Sun's Energy Super Saver
Similar to the latest dual-core Pentium processors but a lot more powerful, the UltraSPARC T1 processor can be purchased with as many as eight four-way multithreaded processing cores and can process up to 32 simultaneous threads. The processing cores are connected through a 135-GBps crossbar switch to a high-bandwidth 12-way associative 3-Mbyte Level 2 cache that feeds four 25-GBps DDR2 memory channels.
Two RJ45 ports provide network management and serial management support. The server comes with Sun's Solaris 10 operating system. Inexpensive at the base level, a T1000 server with a six-core processor and 2 Gbytes of memory can be purchased for $2,995. But it costs about $11,000 for a T1000 with an eight-core processor and 16 Gbytes of memory.
The T1000 server does not include an optical drive, nor is there space for one. Therefore, software must be installed over Ethernet. But this is done as a cost-cutting measure, as the T1000 is likely to be used in Web and load-balancing applications where there would be multiple servers installed in a rack and no need for multiple optical drives.
Sun's Solaris 10 operating system is ideal for the T1000 server and other systems containing multicore processors. The T1000 server can be purchased with Sun's Startup Express offering, which comes pre-installed with Solaris 10 OS, Sun Studio 11 and Sun Java Enterprise System software. Sun's N1 System Management Software enables operating system provisioning and system management. Management software utilities include the Sun N1 System Manager, Sun Management Center, N1 Service Provisioning System and the Sun N1 Grid Engine. The Sun Management Console 3.6 supports new Solaris 10 features including Dynamic Tracing, Predictive Self-Healing and Solaris Containers.
Sun is looking to attract channel partners with its Solar Edge Elite Program, which is geared specifically to promote sales of systems. The company offers extensive training options and marketing collateral. The single-tier program requires membership in the Sun Partner Advantage Program and first-year volume commitments. Partners must maintain a demo pool of systems, but the company does provide free demo systems, based on sales volume.
While Sun did not disclose margins for product sales, partners will have control over determining their own margins based on incentives offered by Sun. Requirements to join the program are based on minimum participation criteria, all of which seem like fair metrics for VARs pursuing the high-end server market.
