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    SUN SIGNS MASTER RESELLER AGREEMENT WITH ACCESS GRAPHICS
   
SunFLASH Vol 21 #3					      September 1990 
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 Also Unveils Changes to VAR Program That Will Benefit Resellers
 
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. --September 5, 1990-- Sun Microsystems today
announced that it has signed an agreement with ACCESS Graphics of
Boulder, Colo., under which ACCESS will distribute Sun's workstations
and servers to approximately 200 Sun value-added resellers (VARs) who
sell into technical markets.  ACCESS will become Sun's first master
reseller in the United States; Sun previously supplied its products
directly to its VARs.

This agreement, along with changes announced today to Sun's VAR
program, reflect significant shifts in Sun's channel strategy.  For
example, Sun recently established a National Value-Added Dealer (NVAD)
channel to help penetrate the commercial market and will be selling its
systems through approximately 200 NYNEX, MicroAge and Intelligent
Electronics outlets.

Under the agreement with Sun, ACCESS Graphics will offer workstations
and provide training and support to smaller resellers in the United
States only.  These firms are authorized by Sun to sell into CAD/CAM
and other technical markets.  ACCESS will also act as Sun's distributor
to smaller companies that currently fall under Sun's "OEM" contract,
such as independent software developers who resell their applications
on Sun workstations.

According to Joe Roebuck, Sun vice president of U.S. sales, "By
creating a master reseller distribution channel, Sun will be in a
better position to service smaller resellers.  In the past, it's been
difficult for us to offer quick turnaround of small-quantity orders.
ACCESS, by contrast, specializes in one- and two-day delivery.  ACCESS
already supplies CAD products to a majority of our resellers and has an
excellent reputation for serving the CAD/CAM/CAE market."

"This agreement is very significant to us, since Sun SPARCstations(TM)
are by far the leading RISC-based workstations in the CAD/CAM market,"
said Jim Hudson, ACCESS president.  "We already distribute numerous
Sun-compatible products, including high-resolution color printers,
plotters, digitizers and publishing scanners.  Sun VARs will now have a
one-stop shop for purchasing both workstations and peripherals."

Sun's VAR and OEM Channels Evolving

The new agreement with ACCESS Graphics reflects an evolution and
expansion of Sun's major indirect channels.  "Given the huge growth in
customer demand and the quick broadening of markets for our products,
our channel strategy is being tailored to better serve customer needs,"
Roebuck said.

Sun has reformulated its VAR program to remove all geographic
restrictions on VARs.  It will also encourage its "software OEMs" --
that is, Sun resellers whose primary added value is proprietary
software -- to move to the new VAR contract.  In the future, Sun's OEM
contracts will encompass "hardware OEMs" -- companies that incorporate
Sun products into a hardware system.

As a result of these changes to its channels, Sun will be better able
to offer marketing and technical programs tailored to each type of
reseller.  For example, Sun resellers now have several options when it
comes to service.  They can simply sell a Sun service contract along
with Sun equipment.  Another possibility is to subcontract end user
support, interfacing with Sun as needed.  Finally, a reseller can
choose to become an independent service center supported by Sun's
advanced tools, with total responsibility for account control.

ACCESS Graphics has been serving the CAD/CAM and technical marketplace
since 1985, with 22 sales offices nationwide.

Sun Microsystems, Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a
leading worldwide supplier of network-based distributed computing
systems, including professional workstations, servers and UNIX(R)
operating system and productivity software.

###

SPARCstation is a trademark of SPARC International, Inc.  UNIX is a
registered trademark of UNIX Systems Laboratory, Inc.  All other
products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the
trademarks or service marks of their respective companies or
organizations.

Press Contact: 
John Loiacono (415) 336-6424

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