Sun Announces Bold New Enhancements to Java Enterprise System

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), the creator and leading advocate of Java(TM) technology, today announced enhancements to the Java(TM) Enterprise System and Java(TM) System Suites with a breakthrough new version of the Sun Java System Portal Server (version 7) that will provide developers and customers with a secure method of delivering collaborative and identity-based content through web-based applications. The Sun Java System Portal Server 7 is available for download at no cost within the Java Enterprise System, Solaris(TM) Enterprise System and Java Application Platform Suite.

Enhancing the overall capabilities of the Java Enterprise System, the Sun Java System Portal Server 7 is the first to allow the easy creation of interactive communities of users and services, building community portals populated with collaborative content including RSS feeds, blogs and wikis. Identity-based portals and community portals, when combined with Sun's leading support of AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript) portal containers, allow users to experience the interactive power of the Web along with the personalization and rich application interfaces traditionally associated with the desktop.

"Sun has once again upped the ante in enterprise infrastructure software through a powerful new portal server providing a user interface that goes beyond what is currently available today, and we have included it within all of our key software platforms at no cost providing users with a secure method of delivering composite applications and identity-based content as well as offering new self-service enhancements that will provide more control to the end user and free up valuable IT resources, making for a more satisfactory experience all around," said Tom Goguen, VP of Marketing, Software at Sun. "The latest version of the Portal Server offers new self-service enhancements that provide more control to the end user and free up valuable IT resources, making for a more compelling experience all around. In addition, the Sun Java System Portal Server 7 is the first portal server available that supports wiki integration, a rapidly emerging collaboration technology."

This robust portal platform is also tightly integrated with Sun's business integration offerings to enable customers to provide a compelling user interface to new composite applications, business processes and web services designed based on SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) principles.

Some of the enhancements made to the Sun Java System Portal Server 7 include: -- Delegated Administration Features -- enables end users with the ability

to manage page layouts, reset passwords, and allow non-technical users

the ability to manage common portal functions, thus freeing up IT

resources

-- Tools to Create New Communities and Community Services -- including

user communities, wikis, file sharing, blog integration, and an open

interface to build and expand on these services.

-- Federated Composite Views -- Supports Service Oriented Architectures

including drag and drop portlet development using the Sun Java Studio

Creator.

-- Sun is also incorporating the open Java DB, a Sun supported

distribution of the Apache Derby database, in the Sun Java System

Portal Server 7 for use in data storage. "We're pleased to see this dramatically enhanced portal server. As one of Sun's long standing Elite Software Integration partners, we're also delighted to see that Sun has listened intently to partners, and our customers, and has implemented many of our recommendations," said Martin Gee CTO at ICSynergy. "The enriched industry-leading features and open integration standards of the new portal platform further enhances our ability to rapidly deploy the right business and technology solutions to customers."

As part of the Sun Java Enterprise System, the Sun Java System Portal Server 7 runs on the world's most advanced operating system on the planet, the Solaris(TM) OS, as well as Windows, HP-UX and Linux. More information can be found at: http://www.sun.com/software/javaenterprisesystem . About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

A singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer"(TM) -- guides Sun in the development of technologies that power the world's most important markets. Sun's philosophy of sharing innovation and building communities is at the forefront of the next wave of computing: the Participation Age. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com . NOTE: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Solaris, NetBeans, and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Carrie Kasten

Sun Microsystems

347-534-2093

carrie.kasten@sun.com allpress@sun.com

415-365-0462