WebTone: 21-st century computing equivalent to today's dial tone
> Sun reveals software strategy for establishing "WebTone"
> future of computing; Leading the charge to Java-ready,
> information-efficient networks
>
> Source: Business Wire
>
> MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)
> -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) today unveiled
> its software strategy and product focus for the remainder
> of the decade.
>
> During the day-long briefing for journalists from around
> the world, SunSoft president Janpieter Scheerder and
> other key software executives and technologists mapped
> out Sun's comprehensive plan for establishing the 21st
> century computing equivalent to today's dial tone --
> called the "WebTone" -- that will give companies and
> institutions round-the-clock network dependability for
> communicating internally and conducting business with
> suppliers, customers and partners. Sun also announced new
> web server and security products that are essential for
> maximizing information flow and business efficiency in a
> web-based networked world (see separate releases).
>
> Taking Care of Business -- the WebTone
>
> The day-long event, held at Sun's corporate headquarters
> in Menlo Park, Calif., was kicked off by Bill Raduchel,
> Sun's chief information officer, who described the
> challenges of running Sun's state-of-the-art global
> network, which serves more than 19,000 employees over 80
> countries. Raduchel is currently focused on deploying
> 3,000 networked JavaStation clients in a massive internal
> pilot program.
>
> Scott McNealy, chairman of the board, president and CEO
> of Sun, also gave his perspective on where the networked
> world is moving. "In today's world, people pick-up a
> phone, hear a dial tone, then communicate instantaneously
> with others around the world--in fact, you "boot" your
> telephone by just picking it up," said McNealy. "Some
> companies are already taking advantage of a computing
> network without technologic, geographic or time barriers
> -- a network over which partners, customers and employees
> can collaborate at any time, from anywhere, with anyone.
> To gain that competitive advantage, businesses are
> turning to the Internet, and Sun is providing the network
> foundation and delivering the continuous WebTone that
> makes it all possible."
>
> Customers Can Focus on Business, Not Technology
>
> "Our customers need a web foundation, development,
> management and security structure that enables them to
> get from where they are today to where they want to be
> with web-based computing," said Scheerder. "Sun is
> leading with products that make it all possible and we're
> providing the most comprehensive software framework
> available for conducting fast, safe web-based business."
> Sun's Scheerder described a web-based world where the
> ultimate aim of Sun's software is to let customers focus
> on business, not the underlying infrastructure -- a goal
> significantly aided by the arrival of Sun's revolutionary
> Java technology.
>
> Delivering The WebTone
>
> Sun described the "WebTone," the 21st century equivalent
> to today's dial tone that facilitates information flow
> across a multitude of devices from smartcards to
> supercomputers. The three characteristics of the WebTone
> are:
>
> -- It's always there, like the dial tone.
>
> -- It provides services to business and consumers via the
> web-based network.
>
> -- It's accessible from any device (i.e. phones, kiosks,
> PDAs), anywhere, anytime.
>
> Sun's software strategy meets head-on the demands of an
> exploding Internet market. According to Forrester
> Research, the Internet-based business-to-business
> commerce market is expected to grow to $66 billion during
> the next three years, and the market for the required
> infrastructure software is expected to represent $30
> billion.
>
> Sun's software focus now and for the next several years
> is to:
>
> -- provide solutions that allow companies to evolve from
> traditional LANs and WANs to global web-based computing
> at their own pace, while protecting existing investment
> and lowering total cost of ownership
>
> -- champion easy, automatic desktop and device
> interoperability, and provide intuitive software that
> will facilitate seamless, highly secure information flow
> across a multitude of devices such as smartcards, PDAs,
> cellular phones, desktop computers, servers and
> supercomputers
>
> -- supply a web software foundation that concentrates
> network complexity at the back-end while providing users
> with easy access at the front-end
>
> -- attack areas of real concern to customers implementing
> network computing. These include: network dependability,
> easy access/use, speed, global connection, manageability,
> seamless information flow and airtight security
>
> -- provide software solutions that let customers reap the
> multifaceted benefits of Java technology
>
> -- work with leading ISVs and industry vendors to provide
> customers with the widest range of applications and
> multiplatform, business-based solutions available.
>
> Support for Windows NT Users
>
> Sun's software strategy embraces both desktops and
> servers using Windows NT. Sun's industrial-strength
> software servers interoperate with virtually any LAN,
> including Windows NT. They can eliminate downtime --
> increasing productivity and reducing cost of ownership.
> Sun integration is seamless -- invisible to the user and
> familiar to the network manager -- and affordable, with
> entry-level servers priced competitively with Windows NT.
>
> Sun Software Customers
>
> The powerful combination of flexible, intuitive software
> and reliable, high-end hardware systems keeps customers
> turning to Sun to help drive new Internet computing
> solutions. Corporations are buying powerful Sun SPARC
> servers and Intel-based servers that fully exploit the
> capabilities of Sun's software to streamline IS functions
> and help realize the vision of web-based computing.
> Customers using Sun software to tackle serious business
> challenges attended the day's event and spoke with
> journalists about their needs in facing a web-based
> world. Their experiences support Sun's strategic
> direction towards global web-based computing.
>
> The day's attendees included: Cyberworks, Federal Home
> Loan Bank of Dallas, Internet Shopping Network, SonicNet,
> Inc.'s Addicted to Noise, and Time Inc. New Media.
> Expandability and performance are hot issues for all of
> these customers, and are especially significant for Time
> Inc. New Media. The PathFinder site is Time Inc.'s
> flagship effort to seek out business opportunities in
> interactive media and electronic commerce and the company
> is constantly seeking ways to further improve the site.
> Receiving up to 15 million hits per week, the site
> provides on-line versions of Time Inc.'s wide-ranging
> array of publications -- including Time, People,
> Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and
> Money. The massive cornucopia of information and
> entertainment is a convenient "one-stop" Web location,
> and as this enormous site expands, Sun's scalability is a
> critical asset.
>
> "Sun is an established leader in the Internet space, and
> we have capitalized on their strengths," said Vicki
> Zilaitis, director of technology, Time Inc. New Media.
>
> Products: Today and Tomorrow
>
> Scheerder illustrated how Sun's comprehensive family of
> software products deliver the WebTone of tomorrow to
> customers today, and announced new web server and
> security products that further Sun's strategy for
> establishing the web-based future of computing (see
> separate releases). Sun software executives then mapped
> out blueprints for enhancing each product line: the
> Solaris operating environment, Sun's foundation for web
> computing; Sun WorkShop application and content
> development environments; Solstice system and network
> management solutions; and Sun's network security
> products. Scheerder and his executive team also reviewed
> the adoption of Sun's Java technology in all of these
> software products.
>
> 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 hardware, software and services for establishing
> enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the
> Internet. With more than $7 billion in annual revenues,
> Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the
> World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com .