INDUSTRY

By Phil Hochmuth & Deni Connor, Network World -- While a slew of vendors will make product splashes this week at LinuxWorld Expo, Sun's jump into the enterprise Linux server market is expected to make the biggest waves. Sun will unveil two general-purpose, Intel-based servers running its own version of Linux, setting the company apart from rivals such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM that rely more heavily on technology from Linux partners. Sun will differentiate the servers, officially called the Cobalt LX50s (but previously known as Big Bear), by bundling in a bevy of software, including an application server, clustering technology, a directory, management tools and Java 2 Standard Edition. "Sun can potentially do Linux better than any other [server] vendor," says Bill Claybrook, an analyst with Aberdeen Group. "Sun has done a better job at scaling Unix than anyone. I'd be surprised if they didn't do that with Linux. Combined with Solaris, Sun could have a good story here." Aberdeen's Claybrook also sees Sun's offering as the first real threat to Red Hat, despite the recent formation of UnitedLinux, an effort by four other Linux companies to develop a common Linux distribution. Despite analyst raves over Sun's strategy, some customers are miffed. They would prefer to see the company focus its attention on porting the newest version of its Unix operating system - Solaris 9 - to Intel platforms that typically cost thousands of dollars less than Sun's SPARC-based machines. Sun plans to offer Solaris 9 on its Cobalt LX50s, but has no plans to offer it on a broader set of Intel machines, as it has with Solaris 8. "I am astonished that after eight months, Sun's management still refuses to hear what its customers really have been asking for," says John Groenveld, associate research engineer for the Applied Research Lab at Pennsylvania State University in State College. "I would have been interested in Solaris running on a new line of Sun X86-based systems had [Sun] addressed the core problems of their relationship with Solaris customers." But it's plain to see why Sun, whose CEO Scott McNealy will present a keynote address at LinuxWorld - is increasingly interested in Linux. While the company dominates the Unix market, with more than 50% share by revenue, according to IDC, the market for high-end servers is shrinking and is expected to continue on that path. The story is different with Linux - IDC predicts that revenue from the sale of Linux servers will more than triple from $80 million last year to $280 million by 2006. The Cobalt LX50s are 1U (1.75-inch) servers featuring a version of Linux built by Sun on top of the base 2.4 Linux kernel and adapted from Linux technology embedded in the server appliances that Sun obtained through its acquisition of Cobalt Networks in 2000. Sun says its Linux software will not be sold separately, but the core distribution will be licensed under the GNU Public License, which means the source code will be available for free. The servers, which use one or two Pentium III 1.4-GHz processors and include at least one 36-G byte drives, will start at $2,800, roughly the same as a Dell PowerEdge 1650 with Red Hat Linux preinstalled. Aberdeen's Claybrook doesn't see UnitedLinux as a strong competitor. "I don't think Red Hat vs. UnitedLinux will develop into anything," he says. "Red Hat has had more brand recognition than anyone, and they're very much geared toward enterprises. Sun will get recognition in Linux because they are Sun ... We'll see some good competition over the next couple of years." Red Hat officials say they aren't fazed. "Sun's message with Linux will be that if you want to do large-enterprise stuff, take Solaris," says Mark de Visser, vice president of marketing for Red Hat, which owns about half the Linux server market. "If your needs are less mission-critical, that's when Linux is a good player. Meanwhile, [Red Hat at LinuxWorld] will be demonstrating large-scale deployment Linux technology, and how companies are adopting Linux to replace Solaris itself." "It's old news if you come out now and say Linux is a good player at the edge of network" for such tasks as Web, file and print serving," he says. "It was a while ago when we all discovered that." ----- Copyright 2002 Network World. Supercomputing Online is a Network World Content Partner.