Sun virtualises the network with N1

By Alun Williams

Posted on 11 Feb 2003 at 12:48

Sun has trumpeted the launch of its 'N1' range of storage and server technology.

Described as providing 'just in time computing', N1 is Sun's attempt to better manage large-scale network resources. It creates a 'virtual system' out of the underlying computer systems - 'virtualising' the administrator's view of the varied hardware and software resources. This will, the company believes, 'create a tighter, more direct alignment between servicing business needs and managing IT infrastructure and services.'

N1 itself is described as a suite of 'products, programs and services' and the company intends it to be a 'multi-platform, multi-vendor operating environment' for network computing.

The first N1 product to take its bow is the N1 Provisioning Server 3.0 Blades Edition, which can manage multiple servers as a single system.

Sun boasts a 'virtual wiring' capability for its new product, which - it claims - makes adding a blade (a space-efficient, rack-mounted system) to a server farm as easy as dragging an icon into the network design.

'The network is the computer' is Sun's slogan of old, and N1 represents an overhaul of its vision of what a network can provide.

By 'virtualising' the computer network Sun is positioning itself to provide computing on demand. This development - whereby computing power is available as a resource to be tapped in to according to levels of demand - is seen as the future of massive-scale server-based computing. IBM and HP are also building towards this anticipated market.

The goal, according to Chairman, President and CEO of Sun, Scott McNealy, is to 'cut costs and reduce the complexity of network computing'. Emphasising that Sun is a systems company, McNealy describes N1 as an end-to-end, smart card to super computer architecture.

The new launch is important for the future of Sun Microsystems. Only last month, Sun was reporting a record loss and declining revenues for its quarterly figures. N1 represents Sun's strategy for turning around its long-term prospects.

More information on the N1 range can be found on Sun.com.

You can also see a video stream of Scott McNealy unveiling N1 on the Sun Web site.