Sun's JavaStation Network Computers Make the Grade for the University of Western Ontario's Library Application; JavaStation NCs Replace PC/Windows Systems

Business Wire, July 20, 1998

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 20, 1998--Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that its JavaStation(tm) network computers will be used in The University of Western Ontario's newly renovated, state-of-the-art D. B. Weldon Library.

The University of Western Ontario has purchased 250 JavaStation network computers from Sun for use by students and faculty to browse the Web, to send and receive e-mail and to access the library database. The JavaStation network computers, plus two of Sun's Ultra(tm) Enterprise(tm) 450 servers, will be installed in the renovated facility in time for its re-opening this fall.

The University of Western Ontario's Library System is the sixth largest university library system in Canada, with an annual budget of close to $17 million, collections of 2.2 million catalogued volumes and more than 4.5 million items in other formats.

The decision to deploy Sun's JavaStation network computers in its new facility follows a successful four-month pilot program conducted earlier this year. For the pilot program, 10 systems were installed in The University of Western Ontario's Allyn and Betty Taylor Library, a sister facility of The Weldon Library, dedicated to science collections.

The University of Western Ontario's administration underwent the pilot program in an effort to evaluate cost-effective computer access to library information using a computing architecture other than that of the previous PC systems, as they required a level of support from non-technical personnel that was straining resources.

"We started to look for alternatives to PCs in the library because we found that our staff was spending increasing amounts of resources on supporting the Windows environment that was used to run a small, fixed set of library and related applications. The JavaStation NCs we used in the pilot program enabled us to provide efficient, centralized desktop maintenance and administration, with improved security and access to applications without straining our resources," said Michael Bauer, senior director, Information Technology Services at The University of Western Ontario. "When The Weldon Library originally opened in 1972 it was a center of leading technology. Now, with the selection of Sun systems, Weldon is once again in the vanguard of library technology."

At the conclusion of the pilot, school officials determined that the JavaStation NC provided access to all information (including legacy, cross-platform systems) required by library customers while nearly eliminating the support requirements of the PC/Windows system it will replace.

"Applications such as this one at The University of Western Ontario provide a great example of deployment of NCs in a real-world situation," said Steve Tirado, director of product marketing, Network Computing Systems at Sun Microsystems. "The library application is particularly well suited to the JavaStation NC because it takes advantage of the network technology enabled by Java technology to provide centralized administration, cost savings and access to the latest and greatest software upgrades."

The majority of the JavaStation network computers will be located on the main floor of the library in a mixture of carrels and desktops for students to access library catalog information and network resources, including the World Wide Web. They will also be stationed around the main reference desk to conduct "express" and library staff-assisted information searches.

About The University of Western Ontario

The University of Western Ontario is a vibrant center of learning, with 1,250 faculty members, 1,800 staff and more than 24,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Through its 12 Faculties and Schools and three affiliated Colleges, the University offers more than 50 degree and diploma programs. More information about The University of Western Ontario is available via the World Wide Web at http://www.uwo.ca.

About Sun Microsystems

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network is the Computer(tm)," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of high quality hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide Intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $9 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com.

Note to Editors: Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, JavaStation, Java, Ultra Enterprise and The Network is the Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Other product and company names are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

    CONTACT:  Sun Microsystems, Inc.
               Kasey Holman, 650/786-3411
               kasey.holman@sun.com
                       or
               Thomas Associates for Sun
               Megan Gallagher, 650/596-2700, ext. 214
               megan@thomaspr.com