PALO ALTO, CA -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) has announced an enhanced Sun Enterprise(TM) 10000 system, also known as Starfire(TM), which includes new 466 megahertz (MHz) UltraSPARC(TM) II CPU modules and a host of other features designed to further increase the system's reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS). The enhanced Starfire system includes the new 466 MHz CPU modules with eight-megabyte (MB) mirrored external cache, which is a highly reliable computational engine with up to 16 percent performance improvement compared to existing 400 MHz/8MB modules. Sun's existing Enterprise servers, coupled with the Solaris(TM) 8 Operating Environment, are even better equipped to support and grow with power-intensive computing requirements both in enterprise and high-performance computing environments. Furthermore, all Starfire systems ship with redundant control boards and the maximum power, cooling, and A/C input configuration to help ensure N+1 power and cooling, adding to the built-in reliability of the system. The new 466 MHz UltraSPARC II module is also being introduced across Sun's Enterprise 3500-6500 midrange server line. And in related news, Sun today announced a reduction in system board prices by up to 15 percent on its 400 MHz UltraSPARC II-based line of Enterprise servers, including the Sun Enterprise 10000 system. A special module upgrade pricing program has been established by Sun for existing 400 MHz installations. This adds up to a higher performance and RAS-capable Starfire system at a much lower price. For example, a new 20-CPU 466 MHz Enterprise 10000 COD/PowerExpress configuration costs 28 percent less than an identical 400 MHz-based system did at the beginning of the year. With over 5,000 Starfire servers shipped in the high-end UNIX(R) segment, according to industry analyst firm IDC's Quarterly Server Tracker, Q1 2001, Sun celebrates the continued dominance of its flagship system. The industry's most prolific high-end server, the 64-CPU Starfire system enables customers to run the most demanding, multi-terabyte applications for data warehousing, decision support, online transaction processing and data analysis on a single, scalable server. The Sun Enterprise 10000 system is the only UNIX system to provide mainframe-like Dynamic System Domains with the most reliable RAS features in its class. "Sun's Enterprise 10000 system is still a best seller in a category that Sun is extremely active and helped to define within the high-end UNIX server marketspace," said Vernon Turner, vice president, Global Enterprise Server Solutions, IDC. "The Starfire server remains one of today and tomorrow's leading enterprise solutions." "These enhancements to the popular Starfire system serve as further proof of Sun's continued commitment to investment protection for its Sun Enterprise server customers," said Steve Campbell, Director of Marketing, Enterprise Systems Products, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "We understand that our customers' reliability, availability and performance requirements can increase dramatically over time, and this new product delivers what they are looking for." With the release of the new system, Sun is once again offering customers clear upgrade paths that allow them to enhance their current systems while maintaining excellent investment protection. Increasing individual processor speed can lead to immediate boosts in overall system performance and faster user response times for those whose current systems are reaching maximum performance levels. In addition, a system based on the new, faster modules is designed to provide more performance "headroom" in existing servers, enabling information systems departments to accommodate more users requirements as demands change. For more information visit www.sun.com