Sun Microsystems Unveils New Desktop Virtualization Capabilities in Sun Ray Software 5

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAVA) today announced the availability of Sun Ray(TM) Software 5, which brings remarkable enhancements to the virtual desktop experience and helps to increase data center efficiency. Sun Ray Software 5 is a secure, cost effective solution that delivers a rich, virtual Windows, Linux or Solaris(TM) Operating System desktop to nearly any client device including Windows PCs and Sun Ray thin clients. As part of the Sun desktop virtualization portfolio, many of the features of Sun Ray Software 5 will also appear in the upcoming release of Sun VDI Software 3.1. Sun Ray Software 5 is available for purchase immediately and a free trial of the software can be downloaded at: http://www.sun.com/software/sunray/getit.jsp.

"As IT budgets are stretched due to the tough economic climate, reducing administration costs and lowering energy consumption are more important than ever. Many customers are choosing Sun desktop virtualization for the unique combination of streamlined administration and increased flexibility and security of their infrastructure," said Jim McHugh, vice president of Datacenter Marketing, Sun Microsystems. "The latest Sun Ray Software release builds on Sun's commitment to innovation by improving the quality of the virtual desktop experience and makes it easy for customers to deploy Sun's desktop virtualization technologies with their existing Windows PCs."

A major benefit for new and existing customers of Sun Ray Software is the new Sun(TM) Desktop Access Client. This new software client provides end-users the flexibility to utilize their existing Windows laptops or desktop PCs, as an alternative to Sun Ray thin clients, to easily access data and applications in a centralized virtual desktop environment. With the Sun Desktop Access Client customers now have a simplified, user-friendly means of accessing the Sun Ray infrastructure, which can help to extend the life of current PC assets and reduce the environmental impact of frequent desktop refreshes.

"There are a lot of benefits to preserving the equipment you already have, especially in these economic times where there might not be the capital available to spend on new equipment," said Malcolm Fraser, service delivery manager from Computer Concepts Ltd, a Sun partner and systems integrator. "The Sun Desktop Access Client makes a lot of sense from a manageability standpoint and a cost perspective. It's essentially a migration tool to get groups of end users switched over to Sun Ray clients in phases. Not only will our customers save money as they move to a server-hosted architecture, but also gain increased security with Sun Ray Software 5."

An additional enhancement in Sun Ray Software 5 is improved Adobe Flash performance, which enables customers to experience accelerated Adobe Flash content with synchronized audio and video on Sun Ray thin clients and Sun Desktop Access Client enabled PCs. The new release also includes greater peripheral device support to virtual desktops through USB redirection to Windows, allowing users to deploy a significantly expanded set of USB peripheral devices with Sun Ray technology, including scanners, printers, and more. In addition, Sun Ray Software 5 allows customers to display Windows Server 2008 applications in 32 bit color and includes support for Windows Server 2008 TS Session Broker.As a Senior Enterprise Architect for Oracle IT, Frank C. Martin was one of the participants in the early access program for Sun Ray Software 5 and is evaluating the software for potential use as part of the company's extensive internal IT infrastructure. "As an early access customer, I found Sun Ray Software 5 surprisingly easy to install. The software is highly flexible and, with the addition of Windows Server 2008, was also simple to integrate into our environment," said Martin. "Most importantly, I was able to give our employees the high quality desktop experience they expect when watching Adobe Flash media with a Sun Ray client or with the Sun Desktop Access Client on a PC."

Pricing and Availability

Sun Ray Software 5 is available now for $100 (USD) per concurrent user for the perpetual license. Download and try Sun Ray Software at http://www.sun.com/software/sunray/getit.jsp
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer(TM)" -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Solaris, Sun Ray and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
* U.S. list price. All prices quoted are in U.S. Dollars