Sun Microsystems, Inc. Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun Microsystems, Inc. is a worldwide provider of products, services and support solutions for building and maintaining network-computing environments. The Company sells scalable computer systems, high-speed microprocessors and high performance software for operating network computing equipment and storage products. The Company also provides support, education and professional services. The Company's products are used for many demanding commercial and technical applications in various industries including telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services, education, retail, government, energy and healthcare. Sun Microsystems' lines of business include Computer Systems and Storage, Enterprise Services, Software Systems and Network Service Provider. Computer Systems and Storage designs, develops and brings to market desktop systems, servers, storage and network switches, incorporating the UltraSPARC microprocessors and the Solaris Operating Environment. This segment also designs and develops UltraSPARC and MAJC microprocessors, computer board platforms, processor modules, chip sets and logic products for Sun systems products and OEM customers. The Company's workstation products include the Ultra5, Ultra 10, Ultra 60 and Ultra 80 models. The Ultra 5 workstation is used for business applications and for software development. The Ultra 10 workstation offers value and performance for 3-D graphics applications and is designed for applications such as drafting and design, animation and rendering, modeling and analysis. The Ultra 60 workstation, in both single and dual processor configurations, is suited for modeling and virtual prototyping, medical imaging, animation and geosciences. Finally, the Ultra 80 workstation has the highest memory bandwidth in the workstation product line with uniprocessor, dual-processor, and quad-processor configuration, and is well-suited for simulation, design and analysis, modeling and virtual prototyping, animation, imaging and visualization, medical imaging, research and development and financial modeling. Enterprise Services provides global services and support for heterogeneous network computing environments, including system/network management, systems integration, and support, education, and professional services. The Company's Sun Enterprise servers consist of workgroup servers, mid-range servers ... ... America Online, Inc. (AOL), the Sun-Netscape Alliance, the Company designs, develops, markets, and sells enterprise and E-commerce software for consumers and businesses under the iPlanet brand. These software products and technologies, commonly referred to as middleware, complement the Company's enterprise servers, storage and workstation products. Combined, these products provide customers with comprehensive solutions to their enterprise and Internet computing needs. In December 2000, the Company compelted the acquisition of Cobalt Networks, Inc., a provider of server appliances for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Application Service Providers (ASPs), and small- to medium-sized businesses. The Company's competitors include Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), International Business Machines Corporation, Compaq Computer Corporation (Compaq) and EMC Corporation (EMC). The Company also competes with systems manufacturers and resellers of systems based on microprocessors from Intel Corporation (Intel) and Windows NT operating system software from Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft). These competitors include Dell Computer Corporation, HP and Compaq, in addition to Intel and Microsoft.