SUN MICROSYSTEMS BRINGS COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO RETAILERS WORLDWIDE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael Zeglin
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
650-786-6255
michael.zeglin@sun.com
Kira Perdue
Alexander Ogilvy for Sun Microsystems, Inc.
404-881-2317
kperdue@alexanderogilvy.com
Sun Cobalt(tm) Control Station Helps Retailers Take Control of Their Server
Appliances to Simplify Volume Deployment of Software and Services and Increase
Quality of Service
NEW YORK, Jacob Javits Center - January 14, 2002 - Sun Microsystems, Inc. today introduced to the worldwide retail industry the Sun Cobalt[tm] Control Station - a flexible and extensible application that helps reduce operational costs and maximize resource use by streamlining the management of hundreds of server appliances for in-store systems, while easing the provisioning of new services. The Control Station is an ideal tool for retail organizations that have sites in disparate store locations across the country, enabling them to track and apply software updates, deploy new services, and monitor the health and performance of their server appliances from a single location.
The Sun Cobalt Control Station will help retailers save time and money by offering a single, centrally located, easy-to-use tool for administrators to control their server appliances across the enterprise, virtually eliminating the traditionally time-consuming tasks of upgrading and patching server appliances one-by-one. Coupled with Sun Cobalt RaQ(tm) and Sun Cobalt Qube(tm) server appliances, the Control Station helps retailers to marshal their resources more effectively, enabling them to expand and customize their service offerings for delivery to key markets when needed.
The Sun Cobalt RaQ and Sun Cobalt Qube server appliances, which support Linux, are becoming an increasingly important element in retail store systems solutions. Designed almost exclusively for remote manageability, the Sun Cobalt server appliance caters to the needs of retailers as an extremely cost- effective in-store processor. Helping centralize distribution and management of supply chain data, the Sun Cobalt server appliance also provides the reliability, scalability and security required for day-to-day retail business transactions.
"The Control Station is perfectly suited for a retail organizations that use Cobalt store server appliances. With the Control Station, retailers can update their appliances in one fell swoop," said Bob DeLaney, director, Retail Industry Solutions Worldwide, Sun Microsystems. "From the time their last retail site closes in the West, to the time their first one opens in the East, they can be sure that each site will be updated with the same data - be it a software update or even training content. By helping retailers control their time and money, the Sun Cobalt Control Station helps them take control of their business."
Management and Monitoring Made Simple
The Control Station not only simplifies the volume deployment of software and data files, it also allows retailers to offer unique payloads, data or software services to store systems. Additionally, by making it easier to manage devices and monitor their status for failure conditions before failures occur, retailers can offer an overall higher quality of service. Administrators are notified of system alerts and metrics that help them to easily monitor the health and performance of their managed appliances, helping retailers better manage operational costs and significantly reducing their Cobalt appliances` total cost of ownership.
Customized for Any Retailer`s Needs
The Sun Cobalt Control Station is a flexible and extensible tool that can be tailored according to a retailer`s specific needs. In addition to the modules provided by Sun, end users, integrators and other iForceSM partners can create their own control modules using the Developer Guide for the Sun Cobalt Control Station. Retailers can use the Control Station as a multi-purpose device, running several modules, such as performance monitoring and software management, or they can dedicate it to a specific function, such as in-store training or corporate communication to the stores. The customization capabilities enable retailers to continue using their proprietary utilities, while using the Control Station to perform daily operations, thereby increasing overall efficiency and protecting investments in proven practices and procedures.
As with all other Sun Cobalt products, the Control Station comes with an intuitive Web-based user interface: the Server Desktop. All operations are performed through a Web browser window, making it simple to manage appliances locally or remotely.
Pricing and Availability
The Sun Cobalt Control Station is available now through Sun and Sun Microsystems` existing worldwide sales channel. The Sun Cobalt solutions are delivered through a global network of distributors, value-added resellers, and Internet service provider iForce partners.
Sun in Retail
Sun`s global retail clients include hard and soft goods specialty businesses, discount and mass merchandisers, department stores, food service, grocery businesses, convenience store businesses, chain drug stores, electronic retailing merchants, catalog and home shopping. Fast-growing retailers are building their technology foundations on Sun Enterprise servers and Sun StorEdge arrays. Sun offers the scalability to ensure retailers can meet the extreme load demands they experience in seasonal peaks throughout the year. Additionally, with its iForce initiatives, strong relationships, its open infrastructure and best-of-breed iForce solutions, Sun supports the retail enterprise, from store systems to headquarter systems, enabling traditional transaction management, training and corporate communications.
About Sun Cobalt Server Appliances
Sun Cobalt server appliances and Chili!Soft ASP technology help enable organizations to establish an online presence easily, cost effectively and reliably. The Sun Cobalt appliance product line - the Sun Cobalt RaQ XTR, Sun Cobalt Qube, Sun Cobalt Cache, Sun Cobalt RaQ, and Chili!Soft ASP - are used by businesses, service providers, and educational institutions for Internet and Web hosting services. The Sun Cobalt solutions are delivered through a global network of distributors, value-added resellers and Internet service providers. For more information about Sun Cobalt server appliances please visit www.cobalt.com.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision-The Network Is The Computer[tm] -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to take their businesses to the nth. Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com.
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Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Sun Cobalt, Sun Cobalt Qube, Sun Cobalt RaQ and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
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