PALO ALTO, CA -- Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) today announced an update to its popular Sun(TM) Cluster 3.0 software, the heart of a SunPlex(TM) system. The Sun Cluster 3.0 07/01 release extends the technology leadership of Sun Cluster 3.0 software by making it easier for customers to manage and deploy mission-critical applications and services. These new enhancements will help further the momentum of Sun Cluster 3.0 software in the market and provide customers with a comprehensive suite of support tools that deliver high availability for a broad range of platforms. The Sun Cluster software update adds tools that enable faster time to deployment for custom cluster applications, an expanded portfolio of application services that provide customers with best-of-breed solutions, and increased interoperability with Sun's Solaris(TM) Resource Manager 1.2 software and Sun Management Center 3.0 technology. This improved integration will provide better resource utilization and higher availability benefits, while providing customers with an end-to-end cluster deployment solution that will increase overall service levels and lower costs. "Customer demand for SunPlex systems and the features in our Cool Stuff CD has grown substantially since the introduction of Sun Cluster 3.0 in November 2000," said Andy Ingram, vice president, Solaris Software Marketing, Sun Microsystems. "In an effort to meet this demand and to continually provide the best products, tools and services to our customers, we are adding enhanced support that will make administration and development even easier and more convenient than ever before." Newly supported additions to Sun Cluster 3.0 software, delivered in update 07/01 include: -- SunPlex Manager Wizard. The SunPlex Manager Wizard System helps make it easier for system administrators to install Sun Cluster 3.0 software components of their cluster system using a familiar browser interface, resulting in faster deployment of SunPlex systems. -- SunPlex Agent Builder Wizard. The SunPlex Agent Builder Wizard System streamlines the creation and distribution of customized Sun Cluster applications, significantly reducing the development time and effort to integrate customized applications with Sun Cluster software. -- Data Services Developers Library (DSDL). The DSDL helps developers simplify the implementation of Sun Cluster agents, further enhancing the integration of a variety of applications into the SunPlex environment. -- SAP and Sybase High-Availability (HA) Agents. The addition of these new agents provides customers with even higher availability for SAP and Sybase applications, extending failover capabilities throughout the deployment platform. Transparent fault recovery can now occur at all levels. -- Solaris Resource Manager 1.2 and Sun Management Center 3.0 Integration. Solaris Resource Manager integration with Sun Cluster 3.0 software provides increased resource utilization by consolidating multiple applications within a cluster. Sun Management Center 3.0 integration makes it easier for customers to monitor the entire SunPlex environment with a single management tool. -- Netra(TM) and Sun Fire(TM) Server Family Configuration Support. Additional support for the entire Netra and Sun Fire family of servers increases the range of hardware options for customers, allowing them to take advantage of the newest advances in hardware performance and robustness. Current Sun Cluster 3.0 software customers can easily take advantage of these new features by upgrading to the new release. This upgrade may be performed on a running SunPlex system while it continues to provide application service levels. For more information visit www.sun.com