Archive | April 5, 2005

At a press conference today, NEC Corporation and Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq:SUNW) today announced an agreement to expand the strategic alliance between the two firms. This expanded alliance plans to create new system solutions, incorporating technology and products from both companies that are scheduled to be made available in Japan and globally.

The strategic alliance will cover a broad range of areas between the two companies including an expansion of the joint systems integration business relationship, development of secure voice and data solutions and enhanced collaboration in the development of middleware software. “NEC started OEMing Sun products in 2000, since then we have continued to broadly develop our partnership,” said Akinobu Kanasugi, president, NEC. “Today’s announcement is about expanding this product based partnership into a strategic systems integration collaboration targeting the global market by developing solutions based on IT and network technologies from both companies.” “Today the Sun and NEC relationship has reached a new level,” said Scott McNealy, Chairman and CEO, Sun Microsystems. “Our visions have always been aligned and now we can say that our products and services offerings are more complimentary than ever, a synergistic partnership from ASICS at the chip level to the middleware layer all the way through systems integration. Customers throughout the world are experiencing the benefits of our joint solutions.”

Key elements of the new alliance include:

• An expanded set of systems integration offerings that the two companies plan to provide including standards-based, highly scalable, secure, mission critical offerings targeting mobile phone carriers and network markets such as telecommunications.
• Plans for both companies to expand support for NEC’s Multimedia Information Platform (NEMIP) solution based on Sun’s Solaris Operating System (OS) platform in the global market including Asia and Europe.
• NEC is increasing its systems integration capability dedicated to the Solaris operating environment in addition to other platform environments and targeting multi-vendor implementations such as server consolidation. Furthermore, NEC will deploy its Open Mission Critical System (OMCS) technology on Sun’s Solaris platform in Japan and other countries.
• Sun is expanding its support structure both in Japan and the United States in order to support this systems integration business expansion.
• Both companies are combining NEC’s IP telephony product, UNIVERGE/SV 7000, and Sun’s Sun Ray ultra-thin client technology into secure solutions.
• NEC is using this architecture as a key component of its customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for next-generation call centers.
• The first reference site for this new solution is Plala Networks, which started its operations in March. This Next Generation Contact Center is expected to be the biggest in Asia with more than 1,000 seats. Sun and NEC plan to jointly promote this solution worldwide as a Sun Ray-based reference platform for joint customers.
• Sun and NEC are jointly investigating technology collaboration for next-generation client architecture definitions for future mobility and security clients based on Sun Ray ultra-thin client and NEC network technology.
• NEC and Sun have concluded integration test and quality verification for key components of their middleware stacks, the NEC “VALUMOware” and Sun Java Enterprise System. NEC’s “WebSAM MCOperation” and “DiosaGlobe MCOne” has been integrated with the Sun Java Enterprise System for operations management and operating platform solutions.
• NEC and Sun have integrated the Sun Java System Access Manager and the Sun Java System Identity Manager software with the NEC Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) products as a systems integration solution for the identity market.
• Both companies are investigating further technology collaboration in the areas of autonomic computing and Web services.
• Both companies intend to expand these middleware collaborations from the Solaris Operating System running on UltraSPARC(R) microprocessors to include the Solaris Operating System on the x86 and x64 platforms.

In order to demonstrate and accelerate the above initiatives, both companies are establishing joint solution teams to execute proof of concepts for customer requirements at NEC’s iBest Solution Center in Mita, Japan, the NEC Broadband Solution Center in Shinagawa, Japan and the Sun iForce (SM) Center in Yoga, Japan. Sun and NEC have collaborated for years, with NEC integrating thousands of systems using the Solaris Operating System over the past five years. In addition, NEC Electronics Ltd. provides system level semiconductor products for Sun.

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation (Nasdaq: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of the world’s leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world’s top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of 4,906 billion yen (approx. $47 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.

NEC’s Multimedia Information Platform (NEMIP) is a mobile communications platform providing Mail, Web Portal, Ring Tones and other type of multimedia services . NEMIP is a proven solution with implementations in more than 8 major mobile carriers.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

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 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com. Sun Microsystems K.K. is the Japanese corporation, 100% subsidiary of US headquarters and was established in 1986.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, Java, , iForce, Sun Ray ,and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

PRIMEQUEST High-end Itanium 2 Server Line Expands Reach of Open Industry Standards to Include Mission-Critical Enterprise Operations

Fujitsu Computer Systems, a leader in mission-critical computing, today unveiled the new PRIMEQUEST™ server line based on the Intel^® Itanium^® 2 processor. The PRIMEQUEST server line combines data center class fault immunity and high system scalability for industry standard environments running Linux and Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based systems. This makes it an ideal choice for organizations wishing to realize the economic benefits and flexibility of industry standard solutions without compromising their business continuity. The new line is being launched globally today through Fujitsu Limited in the Asia/Pacific region as well as Fujitsu Computer Systems in North America and Fujitsu Siemens Computers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

PRIMEQUEST servers are ideal for mission-critical applications which demand high availability, robust performance, enhanced flexibility and optimum resource usage. Typical application areas for PRIMEQUEST servers include large-scale database systems and online transaction processing environments. The PRIMEQUEST server architecture provides a high degree of platform fault immunity with up to 8 highly available, independent and hardware isolated partitions – each one being a fully independent ‘server’ within the system.

“PRIMEQUEST servers allow our customers to obtain mission-critical computing on both Linux and Windows Server,” says Toshio Morohoshi, president and chief executive officer, Fujitsu Computer Systems. “Backed by our mainframe heritage, Fujitsu offers unparalleled reliability on industry-standard operating systems. The PRIMEQUEST server line is poised to deliver the high availability and low total cost of ownership that customers demand.”

The advanced chipset on the PRIMEQUEST server delivers two key technologies that provide the highest possible availability in a single system: System Mirror and Flexible I/O (FIO). System Mirror, enabled by dual synchronous system architecture, allows memory modules and crossbar interconnects to operate in duplex mode and isolate errors without causing a system halt. FIO allows on-demand redirection of I/O resources to specific processing resources. This enables I/O to match real-time performance requirements while avoiding disruption of business operations. FIO also significantly shortens maintenance downtime compared to current industry standards.

PRIMEQUEST servers extend the Fujitsu server portfolio that includes PRIMEPOWER™ servers based on the SPARC64^® V processor running the Solaris™ operating system and PRIMERGY^® industry standard servers. Together they provide a comprehensive server portfolio that satisfies different service level requirements for maximum availability and scalability. The new PRIMEQUEST servers will attract customers who want to extend existing mission-critical infrastructures with truly open industry standards focused on Linux, Windows and Itanium technologies.

Providing mission-critical software is a key strength of the global Fujitsu alliance. Fujitsu has collaborated with Red Hat and contributed to the hardening of the open operating system for business critical usage via the contribution of 500 Fujitsu Linux developers. Under the Global Alliance Partnership, Fujitsu is working closely with Microsoft around the development of mission critical RAS features and the optimization for industry-leading performance benchmarks.

The PRIMEQUEST server line is offered as part of the Fujitsu TRIOLE strategy for optimized IT, which unites servers, storage, networks and middleware to provide a dynamic and flexible customer IT environment. Fujitsu will introduce TRIOLE templates that will include PRIMEQUEST servers, enabling customers to introduce 64-bit mission-critical Linux and Windows technology into the datacenter. The TRIOLE strategy provides the optimized design, development and deployment of highly reliable, business-critical data centers in heterogeneous environments aimed to increase business continuity, agility and efficiency.

About the TRIOLE Strategy
Fujitsu is committed to providing its customers with products, solutions and services that will further optimize their IT infrastructure and improve their business agility. Its TRIOLE strategy is the aggregate of three core principles: virtualization, automation and integration. Fujitsu has applied these principles to design and deliver highly dynamic IT solutions with the highest levels of compatibility and consistency. The result enables customers to increase efficiency, enhance agility and improve continuity now and into the future. For more information on the TRIOLE strategy please visit: http://www.fujitsu.com/triole.

About Fujitsu Computer Systems
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Fujitsu Computer Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) committed to the design, development and delivery of advanced computer systems and managed services for the business enterprise. The company offers a complete line of high-performance mobile computers, scalable and reliable servers, storage, and middleware as well as managed and professional services. Fujitsu Computer Systems emphasizes leading-edge technology, exceptional product quality and user comfort and productivity, as well as outstanding customer service. More information on Fujitsu Computer Systems is available at us.fujitsu.com/computers.

About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting technologies, highly reliable computing and communications platforms, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers’ success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$45 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/.

Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo, PRIMEPOWER, PRIMEQUEST and TRIOLE are registered trademarks or trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. PRIMERGY is a registered trademark of Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH in the United States and other countries. Intel and Itanium are registered trademarks or trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Solaris and all Solaris based marks and logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries, and are used under license. SPARC64 is a registered trademark or trademark of SPARC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright 2005 Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation. All rights reserved.