Sun Seizes Commanding Lead in Exploding Softswitch Market Softswitch Vendors
Endorse Sun's Carrier-Grade Netra Servers as Leading Platform
PALO ALTO, Calif., Jun 28, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Sun Microsystems,
Inc., (Nasdaq: SUNW) today announced that 78 percent of the leading softswitch
vendors have selected Sun as the go-to platform for their next generation call
control and signaling products, according to a recent report from The Yankee
Group, a Boston-based market research and consulting firm. Softswitches are
products that provide the switching, call control and signaling gateway
functions necessary for building converged multimedia networks running on top of
Internet Protocol (IP).
The analyst group attributes Sun's dramatic climb in the market to the company's
carrier-grade Netra(TM) family of servers and storage systems, as well as its
robust and scalable SPARC(TM) architecture and Solaris(TM) Operating
Environment. The report, "Softswitches: The Brains Behind the Brawn," analyzes
the transformation in the telecom environment as providers build out their
networks to accommodate the high volumes of data traffic, as well as the vendors
that are likely to emerge in this new public network. According to the report,
most of the vendors that Yankee analysts spoke with have their products riding
on Sun(TM) platforms, or plan to do so at customer requests. With market
revenues expected to exceed $4.3 billion by 2004, the Yankee Group sees vast
potential for server vendors as more companies build out new networks or expand
services with the convergence of voice and data traffic.
Sun Speaks Telecom Language
As IP traffic volumes continue to surge, carriers are moving to optimize their
networks for the skyrocketing demand. In the new distributed network,
softswitches will play a critical role in enabling this convergence of mixed
media. To ensure the same reliable service as the public switched telephone
network (PSTN), carriers must deploy flexible, reliable, scalable systems to
move from several hundred users to thousands of users. Sun's carrier-grade Netra
server platform allows carriers to develop, deploy and run mission critical
services and are able to withstand the peak demands and high volumes that these
new services place on the network.
Christin Flynn, Senior Analyst for The Yankee Group said, "The emerging
softswitch market is in a state of flux, with tremendous opportunity to vendors
in this space. The clear winner that we can declare at this point is Sun
Microsystems. With its open, carrier-class, fault-tolerant systems, the company
has grabbed this mammoth opportunity and has tailored its equipment to meet the
evolving needs of the telecom central office."
"Lucent has long seen the softswitch as a breakthrough in helping both
traditional and emerging carriers deliver the best of the circuit and IP worlds
to their customers," said Mike Decelle, vice president of marketing for Open
Network Solutions at Lucent Technologies. "As one of the preferred platforms for
the Lucent Softswitch, Sun Netra gives us an open, carrier-grade environment
that helps simplify deployment issues and enables communications providers to
expedite application development."
"Sun's roots are in providing exceptional compute systems to the telecom
industry and enterprises," said Neil Knox, vice president and general manager
for Sun Network Systems. "We have the technology and expertise that are helping
to transform the way that next-generation applications are developed and
delivered."
Sun's Netra Product Family
Sun's carrier-grade Netra servers and storage are specifically designed for easy
deployment in network environments that require continuous application
availability. They have been designed for the rigorous environmental standards
for their class (NEBS Level 3 certification and ETSI compliance), which helps
ensure continued reliable operation, even under the most severe conditions. A
variety of rack-mount options enable the systems to be integrated easily into
existing communications equipment. Sun's carrier-grade Netra systems are based
on the robust, scalable Solaris Operating Environment and the industry proven
SPARC chip technology to meet customer needs from development to deployment.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The
Computer(TM)" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc., to its position as a
leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that
power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to dot-com their businesses.
With $14.2 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 170
countries and on the World Wide Web at sun.com .
NOTE: Press announcements and other information about Sun Microsystems are
available on the Internet via the World Wide Web using a tool such as Netscape
Navigator(TM) or Sun's HotJava(TM) browser. Type sun.com at the URL
prompt. Netscape Navigator is a trademark of Netscape Communications
Corporation.
Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, HotJava, Netra, Solaris and The Network Is
The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
in the United States and other countries. Netscape Navigator is a trademark or
registered trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation in the United States
and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are
trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the United
States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an
architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
CONTACT: Bryan Taback of Sun Microsystems, Inc., 650-786-9603, or
Bryan.Taback@sun.com; or Tracy Donalson of Ketchum Silicon Valley, 650-596-2220,
or TracyDonalson@ketchum.com, for Sun Microsystems, Inc.
SOURCE Sun Microsystems, Inc.
CONTACT: Bryan Taback of Sun Microsystems, Inc., 650-786-9603, or
Bryan.Taback@sun.com; or Tracy Donalson of Ketchum Silicon Valley,
650-596-2220, or TracyDonalson@ketchum.com, for Sun Microsystems, Inc.
URL: sun.com
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