Sun Microsystems has launched the industry's first enterprise-class, low-cost system that is pre-integrated with either Linux or the Solaris Operating Environment (OE) and bundled with the Sun ONE (Open Net Environment) software stack and Java.
The Sun LX50 - a x86 architecture entry-level server - is an affordable 32-bit system which enables companies to lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) in the development, deployment and delivery of Web services on the Linux or Solaris platforms.
With the LX50, Sun offers its entire Sun ONE software stack on 32-bit Linux or Solaris. In fact, it is the first general-purpose 32-bit x86 server to feature enterprise-ready Linux, based on the standard 2.4 Linux kernel, which is pre-installed to deliver stability, security and ease of installation.
"The Sun LX50 is Sun's first server to offer companies either Solaris or enterprise-ready Linux - of which both integrate easily with Java and the Sun ONE platform," comments Tertius Bezuidenhout, national SE manager at Sun Microsystems SA.
"There is a growing market of 32-bit systems and these new generation servers address the requirements by enterprises to deploy infrastructure applications - such as Web serving, firewall/VPN and e-mail - through low-cost, scalable hardware and open source software."
Says John Humphreys, senior analyst, IDC: "Linux-based servers are exploding at 15% to 20% growth every year. The positioning of the LX50 is just right for capturing some of that market share for Sun and strengthen its offerings in the entry server segment."
"The Sun LX50 is in a league of its own, shipping with software that is optimised for edge applications, compute farms, high-performance and technical computing or custom application deployment," says Bezuidenhout.
This software can also be used for Web serving, e-mail, grid computing, streaming media, databases and Web commerce.
Bundled software applications includes, Java SDK Standard Edition, Sun ONE ASP for Linux, TomCat (JSP), MySQL (Database), Apache (Webserver), WU-FTPD (FTP), Sendmail (e-mail Server), Bind (DNS Server), Sun Grid Engine and Sun Streaming Server.
A rack server, the LX50 is approximately the size of a standard pizza box. It is powered by either single or dual 1.4GHz x86 processors.
In addition, major enhancements have been made to the Sun Control Station, a browser-based companion system. This will greatly simplify the management of multiple Linux and Solaris-based LX50s.
Sun has also announced the immediate availability of a full suite of consulting, training and support services for LX50 Linux and Solaris.
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Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.