HP Forks Over Free Migration Services To Move Solaris Users to Linux
The assessment, application porting and migration services carry an estimated value of $25,000, according to Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP .
The migration deal, which is available through Dec. 31, 2003, covers assessment of the porting and migration needs for up to three applications, and porting of one application at no charge.
The deal also provides use of HP ProLiant server for up to 30 days for testing and a free HP StorageWorks SAN assessment to determine storage utilization.
Partners and customers interested in the program can call (800) 472-7563 or access the www.hp.com/go/eclipse Web site to glean further details.
"It's a good business decision for HP," said Douglass Hock, president of Ideal Technology, Orlando, Fla. "They should have done this a long time ago."
The HP offer follows a scathing open letter that Merrill Lynch analysts issued to Sun Chairman and CEO Scott McNealy, urging him to drastically cut costs and alter course or face extinction.
"Sun faces a crisis," the report stated. "On its current course, we believe Sun is likely to suffer further share and financial losses, become irrelevant to most users, and eventually be acquired for its installed base."
The report, dated Oct. 2, urged McNealy to enact major expense cuts immediately, including reducing its work force by between 5,000 and 7,000, and establish a narrow focus on mission-critical computing, where its advanced Unix operating system, systems architecture and management add value to the data center. The financial analysts advised Sun to de-emphasize and then retire its SPARC development, get rid of the Mad Hatter desktop plan, bring in a COO and spin off Java.
"Java has been a technology success, a so-so branding effort and a financial failure," according to the report, authored by several analysts including John Roy, Richard Farmer and Steven Milunovich, first vice president of Merrill Lynch. "Sun deserves to be a proud father, but Java now belongs to the masses. IBM likely invests more in Java than Sun does."
The report stated that Sun, Santa Clara, Calif., should position its Solaris Unix operating system blade architecture and N1 systems management and services at the lucrative mission-critical market.
The analysts also said Sun should continue to invest in its Enterprise Java middleware, formerly code-named Orion, but team with BEA Systems for market acceptance.
"Sun is an innovator, but even IBM became selective about its R&D efforts when the red ink flowed," the report added. "Solaris, Linux, Orion, Mad Hatter, N1, SPARC, x86, storage and Java. The 'Network Is The Computer' tent is bursting at the seams."
The report, released just days after Sun said it would take a $1.05 billion charge during its fourth fiscal quarter, also told Sun to get its partnering act together.
"Although we think Sun's channel emphasis remains, VARs that have been tied only to Sun are now questioning their commitment and thinking about backup strategies," according to the report. "Sending clear messages now would help cement these relationships."
The harsh note also told McNealy to drop the tough guy routine and play ball with CIOs. "Scott's brash and contrarian personality have been synonymous with the company's image and success. Unfortunately, the act is getting old," the report stated. "Sun does need to make contrarian bets but must do so in ways palatable to conservative CIOs."