Solaris 9 update speeds up networks

NEWS

Sun Microsystems has released the first update of Solaris 9, its new version of the Unix operating system, with a feature to speed up Sun servers and to ensure network performance is up to scratch. Solaris 9 9/02, a name that stems from the product's release date, speeds up memory access with a feature called Memory Placement Optimisation to better manage how information is stored in regular memory and on hard disks, Sun said Tuesday. The company claimed the memory technology improvement speeded up computer performance by 12 to 40 percent in some tests. But the technology only benefits Sun's higher-end servers, such as the four-processor Sun Fire 3800 and its more-powerful brethren. Another new feature called IPQoS (Internet Protocol Quality of Service) lets administrators allocate network capacity to different jobs; check networking quality-of-service levels; and charge server customers accordingly. The feature is a part of Sun's "containers" effort to better run different jobs on the same computer and, eventually, across groups of computers linked using Sun's N1 technology. Sun introduced Solaris 9 in May, and Chief Executive Scott McNealy said in August the company has shipped 300,000 copies so far. However, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company will still include Solaris 8 with its servers by default until customers grow more accustomed to the new version. The software is a key part of Sun's effort to stave off attacks from Hewlett-Packard and IBM, each of which covets Sun's position at the top of the Unix server market. IBM has just upgraded its own version of Unix, AIX, while HP is modifying its HP-UX version of the operating system to work with Intel's new Itanium processors. Sun is in the process of restoring full support for Solaris 9 running on Intel-compatible chips such as the Xeon or Advanced Micro Devices' Athlon. Earlier in the year it "deferred productisation" of the Intel version. Sun plans to release Solaris updates roughly once per quarter; the next scheduled release is Solaris 9 12/02. Those with software support service agreements get the update for free; others must pay. Price tags range from $249 (£150) for a two-processor system to $160,000 (£95,000) for 64-processor system. At the extreme end, it costs $400,000 to upgrade a 128-processor Solaris system such as Fujitsu Technology Solutions' Primepower 2000 or 2500. Beginning with Solaris 9, Sun began bundling with its operating system more packages of higher-level software for jobs such as managing username-password combinations and running business applications written in the server version of Java. With the 9/02 update, Sun is expanding the list of included software, though the additions are only limited editions that may not be used other than for testing and development. Now included are developer versions of the Sun Open Network Environment (Sun ONE) Portal Server, for creating Web sites for groups of people; the Sun ONE Web server, for sending out Web pages; and Sun ONE Studio programming tools.

See the Software News Section for the latest headlines on everything from peer to peer clients to Office software and beyond. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the ZDNet news forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

ZDNet UK Live

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

2 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

2 hours ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

3 hours ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

4 hours ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

5 hours ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

5 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

5 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

6 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

6 hours ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?

"Interesting thought ... If you installed Win7 as a dual boot on a machine that previously only had Linux, and it wrecked your Linux installation,...

6 hours ago by BugStalker on Windows 7 Declares War on GRUB

This is an excellent summary of Ubuntu and Mint and the interface differences between them. Most such articles take a very partisan position for...

6 hours ago by whs001 on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

@ewallace. Not so clear. Anyone can obtain the text, for example from here http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/2379. I support ACTA so long as it and...

7 hours ago by Moley on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

10 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

11 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

11 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

12 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

13 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

14 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

23 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

1 day ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Solaris 9 update speeds up networks

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

Sun customers angry at Solaris roadblock

Sun looks to Solaris 9 for salvation

Sun mimics Microsoft in Solaris release

Solaris hole opening way for hackers

Sun delays Solaris 9 for Intel chips

Post your comment

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in IT Strategy

Heart of England NHS begins massive digitisation plan

Hard-drive woes hit PC shipments in fourth quarter

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Test Analyst - Business Intelligence /Data Warehousing

Test Analyst - Business Intelligence /Data Warehousing

Technical MI Manager - 50-60k - Leeds

Inside ZDNet UK

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Case study: How cloud enables growth

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

News & Analysis

Reviews

Blogs

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features

ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Business of IT / IT Strategy

Solaris 9 update speeds up networks

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

Post your comment

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in IT Strategy

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Inside ZDNet UK

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features