Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold computers, computer components, computer software, and information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982.[2] Prior to the acquisition by Oracle, Sun headquarters were in Santa Clara, California (part of Silicon Valley), on the former west campus of the Agnews Developmental Center.
On January 27, 2010, Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation for US$7.4 billion, based on an agreement signed on April 20, 2009.[3] Sun Microsystems, Inc. was subsequently renamed Oracle America, Inc.[4]
Sun products included computer servers and workstations based on its own SPARC processors as well as AMD's Opteron and Intel's Xeon processors; storage systems; and, a suite of software products including the Solaris operating system, developer tools, Web infrastructure software, and identity management applications. Other technologies of note include the Java platform, MySQL, and NFS. Sun was a proponent of open systems in general and Unix in particular, and a major contributor to open source software.[5] Sun's main manufacturing facilities were located in Hillsboro, Oregon and Linlithgow, Scotland.
Archrival of Microsoft Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Inc. focuses on network computing rather than desktop mainframes, designing and manufacturing its own software and hardware. A 1980s start-up company, Sun generated in excess of $10 billion in sales during the late 1990s, recording astounding success with its own computer chip, SPARC, and own operating system, Solaris. Sun pioneered the use of shared software and hardware components among competing workstation manufacturers in order to create industry standards. After making a reputation for itself as a designer of high-powered workstation computers and servers, Sun expanded its talents, positioning itself as an Internet and electronic-commerce specialist during the latter half of the 1990s. The company's seminal achievement was the introduction of Java technology, the first universal software platform that enabled developers to write applications once to run on any computer. The company maintained offices in 150 countries, selling its products and services to the telecommunications, manufacturing, education, financial, and government markets.
Sun Microsystems makes sure networks shine. A leading maker of UNIX-based servers used to power corporate computer networks and Web sites, it also makes workstation computers and disk- and tape-based storage systems. Sun's computers utilize the company's own chips (SPARC microprocessors) and operating system (Solaris). Its software portfolio includes application server, database management, office productivity, and network management applications. The company also developed Java, a cross-platform programming language used to create applications for computers, Web browsers, mobile phones, and other consumer electronic devices. Sun Micro was acquired in 2010 by Oracle for about $7.4 billion in cash.
Sun's tenth anniversary marked the conclusion of a decade of remarkable success, but not all industry experts were willing to bet that the company's second decade of business would be as successful as the first. With the enormous growth rate of the PC market and the proliferation of competitive workstations being offered by other manufacturers, Sun faced a difficult road ahead, industry pundits explained, and would be hard pressed to sustain its growth rate throughout the 1990s. The experts were wrong. Sun recorded prolific growth in the years following its tenth anniversary, demonstrating enviable success by focusing on high-end servers priced from $500,000 and up. The most significant facet of the company's business, however, was the introduction of a new product in the mid-1990s that forced analysts to quickly change their opinion about Sun's growth potential. In mid-1995, Sun introduced Java, a brand name that stood for a programming language and a set of components and tools that allowed users to write software across any computer and operating system. The potential for Java was vast, exuding the universality McNealy had preached for years. In essence, Java represented a self-sufficient computing system, emulating all the functions of the computing device, regardless of the underlying operating system.
Following the introduction of Java, McNealy found a more receptive audience to his vision of a computer world based on networks supported by powerful, high-end servers, a vision that ran counter to the approach taken by Microsoft's founder Bill Gates. McNealy reveled in his attacks against Microsoft, both in the press and in court, as he fought against "Wintel," the duopoly held by Microsoft's Windows and Intel's processing chips. "The PC is just a blip," McNealy remarked in an interview with Business Week in 1999, dismissing the significance of the PC revolution led by Microsoft. "It's a big, bright blip, but just a blip. Fifty years from now, people are going to look back and say: 'Did you really have a computer on your desk? How weird."' McNealy envisioned network computing as the future, a future in which the billions of computer chips in products ranging from refrigerators and telephones to smart cards and door locks would all be connected in a network.
By 1998, Sun's revenues had increased to $10 billion and its net income, after more than doubling since the mid-1990s, had reached $763 million. In keeping with McNealy's posture as an industry renegade, Sun operated as the only major hardware and software vendor without a cooperative relationship with Microsoft. Because of the company's independent stance, its corporate structure was reorganized in 1998 to better contend with competitors such as Microsoft. "Our goal," Sun's chief operating officer explained to Electronic News at the time of the reorganization, "is to align the organization more tightly and streamline internal processes so that we achieve greater operation efficiency and provide a unified face to the customer." The five companies that had operated as autonomous businesses were stripped of their independence and restructured into seven divisions focused on market segments and industries.
As Sun pressed ahead with turning McNealy's vision into reality, forging alliances with other companies ranked as a primary objective. To succeed in the long-term, the company needed to lead a counterrevolution and convince other computer manufacturers and electronics companies that the future was networks. Following America Online's acquisition of Netscape Communications, Sun signed a three-year alliance with America Online that bolstered Java's presence on the Internet. In 1999, Sun signed Java technology licensing agreements with Sony, Motorola, Ericsson, Samsung, Alcatel, Nortel, OpenTV, BEA Systems, Siemens-Nixdorf, and Scientific Atlanta. The last year of the decade also marked the introduction of a new software technology called Jini, which served as the cornerstone of McNealy's dream to link a vast array of electronic devices. Launched in January 1999, Jini technology eliminated many of the problems associated with connecting computers and other devices, such as printers, copiers, and fax machines, to a network.
As Sun prepared for the 21st century, much of the company's long-term success depended on the widespread acceptance of McNealy's iconoclastic perspective. Toward this end, there were positive signs supporting the Sun vision. Tele-Communications, Inc., for example, was planning to use Java to deliver telephone service, bill-paying, and other services through television set-top boxes. Java also was attracting interest from manufacturers of consumer devices such as wireless telephones, smart cards, and video game consoles. Although the company had its fair share of critics, its ability to record robust growth while exploring alternative approaches to computing earned the respect of many. "If you want to know where the computer industry is going," an analyst informed Business Week, "ask Sun." Another analyst commented to Business Week, "There have been times when Sun seemed way out of sync, yet two or three years later, we see the rest of the industry moving in their direction." Whether or not McNealy's blueprint for the future would prevail remained a question to be answered in the 21st century.
Principal Subsidiaries: Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation; SunSoft, Inc.; Sun Technology Enterprises, Inc.; Sun Express, Inc.; Sun Microsystems Laboratories, Inc.; Java Software; Sitka Corp.; SunPro Inc.; SunSelect.
Financial Highlights
Fiscal Year End: May
Revenue (2009): 11449.00 M
Revenue Growth (1 yr): (-17.50%)
Employees (2009): 29,000
Employee Growth (1 yr): (-16.90%)
Statistics:
Public Company
Incorporated: 1982
Employees: 26,300
Sales: $11.72 billion (1999)
Stock Exchanges: NASDAQ
Ticker Symbol: SUNW
NAIC: 334111 Electronic Computer Manufacturing; 51121 Software Publishers; 541512 Computer Systems Design Services; 51421 Data Processing Services
Key People
• CFO: Jeffrey E. Epstein
• EVP Research and Development and CTO: Gregory M. (Greg) Papadopoulos
• EVP Corporate Development and Alliances: Brian Sutphin
Address:
901 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, California 94303
U.S.A.
On January 27, 2010, Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation for US$7.4 billion, based on an agreement signed on April 20, 2009.[3] Sun Microsystems, Inc. was subsequently renamed Oracle America, Inc.[4]
Sun products included computer servers and workstations based on its own SPARC processors as well as AMD's Opteron and Intel's Xeon processors; storage systems; and, a suite of software products including the Solaris operating system, developer tools, Web infrastructure software, and identity management applications. Other technologies of note include the Java platform, MySQL, and NFS. Sun was a proponent of open systems in general and Unix in particular, and a major contributor to open source software.[5] Sun's main manufacturing facilities were located in Hillsboro, Oregon and Linlithgow, Scotland.
Archrival of Microsoft Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Inc. focuses on network computing rather than desktop mainframes, designing and manufacturing its own software and hardware. A 1980s start-up company, Sun generated in excess of $10 billion in sales during the late 1990s, recording astounding success with its own computer chip, SPARC, and own operating system, Solaris. Sun pioneered the use of shared software and hardware components among competing workstation manufacturers in order to create industry standards. After making a reputation for itself as a designer of high-powered workstation computers and servers, Sun expanded its talents, positioning itself as an Internet and electronic-commerce specialist during the latter half of the 1990s. The company's seminal achievement was the introduction of Java technology, the first universal software platform that enabled developers to write applications once to run on any computer. The company maintained offices in 150 countries, selling its products and services to the telecommunications, manufacturing, education, financial, and government markets.
Sun Microsystems makes sure networks shine. A leading maker of UNIX-based servers used to power corporate computer networks and Web sites, it also makes workstation computers and disk- and tape-based storage systems. Sun's computers utilize the company's own chips (SPARC microprocessors) and operating system (Solaris). Its software portfolio includes application server, database management, office productivity, and network management applications. The company also developed Java, a cross-platform programming language used to create applications for computers, Web browsers, mobile phones, and other consumer electronic devices. Sun Micro was acquired in 2010 by Oracle for about $7.4 billion in cash.
Sun's tenth anniversary marked the conclusion of a decade of remarkable success, but not all industry experts were willing to bet that the company's second decade of business would be as successful as the first. With the enormous growth rate of the PC market and the proliferation of competitive workstations being offered by other manufacturers, Sun faced a difficult road ahead, industry pundits explained, and would be hard pressed to sustain its growth rate throughout the 1990s. The experts were wrong. Sun recorded prolific growth in the years following its tenth anniversary, demonstrating enviable success by focusing on high-end servers priced from $500,000 and up. The most significant facet of the company's business, however, was the introduction of a new product in the mid-1990s that forced analysts to quickly change their opinion about Sun's growth potential. In mid-1995, Sun introduced Java, a brand name that stood for a programming language and a set of components and tools that allowed users to write software across any computer and operating system. The potential for Java was vast, exuding the universality McNealy had preached for years. In essence, Java represented a self-sufficient computing system, emulating all the functions of the computing device, regardless of the underlying operating system.
Following the introduction of Java, McNealy found a more receptive audience to his vision of a computer world based on networks supported by powerful, high-end servers, a vision that ran counter to the approach taken by Microsoft's founder Bill Gates. McNealy reveled in his attacks against Microsoft, both in the press and in court, as he fought against "Wintel," the duopoly held by Microsoft's Windows and Intel's processing chips. "The PC is just a blip," McNealy remarked in an interview with Business Week in 1999, dismissing the significance of the PC revolution led by Microsoft. "It's a big, bright blip, but just a blip. Fifty years from now, people are going to look back and say: 'Did you really have a computer on your desk? How weird."' McNealy envisioned network computing as the future, a future in which the billions of computer chips in products ranging from refrigerators and telephones to smart cards and door locks would all be connected in a network.
By 1998, Sun's revenues had increased to $10 billion and its net income, after more than doubling since the mid-1990s, had reached $763 million. In keeping with McNealy's posture as an industry renegade, Sun operated as the only major hardware and software vendor without a cooperative relationship with Microsoft. Because of the company's independent stance, its corporate structure was reorganized in 1998 to better contend with competitors such as Microsoft. "Our goal," Sun's chief operating officer explained to Electronic News at the time of the reorganization, "is to align the organization more tightly and streamline internal processes so that we achieve greater operation efficiency and provide a unified face to the customer." The five companies that had operated as autonomous businesses were stripped of their independence and restructured into seven divisions focused on market segments and industries.
As Sun pressed ahead with turning McNealy's vision into reality, forging alliances with other companies ranked as a primary objective. To succeed in the long-term, the company needed to lead a counterrevolution and convince other computer manufacturers and electronics companies that the future was networks. Following America Online's acquisition of Netscape Communications, Sun signed a three-year alliance with America Online that bolstered Java's presence on the Internet. In 1999, Sun signed Java technology licensing agreements with Sony, Motorola, Ericsson, Samsung, Alcatel, Nortel, OpenTV, BEA Systems, Siemens-Nixdorf, and Scientific Atlanta. The last year of the decade also marked the introduction of a new software technology called Jini, which served as the cornerstone of McNealy's dream to link a vast array of electronic devices. Launched in January 1999, Jini technology eliminated many of the problems associated with connecting computers and other devices, such as printers, copiers, and fax machines, to a network.
As Sun prepared for the 21st century, much of the company's long-term success depended on the widespread acceptance of McNealy's iconoclastic perspective. Toward this end, there were positive signs supporting the Sun vision. Tele-Communications, Inc., for example, was planning to use Java to deliver telephone service, bill-paying, and other services through television set-top boxes. Java also was attracting interest from manufacturers of consumer devices such as wireless telephones, smart cards, and video game consoles. Although the company had its fair share of critics, its ability to record robust growth while exploring alternative approaches to computing earned the respect of many. "If you want to know where the computer industry is going," an analyst informed Business Week, "ask Sun." Another analyst commented to Business Week, "There have been times when Sun seemed way out of sync, yet two or three years later, we see the rest of the industry moving in their direction." Whether or not McNealy's blueprint for the future would prevail remained a question to be answered in the 21st century.
Principal Subsidiaries: Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation; SunSoft, Inc.; Sun Technology Enterprises, Inc.; Sun Express, Inc.; Sun Microsystems Laboratories, Inc.; Java Software; Sitka Corp.; SunPro Inc.; SunSelect.
Financial Highlights
Fiscal Year End: May
Revenue (2009): 11449.00 M
Revenue Growth (1 yr): (-17.50%)
Employees (2009): 29,000
Employee Growth (1 yr): (-16.90%)
Statistics:
Public Company
Incorporated: 1982
Employees: 26,300
Sales: $11.72 billion (1999)
Stock Exchanges: NASDAQ
Ticker Symbol: SUNW
NAIC: 334111 Electronic Computer Manufacturing; 51121 Software Publishers; 541512 Computer Systems Design Services; 51421 Data Processing Services
Key People
• CFO: Jeffrey E. Epstein
• EVP Research and Development and CTO: Gregory M. (Greg) Papadopoulos
• EVP Corporate Development and Alliances: Brian Sutphin
Address:
901 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, California 94303
U.S.A.
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