sunflash-Distributed to mailing list sun/NC/north-carolina sunflash-Send requests, problems to owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SunSelect Debuts SolarNet SunFLASH Vol 63 #102 March 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 63.102 SunSelect Debuts SolarNet SunSelect introduced SolarNet(TM), the first TCP/IP PC networking software that allows administrators to cost-effectively integrate and manage large numbers of PCs on an enterprise network from a single desktop. SolarNet resides both on the client and server, and was developed by SunSelect, the PC-to-enterprise integration business of Sun Microsystems, Inc. (216 lines) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SunSelect made the following announcement earlier today, March 29, 1994, regarding the availability of SolarNet. The details on the pricing and availability for Solarnet from SMCC will be published within 90 days. For any product questions, contact Luiza Aguiar of SunSelect marketing at (508) 442-0592. Forward all press inquiries to Beth Byer, Hi-Tech Communications, (508) 442-0271. SunSelect Debuts SolarNet Networking Software SunSelect designed SolarNet for organizations where large numbers of PCs make the cost of administration and management prohibitively expensive. By providing installation, configuration and administration tools, SolarNet allows a network administrator to manage from several hundred to thousands of PC clients, thereby reducing the cost of ownership. The package gives PC users access to the full complement of TCP/IP networking resources across diverse platforms. "SolarNet is the first package to combine the de facto connectivity standard, TCP/IP, with a strong network administration framework," said W. David Power, vice president and general manager, SunSelect. "The package enhances the productivity of PC users by giving them access to the corporate network, while slashing time and resources needed to manage them. While such solutions already exist for mainframes and UNIX workstation networks, SolarNet is the first to support PCs in a TCP/IP environment." SolarNet leverages the increasing reliance on TCP/IP as a corporate connectivity standard for linking PCs with the enterprise. The research firm IDC (International Data Corporation) predicts that the TCP/IP PC market will grow at 52 percent through 1998. This burgeoning market is fueled by the importance of enterprise-wide networks and the trend toward rightsizing, which has put more mission-critical applications on UNIX servers. "It makes PC administration a breeze," said Ray Hiltbrand, administrator for a fast-growing 800-node network at Auburn University's College of Engineering, which is beta testing SolarNet. "I would recommend SolarNet for any organization that has large numbers of PCs and workstations on a shared wide area network." For PC users: full network citizenship SolarNet gives PC users full "citizenship" on the corporate network, providing them with access to applications and data residing on larger computers. PC users can work in the familiar MS-DOS(R) and Microsoft Windows environments while easily accessing host and UNIX distributed applications. Such access is imperative in the global market, where time-to-market demands require that corporate information be at the users' fingertips. The SolarNet client component leverages PC-NFS technology, SunSelect's leading PC-to-enterprise networking solution, that has 27 percent of the TCP/IP market for PCs. The SolarNet client gives PC users access to numerous network applications, including NFS for file sharing, as well as Microsoft Windows Telnet and FTP. SolarNet is compatible with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups and co-exists with popular LANs like Novell NetWare and Microsoft LAN Manager. SolarNet is also compatible with many networking applications, including SunSelect's SelectMAIL(TM) for integrating PC clients into TCP/IP mail services, RUMBA for PC-NFS(R), which offers IBM mainframe connectivity to PC clients, and hundreds of third-party applications. Speeding installation, configuration and administration By automating PC network installation and administration, SolarNet reduces installation time by up to six-fold. In large organizations, this can result in substantial time savings and cost reductions in the thousands of dollars. According to a recent Gartner Group report, the typical PC network costs $2,874 per user each year to manage and support. Once SolarNet is installed, administrators can easily add and delete users, configure user-based PC environments, and set administration policiesall from any node running Microsoft Windows. Through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), SolarNet provides a streamlined method for adding, modifying and removing PC client information such as machine names and IP addresses, thereby automating some of the most time-consuming management tasks. An emerging Internet standard, DHCP enables client configuration parameters to be moved from the Network Information Service Plus (NIS+) centralized database to individual PCs. NIS+ provides a distributed hierarchical name service that centrally stores enterprise information needed to administer the network. Configuration procedures can be automated with script files. For example, administrators can create system boot time and user login scripts to accomplish such tasks as mounting user drives, setting up standard PC configurations, and running a central virus check. Administrators can also define and maintain users' desktop environments from the server. Through DHCP and centralized databases, the PC environment is communicated to the PC at boot time. Administrators can provide a single shared environment for all users or specific workgroups, provide a user-customized environment that can be accessed from any PC or configure an environment for a specific machine. Integrate PCs with enterprise network management systems SolarNet supports Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), an Internet standard protocol for network management. SNMP gives administrators access to the same vital information for networked PCs that was once available only for UNIX systems, mainframes and minicomputers. For example, through a Host Resource Management Information Base (MIB), a network manager can request information on PC clients including hardware inventory and which Microsoft Windows applications are running. Because SolarNet supports the SNMP standard, it can be integrated with leading network management systems, such as SunNet Manager, HP OpenView, and IBM NetView. PC clients, whether based on DOS or Microsoft Windows, can respond with requested information, as well as forward error information back to the manager. Security extended to PC clients SolarNet extends network security to PCs, allowing administrators to manage user access to server files and directories. Administrators can also establish user views that restrict the user's access to network resources. SolarNet uses Secure RPC, a common framework for developing secure distributed applications. Administrators can impose authentication each time the user logs in and at the time an administration application is started. The package also uses a more sophisticated authorization mechanism based on Access Control Lists (ACLs), which allows an administrator to delegate users to perform common administrative tasks, such as adding users. This capability is especially helpful at remote locations. Pricing and availability Preliminary pricing for a license covering a single server and multiple clients will range from $3,000 to $5,000. Final pricing will be announced within 90 days. The product will be available in September 1994 through SunSelect resellers, local Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. (SMCC) sales offices, SunSoft, SunExpress(TM), and other third-party distribution channels. The first implementation of SolarNet will support all SPARC-based platforms running Solaris 2.3 and clients running MS-DOS/Microsoft Windows, with a release for Solaris x86 to follow shortly thereafter. Subsequent releases will target other server platforms. SunSelect will soon announce details of a SolarNet early access program. About SunSelect SunSelect develops and markets a range of industry-leading products that integrate PC resources into open enterprise computing environments. A business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc., SunSelect is based in Chelmsford, Mass., and has offices in Bagshot, U.K.; Velizy, France; Munich, Germany; and Tokyo, Japan. In addition to SolarNet, SunSelect offers PC-NFS, SelectMAIL cross-platform email products and the SunPC(TM) line of high-performance personal computer emulation products. Through its OEM partners, SunSelect offers Wabi(TM), a technology that allows Microsoft Windows applications to run directly on UNIX-based PCs and workstations at full performance without the need for MS-DOS or Microsoft Windows. # # # Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, SunSelect, the SunSelect logo, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, the Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation logo, Solaris, PC-NFS and SolarNet are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Novell, Inc. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. RUMBA is a registered trademark of Wall Data, Inc. All other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. ********************************************************************** For information about SunFlash send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. Archives are on draco.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au For last month's digest, send email to flashadm@sun.com with a Subject line of 62.00 For Gopher and WAIS access: sunsite.unc.edu. 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