> In a related announcement, Sun also disclosed that it intends to
> integrate this HA software into its next-generation clustering
> technology, called Full Moon (intended to drive Microsoft's competing
> Wolfpack clustering initiative crazy, get it?).
I get it! I get it!
> Meanwhile, Wake says the new version of Solaris will support the Network
> Time Protocol (NTP) -- the IETF standard for synchronizing clocks over
> the network. NTP organizes network hosts into various "strata,"
> depending on their accuracy and then synchronizes all hosts to the most
> accurate.
Soft state built in. Imagine.
> Solaris 2.6 will be able to support terabyte-sized files (the current
> supported limit is two gigabytes), as well as a whole alphabet soup of
> services, including: WebNFS, Common Desktop Environment (CDE) 1.2, Unix
> 95 (spec 1170), and a X11R6 Server, which will provide graphical access
> to X applications. A feature Wake called the "Genie button" will allow
> users to install the OS through a Web browser interface.
Genie!?!? That's *our* word...
---------------------- 8< ------------------------------------------
San Francisco (March 12, 1997) -- Solaris Version 2.6, due to be
released in August, is slated to include the Java Virtual Machine and
Sun's HotJava browser, and the still-unreleased Sun WebServer -- Sun's
first bona fide Web server that is supposed to include Java servlet APIs
as an alternative to the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). Also expected
in the new release are what Sun describes as "advanced features based on
Solstice High Availability (HA) software."
The peek under Sun's operating system kimono was offered by Larry Wake,
Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.'s marketing manager, speaking at the Sun
Users Group conference here earlier this month. SPARC and Intel versions
of the operating system are to be released simultaneously.
In a related announcement, Sun also disclosed that it intends to
integrate this HA software into its next-generation clustering
technology, called Full Moon (intended to drive Microsoft's competing
Wolfpack clustering initiative crazy, get it?). This announcement was
made at the Internet World conference in Los Angeles. (See SunWorld's
SunSpots for more on Full Moon.)
Full Moon 1.0 is expected to ship in early 1998 and will be built upon
HA, which Sun says already can support two-load failover. HA version 1.3
is due to ship next month and will be bundled with Netscape's server
software. It will include "cluster APIs" for in-house developers to
create their own clustered applications. Solaris Marketing Manager
Sanjay Sinha says that the promised Sun WebServer/HA integration will
come later and adds that the Full Moon technology will eventually be
integrated into Solaris, though HA will be "separately orderable" from
Solaris 2.6.
Meanwhile, Wake says the new version of Solaris will support the Network
Time Protocol (NTP) -- the IETF standard for synchronizing clocks over
the network. NTP organizes network hosts into various "strata,"
depending on their accuracy and then synchronizes all hosts to the most
accurate.
Solaris 2.6 will be able to support terabyte-sized files (the current
supported limit is two gigabytes), as well as a whole alphabet soup of
services, including: WebNFS, Common Desktop Environment (CDE) 1.2, Unix
95 (spec 1170), and a X11R6 Server, which will provide graphical access
to X applications. A feature Wake called the "Genie button" will allow
users to install the OS through a Web browser interface.
Wake did not say whether Wabi or DiskSuite would be included. There have
been hints of late within Sun that both applications may be nearing the
end of their respective lives. Citrix WinFrame and Veritas Volume
Manager have been named as likely successors.
Pricing details on Solaris 2.6 are not available. Pricing for High
Availability 1.3 will start at $5,000 per node. The Internet bundle will
cost $4,000 per node. RDBMS services for Oracle, Informix, and Sybase
will cost $2,000 per database.
----
adam@cs.caltech.edu
Never borrow for what you don't need.
Never think you need what you have to borrow for.
-- Irish proverb