003,
Solaris 9, Solaris X86 and Red Hat Linux simultaneously in a 3U chassis.
"Rave's
development efforts were driven by a request from the US military to meet
weight, depth, and height requirements by consolidating multi-vendor platforms
into a single 3U form factor," according to Rick Darter, President of Rave
Computer. "Additional goals included the improvement of logistical
challenges by reducing the required quantity of spare parts, the requirement for
multi-vendor platforms, and the cross training of field personnel. This solution
provides optimal flexibility for end-users by allowing them to deploy multiple
operation systems within the same hardware chassis. I believe that this solution
redefines the concept of open systems."
...Rave profile,
military SPARC
systems, Compact
PCI SPARC CPU cards
Sun Reports 38% Server Shipment Growth
SANTA
CLARA, Calif. - August 25, 2004 - In the second quarter of 2004, Sun
Microsystems, Inc. achieved significant revenue and volume growth in
almost every server category.
Sun outperformed all vendors in
revenue market share growth on a quarter-to-quarter basis including All OS,
UNIX+Linux and UNIX, as reported in the 2Q04 Worldwide Server Database report by
Gartner Dataquest, released this week. Year on year, Sun outpaced all
competitors in unit shipment growth at 38.4%, and gained market share against
key rivals. Sun's performance was fueled by strong demand for Solaris servers
with UltraSPARC IV and Opteron processors, and Netra 240/440 systems, and
primarily from customers in financial services, communications and government
markets.
...Sun profile,
...Gartner profile,
Market research
Editor's
comments:- you can get a clearer picture by going back to theoriginal
Gartner press release about this report.
Worldwide server
revenue surpassed $11.5 billion in the second quarter of 2004, a 7.7% increase
from the second quarter of 2003. Sun's year on year revenue growth in the
quarter was only 2.9% to $1.5 billion. Sun therefore is doing less well than
the market in this respect. In contrast, IBM's revenue grew 10.8%.
SPARC
Product Directory predicted that Sun would be offering low server prices and
give away deals to inflate its revenue for the critical last quarter in its
fiscal year - as Sun didn't have to worry so much about profit contributions due
to the inflow of funds from the settlement with Microsoft which would help the
overall profit/loss figures. That's what happened. Sun's server prices dropped
significantly - resulting in a massive 38.4% year on year increase in
quarterly server shipments to 90,487 units. Sun's server unit growth is healthy
and better than that of most of its rivals.
The fastest growing part of
the worldwide server market (all vendors) is Linux. Linux revenue grew 54.6% in
the second quarter, and Linux unit shipments (all vendors) increased 61.6%.
One in ten servers now shipping runs Linux.
SBE's Revenue Grows 81% Year Over Year
San Ramon,
California - August 25, 2004 - SBE, Inc. today reported results for
the three-month and nine-month periods ended July 31, 2004.
Net sales for the third quarter of 2004 were $2.9 million, compared
with $1.6 million for the third quarter ended July 31, 2003. Net income for the
third quarter of 2004 was $79,000. Net sales for the nine months ended July
31, 2004 were $8.8 million, compared with $5.2 million for the same period last
year. Net income was $660,000 for the nine months ended July 31, 2004.
William B. Heye, Jr., president and CEO, SBE said "We achieved
important milestones with our new product initiatives during the quarter. I am
pleased to report that we installed our Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet TCP/IP
Offload Engine product in select BETA customer sites and test results indicate
that the TOE performance exceeds expectations. The TOE has been installed in
conjunction with PyX
Technologies' iSCSI software for storage networking applications as well as
independently in high-traffic server applications. This BETA testing will
continue as we approach production status in the coming quarter." ...SBE profile,
iSCSI
See
also:- article:- the State
of iSCSI? - we interview PyX Technologies
Quad Graphics Head Now Available in SPARC Portable
Nashua, NH - August 24, 2004 -
NextCom LLC announces the first 64-bit dual processor mobile workstation
with the ability to support four graphics heads at the same time.
The
FlexSPARCIII, targeted at deployable military-aerospace, homeland security,
imagery, and EDA applications, is now available with one internal 1600x1200
display and support for up to 3 external flat panel displays with resolutions to
1920x1080. The solution provides 8/24 Bit color support with 2D rendering and
HW acceleration for 4 heads or 4 displays cascaded together in a panoramic
display for graphics, imagery, and mapping applications.
In a very
small briefcase style computer, FlexSPARCIII includes single and dual 64 bit
UltraSPARC IIIi processor technology, up to 16GB of memory, Ultra160 SCSI, dual
Gigabit Ethernet delivers quad head or quad display panoramic display
capabilities in a mobile, small footprint platform.
...NextCom
profile, SPARC
Notebooks
S2io to Offer 10 Gigabit Ethernet Technology for Solaris
Cupertino, Calif.
- August 23, 2004 - S2io, Inc. announced that drivers for its Xframe 10
Gigabit Ethernet Adapter will be integrated into Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s
Solaris for SPARC, AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon based systems.
In
addition, S2io will be working with Sun to deliver a TCP/IP offload engine with
RDMA functionality to enhance performance and scalability in intense
compute/server environments. Combining Xframe, S2io's 10 Gigabit Ethernet
Adapter, with the new high-performance TCP/IP architecture in Solaris, also
known as project FireEngine, will offer customers inherent performance
advantages.
...S2io,
iSCSI ,
InfiniBand
Hooray! - No More HP Alpha Processors
Editor:- August 20, 2004 - an
article in PhysOrg.com discusses the end of HP's Alpha
Processors.
The last one is being released on Monday.
This
should help Sun's HP Away program - since the demise of HP's proprietary Unix
server engine is coming from non Sun sources and therefore can't be dismissed as
wishful thinking.
But cynics might ask - what's Sun's own processor
strategy? Will SPARC users be forced to migrate to Solaris on Opteron?
The
answer to this strategic roadmap question was provided in our
SPARC
Trivia Quiz
Gigaram Announces Memory Upgrades for New Sun Opteron-based
Workstations
Irvine, Ca - August
16, 2004 - Gigaram has announced today the release of their new Sun
Licensed memory upgrades for the new Sun Workstations 1100Z and 2100Z.
The new 1GB & 2GB memory upgrade kits with chipkill technology
will enhance the computing power of Sun's new line of AMD Opteron-based
workstations that have been designed to compliment & broaden the Sun
workstation portfolio. Soon to be released will be Gigaram's 4GB kit which will
allow the 1100Z and 2100Z to reach their maximum memory expansion of 8GB which
will deliver ideal computing performance for segments including SW Development,
EDA and MCAD/MCAE.
1GB KIT (2pcs 512MB MODULES) SUN # X9208A GIGARAM #GRX9208A
2GB KIT (2pcs 1GB MODULES) SUN #X9209A GIGARAM
#GRX9209A
4GB KIT (2pcs 2GB MODULES) SUN # NA
GIAGRAM #GRX9210A
...Gigaram profile,
Desktop - SPARC
systems
Enterprise-class SCSI HDDs Available in Mobile SPARC Workstation
Nashua, NH - August 12, 2004 -
NextCom LLC announced the first mobile workstation/server platform to
offer high performance removable, internal, enterprise-class SCSI HDDs.
FlexSPARCIII - is now available with dual removable 36GB or 73GB,
Ultra320 SCSI, 8MB cache 2.5" HDDs. The platform can be used as both a
mobile or small-footprint server as well as a high performance mobile
workstation. Applications targeted include military-aerospace, homeland
security, imagery, and EDA applications.
Bob Labadini, President of
NextCom, comments "FlexSPARCIII is the first 64 Bit single and dual
processor platform to offer enterprise class performance for database and data
intensive applications in a briefcase style computer that is reconfigurable,
expandable, and deployable."
...NextCom
profile, Removable
disk drives, SPARC
Notebooks
SBE launches industry's highest density T1/E1 PTMC solution
San Ramon, CA - August
11, 2004 - SBE Inc. today introduced wanPTMC-C24TE1, a fully
channelized 24-port T1/E1 PCI Telecom Mezzanine Module (PTMC) and Rear
Transition Module board set.
Delivering a robust, modular solution on a single slot, the
wanPTMC-C24TE1 is built for use with PTMC "Configuration 2" carrier
platforms. Designed for high-density applications, such as VoIP gateways,
computer telephony softswitches, TDM switches/PBX, and voice conferencing
systems, the wanPTMC-C24TE1 bundles a PICMG 2.15 compliant PTMC module with a
configurable rear transition module.
The PTMC module is based on the architecture of SBE's popular DS3
module, the wanPTMC-256T3. Providing full local CT Bus access to all 672
timeslots of the T3 stream, the PTMC module combines a 256-channel HDLC
controller with a timeslot interchanger/assigner to create an ideal platform for
terminating data traffic, such as TDM signaling and switching voice calls in a
VoIP application. The RTM component consists of DSX connectivity 12 or 24
T1/E1/J1 streams via two industry standard RJ48H connectors. Both the PTMC card
and the RTM are fully configurable from the host computer.
"Demand for modular solutions with greater density yet offering
simple configuration and scalability options continues to rapidly build as
pressures for quicker time-to-market, lower costs, and more robust feature sets
keep on climbing," commented Steve Nester, vice president of business
development at SBE. "SBE has been utilizing a flexible, scalable design
architecture for our board-level solutions for years, and the wanPTMC-C24TE1 is
no exception. The wanPTMC-C24TE1 is virtually a high-density, networking power
pack, especially when bundled with our HW400c/M, a 6U CompactPCI core processor
platform. Delivering modularity and easy access to multiple data or voice
channels from T1/E1/J1 ports, makes this sophisticated board set a solution of
choice for carrier class programmable switches, media gateways and soft PBX
solutions."
The wanPTMC-C24TE1 is designed to operate on SBE's HW400c/M or any
other PICMG 2.3 compliant carrier board. An optional 12-port version, the
wanPTMC-C12TE1, is also available. Both the 12-port and 24-port versions offer
full software compatibility with SBE's complete line of DS3 board-level
products. Full Linux driver support is provided with this solution set
...SBE profile,
serial interface
cards
SPARC Trivia Quiz
Editor:-
August 3, 2004 - a SPARC Trivia Quiz is published today in the SPARC Product
Directory.
Whether you love them or loathe them it's hard to
ignore Sun Microsystems and its hype machine. Test your knowledge of Sun's
technologies and marketing strategies (or lack of them) in this light hearted
and serious quiz. ...SPARC
Trivia Quiz, ...Sun
profile | |
New Sun Fire
Speaks SPARC Solaris and Windows
Sun Reports Server Revenue Growth
SBE's
Revenue Grows 81% Year Over Year
Quad Graphics Head Now Available in
SPARC Portable
S2io to Offer 10 Gigabit Ethernet Technology for Solaris
Hooray!
- No More HP Alpha Processors
Gigaram Announces Memory for New Sun Workstations
Removable
SCSI HDDs Available in Mobile Workstation
SBE launches highest
density T1/E1 PTMC
SPARC Trivia Quiz
earlier news -
archive |
|
|
New Logo
for the SPARC Product Directory
Editor:- August 25, 2004 - we've
seen a lot of changes in the SPARC Product Directory in the 12 years
since it was first published.
When I started work on this
publication back in 1991, the SBus and SPARC compatible market was an exciting
place to be. Sun's SPARC processor chips were faster than anything made by Intel
or Motorola, the two chip makers whose products dominated the DOS, Mac and Unix
worlds. During the next 5 years, hundreds of manufacturers and thousands of VARs
and systems integrators came into the market to make their mark on what turned
into a $20 billion a year market for SPARC compatible hardware.
It was
important in those early days for Sun's own people and for users to learn
quickly about new products, technologies and partners who could accelerate the
growth of the SunOS (later renamed Solaris) market. The SPARC Product Directory
helped SPARC chip makers like Ross Technologies, Weitek and Fujitsu reach the
attention of OEMs and users. Yes - even when they competed head to head with
Sun.
The SPARC market is different now. It's smaller. Hundreds of VARs
have quit the market or gone bust. Most competing SPARC server makers have given
up the race as lost. There are a lot less suppliers now, and it's likely to stay
that way forever.
But that makes it more important than ever
for SPARC stakeholders to know about the competing products and suppliers
available. Without a publication like the SPARC Product Directory the risk is
that the SPARC market would shift towards a closed proprietary market where
users always have to pay the price that their supplier asks - because there is
no other choice available except switching platform.
With your help
we're not going to let that happen.
In the 1980s, before this
directory, I went into the SPARC business on the promise of a high performance
open competitive market. Maybe I was naiive. But SPARC still offers many
advantages of stability and security which other platforms can't yet match.
I still think there's still a bright future ahead for those
who tread warily among the many pitfalls and dead-ends which can occur when a
market is dominated by a single supplier and when the inflow of new compatible
suppliers dries up.
Whatever you might think - Sun and Fujitsu don't
have all the answers or all the products you need. With today's computer
architectures, the peripherals which you add to your system can make as much
difference as doubling the clock speed on the processor. It's always been true
that most SPARC
innovations didn't originate with Sun. Just as most software innovations
didn't start with Microsoft. It only looks that way if you believe the version
of history written by their marketers.
The SPARC business is building
up in volume and revenue terms again. It may not get as big as it did in 2000 -
but the SPARC Product Directory will be here to help light the path along the
way. We're going to help keep SPARC open for your business. If you want to
avoid the perils of a proprietary market, but still want to keep running with
your SPARC platforms, tell your colleagues and suppliers - this is where they
should come. And if you haven't tried the
SPARC
Trivia Quiz take a look. It gets better as it goes along. | |
 |
Since its
creation at the dawn of the new millennium,
PSS Global
have had one key strategy in mind, and
that is to provide alternative
economic Sun hardware
and Support to the global marketplace. | |
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