Sun Microsystems and Intel have announced a broad strategic alliance centred on Intel’s endorsement of the Solaris operating system (OS) and Sun’s commitment to build a family of enterprise and telecommunications servers and workstations using Intel Xeon processors.
The scope of the agreement spans Solaris, Java and NetBeans software and Intel Xeon microprocessors, as well as other Intel and Sun enterprise-class technologies. The alliance also includes joint engineering, design and marketing efforts.
As part of today’s announcement, Intel is embracing Solaris as a mainstream OS and the enterprise class, mission critical UNIX OS for Intel Xeon processor-based servers. Intel also endorses Sun’s Solaris, Java and NetBeans products and will actively support the OpenSolaris and open Java communities from which they continue to evolve.
Sun has decided to complement its current offerings with platforms based on Intel architecture optimised for Solaris beginning in the first half of 2007. The company said it believed Intel’s model of alternating new micro-architectures with new process technologies on an annual basis will offer outstanding building blocks for Sun’s customers.
Sun plans to deliver a comprehensive family of Intel-based systems with uni-, dual- and multi-processor based servers and workstations supporting Solaris, Windows and Linux. Intel and Sun will also collaborate around greater than four processor scale-up systems optimised for the Solaris OS.
“We’re excited about Intel’s long term Xeon road map and the performance we’re seeing with Solaris and Sun Java on the Xeon platforms,” said Jonathan Schwartz, president and CEO, Sun Microsystems. “And Intel’s endorsement for and agreement to OEM Solaris opens markets for both of us across the world. This is truly a landmark relationship for the industry.”
“We’re thrilled to be working with Sun to make Solaris on Intel Xeon processors a great solution for our enterprise customers worldwide,” said Paul Otellini, president and CEO, Intel. “Bringing together the best technologies from both Sun and Intel will result in innovative products for years to come.”
As part of this alliance, Intel has signed a Solaris OEM agreement enabling Intel to distribute and support the Solaris OS to its customers. Intel and Sun will strongly encourage independent software vendors (ISVs) and system providers to expand their offerings for Solaris on Intel-based systems, and Intel will support Sun in its efforts to optimise applications for Solaris on Intel Xeon processor-based systems.
By Niall Byrne
