iPlanet™ Extends Web and Application Server Software Line to Include Entry-Level and High-End Offerings

Expanded Lineup Builds on Sun™ Open Net Environment Initiative by Providing Customers Flexible Application Server Functionality at Aggressive New Prices

SANTA CLARA, Calif., February 19, 2001 - iPlanet™ E-Commerce Solutions, a Sun-Netscape Alliance, today announced an expanded multi-tiered line of web and application server software that supports the industry's broadest range of operating requirements for the delivery of open, smart web services. The expanded product line includes an updated version of the iPlanet™ Web Server and three new editions of the iPlanet™ Application Server. The product line allows customers to deploy web applications on a platform that suits their current budget and functionality requirements, and can also scale to meet changing business requirements.

The new server line is designed to accommodate a broad spectrum of operating situations encountered on the Internet. Enterprises and service providers have needs that range from basic content delivery to implementing entire e-business infrastructures that span partners, customers and geographies, thus requiring sophisticated workflow and integration capabilities. The product line includes an entry-level edition of the application server for Java™ technology development, a fully Java™ 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE™)certified edition for mission-critical applications, and a new high-end edition that raises the bar for enterprise application servers by incorporating powerful integration and process automation functionality.

"Web and application servers are critical to the realization of the Sun™ Open Net Environment vision of a complete open architecture for the creation, assembly and deployment of smart web services across and beyond the Internet," said Stuart Wells, senior vice president of iPlanet products. "With unparalleled market share among enterprise Web sites and the industry's #1 ranked application server*, iPlanet is now moving aggressively to extend its leadership to a new breed of web services developers."

"Facing the double whammy of a fast changing and demanding e-business marketplace, most successful enterprises rely on a combination of competencies within a diverse application server line," said Yefim Natis, vice president and research director of Gartner. "From an entry-level, fast-results platform to a high-end, high quality of service platform these combined core competencies offer enterprises a combination of agility and dependable scalability that is the key to success in the modern marketplace."

Building on iPlanet's reputation for powering many of the world's largest e-business environments, this new product line extends and leverages that expertise to help enable a broader range of capabilities. For example, OmniSpace Technologies, a service provider, has developed an innovative B2B collaborative workspace application on the iPlanet Application Server platform that helps enable multiple businesses to work together online as one, sharing processes and information across enterprises.

"The iPlanet Application Server gives us an infrastructure that offers a high degree of scalability, security and availability, as well as improves our time to market for new services," said Kurt Peterson, vice president of product development for OmniSpace. "The OmniSpace.net platform will leverage iPlanet's expanded capabilities to help us continue to grow our collaborative workspace application."

Server Technology Calibrated to Escalating E-Commerce Needs

The new product line provides four tiers of functionality as follows:

iPlanet Web Server 6.0 -Already the market-leader in the Global Fortune 500, the iPlanet Web Server 6.0 provides an even more powerful, scalable, flexible platform for the delivery of dynamic web content for enterprises and service providers, alike. New features in 6.0 include further performance improvements, the support of virtual domains and enhanced security to ensure that organizations can handle the massive volume demanded by successful sites and improve the management of their operations.

iPlanet Application Server, Standard Edition 6.0 -This all-new addition to the iPlanet Application Server family is designed to offer a low-cost entry point to enterprises who want to build highly scalable and available web applications using the J2EE platform. The iPlanet Application Server, Standard Edition, which includes full support for Java™ Servlets, and JavaServer Pages™ technology, expands on all the high-performance features of the iPlanet Web Server 6.0 by providing additional session management and monitoring capabilities for the successful deployment of modern web applications.

iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Edition 6.0 -The newest release of the iPlanet flagship J2EE technology-compliant application server already powers many of the world's largest and most demanding e-business operations. The iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Edition is designed for customers who need to develop and deploy highly scalable transactional business logic. It provides full support for Enterprise JavaBeans™(EJB™) architecture as well as sophisticated load-balancing, clustering and distributed transaction functionality.

iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Pro Edition 6.0 -This new addition to the iPlanet product family significantly raises the bar for high-end enterprise application servers. The iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Pro Edition builds upon all the features and functionality of the iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Edition by adding sophisticated business workflow management tools and application integration capabilities that leverage the underlying J2EE framework. This edition includes a Universal Integration Framework for projects that require tight integration into any existing enterprise application, including PeopleSoft, SAP R/3, Tuxedo and IBM CICS.

Pricing and Availability
 
  • Expected availability for the iPlanet Web Server 6.0 is in May, 2001 at a price of $1,495 per CPU.
  • iPlanet Application Server, Standard Edition 6.0 is expected to be available in June, 2001 at $2,995 per CPU.
  • iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Edition 6.0 is available immediately at $19,995 per CPU.
  • Expected availability for the iPlanet Application Server, Enterprise Pro Edition 6.0 is in March, 2001 at $39,995 per CPU.
    Pricing and availability for all products above are subject to change.

    About Sun ONE
    Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) is one of the industry's most comprehensive offerings to deliver web services today and includes an architecture and roadmap based on open standards, such as Java technology and XML, to take advantage of the new generation of smart web services and beyond. Smart web services are enhanced web services with a level of intelligence based on context, span multiple networks beyond the web, and provide a richer experience for both enterprises and end-users. Sun ONE will simplify the way in which both web and open smart services are created, assembled and deployed -- benefiting enterprises with better business-wide productivity, developers with faster time-to-service and increased market opportunity, and consumers with an enriched user experience. More information about Sun ONE can be found at http://www.sun.com/software/sunone.

    About iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions
    iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions, a Sun-Netscape Alliance, was established in March 1999 by America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. [NASDQ: SUNW] to power the next wave of the net economy through thought leadership, technical innovation, expert services and the creation of exceptional customer satisfaction. The iPlanet™ Platform is the industry's leading software environment designed to enable rapid assembly and deployment of scalable Internet services. Based on best-of-breed, open and proven technologies, the platform includes the world's #1 Messaging, Directory, Web and Application Servers. For more information, consult the iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions Web site at http://www.iplanet.com/.

    *[According to Forrester Research's eBusiness TechRankings™, December 28, 2000

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