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SeeBeyond Sucked Into Sun: Page 2 of 3

A Sun spokeswoman confirmed to NDCF that all of Monrovia, Calif.-based SeeBeyond’s 800-odd workforce will be offered positions within Sun. The deal is expected to close in early fall.

Sun’s platform of Java technologies is now at the forefront of the company’s battle to regain market share lost when the dotcom bubble burst. Increasingly, it looks as if Sun is attempting to reposition itself as technology enabler of different services, as opposed to its traditional role as a hardware vendor (see Sun Opens Source on Java and Is Sun Setting?).

On today’s call, Jonathan Schwartz, Sun’s COO, acknowledged that the company is focused on deploying the likes of security and identity technologies at the front-ends of users’ networks, while at the same time solving integration problems elsewhere in their operations. Although Sun is still offering a range of hardware built around “hot chips” from the likes of Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD), Schwartz told analysts this will not be the key weapon in the Sun armory as it moves forward: “That’s not going to be the lead warhead, if you will."

Schwartz added that, over the next few years, Sun will make more technology acquisitions focused on the front end of the network. The vendor is also planning to bolster its integration story through M&A, according to the exec, although he did not reveal any specific details.

The SeeBeyond deal is just the latest in a string of acquisitions by Sun, which also suggests the company is looking to extend its SOA story through to storage and networked devices. Recent acquisitions include the $4.1 billion deal for Storage Technology Corp. (StorageTek) (NYSE: STK) as well as the purchase of Tarantella and Procom Technology Inc.’s (Nasdaq: PRCME) intellectual property (see Sun to Acquire StorageTek for $4.1B, Sun Acquires Tarantella, and Sun Polishes Off Procom Deal ).