Sun beefs up Linux software package

Sun Microsystems plans to expand its Linux software portfolio substantially over the coming year, including a version of its Java server software suite.

Sun is preparing a version of its Java Enterprise System - a bundle of Java server software products - for delivery on Linux around the middle of the year, said Simon Phipps, chief technology evangelist at Sun. Released late last year, Sun's Java Enterprise System is a central tactic in the company's attempt to gain ground in the Java software market with a flat pricing plan of $100 per employee per year.

Sun is expected to announce its Linux software plans at the LinuxWorld conference this week in New York.

Sun is also creating Linux editions of its Java development tools, a task it expects to complete in the first quarter this year. Linux versions of its SunRay desktop computers - stripped down machines that store most data on servers - are also under development.

The addition of Linux versions of Sun products, which currently run on the company's Solaris operating system, is part of Sun's strategy to offer customers a choice of Sun's Unix hardware or servers based on the x86 architecture running Linux.

Phipps said: "We recognise customers will be running mixed Unix environments. People can choose the most appropriate hardware."

The other important component to Sun's Linux software strategy is its Java Desktop System, which was introduced in December. The Java Desktop System, which Sun is selling for $100 per employee or $50 per employee for Java Enterprise System customers, is a collection of open-source applications aimed at corporate customers seeking an alternative to Windows and Microsoft Office.

Martin LaMonica writes for CNET News.com