Sun Launches New Version of its High-End Network Management Software.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1997--Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) today announced a new version of its award-winning, multi-protocol network management solution, Solstice Enterprise Manager 2.1.

Targeted at telecom providers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and very large enterprises, the new version is Year 2000 compliant and adds a unique, object-level security administration. While continuing to deliver telco quality and scalability through modular, distributed common management services, the new version also includes an enhanced persistent storage subsystem and online backup services.

"Today, large IS departments are service providers -- delivering high-quality network services to their users, much like ISPs and other network service providers," said John McFarlane, vice president and general manager of Sun's Network Software group. "Demands on the network have never been greater. This makes the move to a telco-grade network management solution that can shorten time to market of new services at a lower overall cost even more important."

"Designed for the largest and most complex global networks, Sun's Solstice Enterprise Manager delivers a comprehensive set of off-the-shelf, integration-ready network management services," McFarlane added.

Globalstar, L.P., a consortium of leading telecommunications companies including QUALCOMM Incorporated, is developing a low-Earth-orbiting satellite-based digital communications system to provide mobile and fixed services to consumers and businesses worldwide.

QUALCOMM, a founding member of Globalstar, has been awarded contracts to develop and manufacture the Ground Operations Control Centers, Gateways and Subscriber Terminals for this grand-scale system using QUALCOMM's Code Division Multiple Access digital wireless technology which is managed with Solstice Enterprise Manager.

"In order to drive the business services that enable Globalstar to offer a variety of wireless technologies, such as global cellular phone service, to its customers, we first needed a robust network management solution," said Vito Bica, GMS project lead for QUALCOMM. "Solstice Enterprise Manager's highly-scalable and distributed architecture is the manager behind Globalstar's worldwide network. It is the solution that enables our business to consistently roll-out innovative services, including data, voice, facsimile, paging and position location services to our customers at a lower cost than the competition."

New in Solstice Enterprise Manager

Solstice Enterprise Manager is unique in that it provides the distributed multi-protocol management solution that can manage networks with millions of objects and ever-changing technologies, and enables providers to be first to market with differentiated services marked by visible quality. Solstice Enterprise Manager 2.1: -0- -- Builds on the power of the product's scalable and distributed architecture, by breaking out common management services into distributed components. For the first time, customers can distribute the logging, Simple Network Management Protocol, Common Management Information Protocol and Remote Procedure Call services as separate processes in the network.

-- Liberates network administrators by allowing them to provide customers with highly-secured access to management information through new object-level access control. For example, an IT organization responsible for discreetly managing services available within both the engineering and finance organizations should keep these separate domains with rights, privileges and access very carefully controlled.

Secure management functionality is built into Solstice Enterprise Manager. This can also be used by ISPs spanning commerce efforts across multiple companies (e.g., network management service provided to both Coke and Pepsi).

-- Provides an enhanced persistent storage subsystem for improved transactional integrity, real-time performance, backup and recovery.

Enterprise Manager's Next Steps -- Java Implementation and High Availability

Sun will soon announce a Java-based API set and remote monitoring and service application for Solstice Enterprise Manager 2.1 that will be available in the first quarter of 1998. This will allow service providers and ISPs to see their network topology, alarms and other information from any Java-enabled Web browser anywhere on the network.

Sun is also continually working on improving Solstice Enterprise Manager's already best-in-class reliability, availability, serviceability and performance. The next releases of the product (late 1998 and 1999) will include increased capacity and throughput.

Pricing and Availability

The new release of Solstice Enterprise Manager will be available in December with complete solution pricing starting at $20,500. In addition, all components of Solstice Enterprise Manager, including Applications Client, MIS, TMN Q3 and the Toolkit, are available as individual components. More information on Solstice Enterprise Manager is available by calling 1/800/786-7638 or visiting Sun's Web site at www.sun.com/solstice .

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $8.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com . -0-

Note To Editors: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun Logo, Solstice, Enterprise Manager and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

CONTACT: Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Mary Camarata, 650/786-8645

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Jeff Brainard, 650/786-7484

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GCI Group

Ian Yellin, 415/974-6200

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