Sun Deploys Workgroup Servers to PictureVision to
Handle the Demands Of its Online Photo Service
Sun Technology Powers Online Photo Retailer to Deliver Around-the-Clock Availability of Rapidly Expanding Customer Base
PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 3 Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW - news) announced today thatPictureVision, Inc., one of the world's leaders in online digital imaging, has purchased more than 60 Sun enterprise(TM)servers to accommodate the explosive growth of its Kodak PhotoNet online(TM)service.
The upgrade arises from the success of PictureVision's relationship with America Online (AOL) and Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK - news), which usesPictureVision's technologies to drive their online photoprocessing services.
Thanks to the marriage with Eastman Kodak, who acquired a 51 percent stake in PictureVision a little over a year ago, the
number of photo labs using PictureVision's Kodak PhotoNet online services to scan customers' digital images to the Internetshot up from 9,000 to 40,000.
To handle the increase in volume, PictureVision has replaced many of its Ultra (TM) 60workstations with Sun Enterprise 250 servers. The Sun Enterprise 250 servers are also being deployed as Web and application servers, providing a repository for photos.
The relationship with AOL's new online photo service, ``You've Got Pictures'(SM), which is jointly developed and
marketed by Kodak and is also available at Kodak processing locations, has also caused increasing demands on
PictureVision's storage and archiving capabilities. Together, the two online services have accounted for total scans of 500 million images to date. This number includes all images uploaded to the Internet, placed on photo CDs, floppy disks and made into photo merchandise using PictureVision scanning and imaging solutions.
To handle the combined developments, PictureVision is retrofitting its information-technology infrastructure by marrying theSun Enterprise 250 servers, Sun(TM) Enterprise(TM) 450 servers and Sun StorEdge(TM) A1000 disk arrays with the SunEnterprise 5500 server, Sun(TM) Management Center software and Sun StorEdge A3500FC RAID disk arrays.
``In 1999, we scanned over 250 million images. With more than 1 billion images expected to be scanned in the next year,we know that reliable, scalable and dependable servers with a strong track record are needed to handle the growing volume of images and the unpredictable peaks in user demand,' said David MacWhorter, acting CEO, PictureVision, Inc.
Sun Products Help Provide PictureVision Customers Peace of Mind. PictureVision is using the Sun Enterprise 250 servers
to power its high-volume Kodak PhotoNet online services, located in photofinishing labs, to post digital images onto theInternet.
The Sun Enterprise 450 servers are being employed as the database servers for customers' photo information.
With their enterprise-class scalability, availability, and remote management capabilities, the Sun Enterprise 450 servers and the Sun Enterprise 250 servers allow PictureVision to compensate for sudden changes in user demand during the holidays or other peak periods as well as minimizing downtime for the Kodak PhotoNet online services.
Kodak PhotoNet online services is using the Sun Enterprise 5500 server to handle customer requests, pull images anddistribute photos to users. The robust server helps provide outstanding performance and availability that allowPictureVision's customers around-the-clock archival and retrieval of their pictures.
Sun Management Center software helps simplify system management for Kodak PhotoNet online service's IT infrastructure through its ability to manage Sun servers, workstations, Solaris(TM) Operating Environment and Sun storage systems with a single consistent interface.
As Kodak PhotoNet online service's platform grows, Sun Management Center software helps system experts to manage the increased volume of equipment.
The storage solution of Sun StorEdge A3500FC RAID disk arrays and Sun StorEdge A1000 disk arrays are designed to
allow PictureVision to provide the connectivity, performance, scalability and flexibility needed to meet rapidly expanding long-term storage requirements, spurred by the growing number of users archiving and retrieving pictures. This will help PictureVision provide its customers the peace of mind that their pictures will be available whenever they need them.
"As more and more people seek to save hard-drive space, digital photography storage on remote servers will become
more prevalent. Sun's workgroup servers provide a way for leading online services such as Kodak PhotoNet online to
reliably meet these customer demands anytime, anywhere, said John Davis, director, Workgroup Server Marketing, Sun
Microsystems, Inc.
About PictureVision, Inc.
Based in Herndon, VA, PictureVision, Inc., the pioneer in online photography since 1995, is an independently operated,
majority owned subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company. PictureVision's patented core technology provides the foundation for online digital photography services such as Kodak PhotoNet online and AOL's ``You've Got Pictures!'(SM) in addition to adding functionality to leading image editing software programs such as MGI's PhotoSuite(TM) and Microsoft's PictureIt(TM) and to Web sites including The Wedding Channel.com, eBay, and NFL.com. The company provides the imaging industry with turn-key technologies and solutions for increasing sales by leveraging the evolution to digital photography.
PictureVision's premier product, Kodak PhotoNet online, utilizes its technology to offer online photosharing
services for traditional film and digital camera users.
Film users request the service when dropping off film for processing,while digital camera users upload pictures directly to the site.
Kodak PhotoNet online users can share their photos via email or order photo lab quality prints and customized photo gifts. Consumers can also use pictures stored on Kodak PhotoNet online in partner Web sites and software packages. For more information please visit www.picturevision.com and
www.photonet.com.
PictureVision can be contacted at 703-925-1300 or (pve@photonet.com). For more information about PictureVision andPhotoNet, contact Tony DeFazio at 610-642-8253.
NOTE: PhotoNet and PhotoRamp are registered trademarks of PictureVision, Inc. Kodak is a trademark of Eastman
Kodak Company. ``You've Got Pictures' is a service mark of America Online, Inc. ``America Online' and ``AOL' are
Registered Trademarks of America Online, Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. |
