Finally computing for the enterprise user is as easy, friendly and reliable as picking up a telephone handset. The world`s first `enterprise appliance`, the Sun Ray 1, has been announced in South Africa by Sun Microsystems.
According to Christopher de Beyer, MD of Sun Microsystems SA, the Sun Ray appliance does not need to be upgraded, has no moving parts, requires no desktop administration, and is low cost. "You`ve heard of Plug-and-Play. Well, now meet Plug-and-Work. The simple idea behind the Sun Ray 1 is users should be completely shielded from the operational complexities of operating a computing device.
"Instead, they should be free to interface instantly, directly, and painlessly with a simple device which is always `on`. This is now a possibility, as the Sun Ray 1 appliance requires no changes to existing applications, and never needs upgrading."
Staying with the telephone analogy, De Beyer says, in the same way cellular telephones revolutionised communication - by allowing access to the user rather than the location - the Sun Ray 1 is designed to forever free the computer user from the constraints of a fixed location, such as a desk or workbench.
Using Sun`s new Hot Desk technology, a user`s applications, including those based on legacy mainframe and Windows NT, can be directed anywhere within a workgroup for instant access via smart card technology.
Says De Beyer: "For example, an office worker on the fourth floor wants to give a presentation to his boss, who resides on the 26th floor. All he has to do is bring his smart card with him upstairs, and insert it into his boss` Sun Ray appliance.
"Instantly, the office worker`s unique desktop session would pop up on screen - displaying the presentation in exactly the same state it was in when he last worked on it. If a unit, for any reason, were to be shut down, users can simply plug in a replacement, or move to another Sun Ray appliance within the workgroup. Within seconds, they instantly receive their session exactly where they left off and can continue working essentially uninterrupted. Since there are no user-serviceable parts on the desktop, system maintenance is simple."
The Sun Ray gives the user a rich, multimedia experience and a level of instant access and mobility not available in a Windows-based terminal or PC environment. "Because it is connected to a powerful server running Solaris and Sun Ray enterprise server software, the user reaps the benefits of performance, along with high levels of reliability and scalability," adds De Beyer.
The Hot Desk technology also offers a high degree of interoperability between different applications. For example, a user can `cut` text from a Microsoft Word application and `paste` it into the Sun Ray desktop environment.
In addition, users can access all applications residing on the network via a single Sun Ray appliance, eliminating the need for multiple desktops to gain access to applications residing on different systems.
Unlike PCs and Windows-based terminals, the Sun Ray runs no application or system code locally, and thus requires no configuration or desktop management.
"While many of today`s thin clients achieve their `zero administration` claim by administering these multiple client environments remotely, the Sun Ray appliance is a simple device without any need for desktop administration," comments De Beyer.
"For example, instead of being burdened with managing 100 instances of the operating system - one for every client -- in a typical thin client environment, an administrator would simply run a single instance of the operating system in the Sun Ray environment," he explains.
Basically, all complexity has been removed - not simply moved - from the Sun Ray appliance, significantly reducing the overall cost of system management and doing away with the need for time-consuming and costly local administration.
The Hot Desk model of computing also allows IT managers to pool computing resources to optimise efficiency.
"This is quite a contrast to the `PC on every desktop` model where, over the course of a day, only a tiny fraction of each PC`s power is being utilised -- the remaining portion is idle. When compared to the Hot Desk model, personal computers appear unnecessarily inefficient, costly and complex," says De Beyer.
The Sun Ray 1 enterprise appliance has broad applicability for workgroups requiring access to applications hosted across multiple operating environments. Initial key markets and applications include customer management systems (call centres, help desks and sales support); education; government; financial services; Application Service Provider/outsourcing organisations; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications; and technology licensing.
Share
